Harter putting setback in the past

Reid Harter RHP / 1B / Celina, OH / 2019

CELINA - This was not the way Reid Harter expected his recruitment to go.

“I was hoping to have a big summer and be committed before my senior year,” noted the Celina 2019 right-handed pitcher.

However, labrum surgery last May changed all that.

“I was emailing in the spring and coaches said they were going to come see me in the summer,” explained the fifth-rated unsigned senior right-hander in Ohio, who mentioned Dayton, Findlay and Sinclair as schools he was in contact with at that point in time.

But any potential exposure came to an end once the injury took place.

“It was a big setback,” Harter said.

It has not stopped the 6-2 197-pounder from pursuing his dream.

“I’ve been working super hard to get back,” Harter noted. “I think I’ll be better than I was before the injury. Right now I’m 80 percent ahead of schedule and I’ll be 100 percent for spring.”

Fall visits to Owens, Lincoln Trail and Tri-C have taken place.

“They all saw me off PBR videos,” Harter said about how his recruitment was still going on despite not getting on the field. “They like how clean my upper body is and if I work with my legs there is a lot more velocity left in there.”

Ohio PBR Scouting Director Jordan Chiero sees a lot of potential in Harter.

“He’s a physical 6-foot-2 right-hander with starter potential,” Chiero said. “He offers a true three-pitch mix led by his mid-80s fastball that could be higher by now. He spins it well and his changeup should carry to the next level. I’m excited to get eyes on him this spring.”

Playing college baseball has been with Harter for some time.

“It’s been my goal since I was 10,” Harter said about the next level. “It’s been a dream of mine.”

It is something that became more realistic once Harter got into high school.