Indiana Dream Becomes Reality For Rowe

Brennan Rowe SS / RHP / Olentangy Liberty, OH / 2020

POWELL - At the beginning of summer there was a lot of uncertainty when it came to the baseball future of Brennan Rowe. But that is no longer the case for the Indiana University commit.

“Earlier this month (July) I was playing in Florida and they were there to see a buddy of mine,” the Olentangy Liberty senior reflected about IU. “We were playing on a larger field in a wood bat tournament and I hit a ball off the wall in left-center field. They contacted me about how I approached the game.

“They had seen me play before but they weren’t really looking for many in that class (2020),” Rowe continued. “But coach (Justin) Parker stayed to watch every game in Florida and then when my team went to Georgia. He said he loved to watch me play.”

Enough so to entice Rowe to go on a visit to the Big 10 school.

“It was unbelievable,” Rowe said about the nearly four-hour trip west to Bloomington. “I knew that was where I wanted to be. They have the best coaching staff I could ask for. I know they develop guys for the pros and that they win championships. It’s where I want to be.” 

But other schools were also in the picture at that time. Ohio State, Xavier, Penn State and Central Florida were the most recent programs in communication with the 58th-rated 2020 in the state.

“I had talked with Tulane, UNC Charlotte and Houston last year,” Rowe added. “I didn’t know where I wanted to be at that point.”

It was how the recruitment process was going for the 6-1 195-pounder, who pitched and played outfield this past season for his high school team (which a year prior won the Division I state championship), but has been looked at as a middle infielder by many colleges.

“It was kind of a slow process, I didn’t get any offers up until the last few weeks,” Rowe noted about his recruitment. “A lot of coaches told me they didn’t know where I would play. I had a good enough bat, but nobody pulled the trigger. It was a little confusing.”

To the point that Rowe made an adjustment at the Top Prospect Games in June.