Laisure Finds The 'Wright' Place For College

Josh Laisure RHP / SS / Olentangy Orange, OH / 2021

LEWIS CENTER - A year ago playing college baseball was not in the picture for Josh Laisure.

Now the Olentangy Orange junior has a commitment to Wright State.

“My favorite sport has always been baseball, but at first when I was younger I wanted to be in the NBA or NFL,” Laisure reflected. “But I started like baseball more and more around age 12 or 13 and then a year or two after that at 14-15 I started thinking about college baseball since I liked the sport more.

“It doesn’t matter how big you are or what you weigh, basically it’s skills and how hard you work.”

Soon after the 31st-rated 2021 in Ohio, who turned 16 on May 19, began to realize baseball was going to be part of his future.

“I went to a Bo Jackson Camp in the winter and I compared myself with others,” the 5-10 155-pounder said. “After that event I got calls from coaches and I felt college baseball was realistic after that.”

Wright State was one of the schools showing an interest.

“They liked me and invited me to a camp in February,” Laisure said. “They really liked what they saw and wanted to see me again in the spring. They came to a spring game and the next week they offered. They saw me again in the summer and I decided it was the right time.”

Where Wright State saw Laisure was at the Top Prospect Games in early June.

“There were a lot of college coaches there,” Laisure noted. “Everybody was good there, so it was hard to stand out. I spotted the ball well on the corners and my curve was working good. Wright State was there and a couple weeks later I committed.

“I just felt it was the right fit for me, I felt it was a no-brainer,” Laisure continued. “There was no reason to keep it open if that’s where I really wanted to go.”

Laisure had taken a tour of the school after participating in the camp back in February.

“I like how they produce young men, not just baseball players,” Laisure explained. “They teach more than baseball. I also wanted a smaller school.”

Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, Xavier and Dayton were other colleges showing an interest in the seventh-ranked uncommitted right-handed pitcher prior to the commitment to Wright State.