Harlamert ‘Excited For The Opportunity’ At Northern Kentucky

Braylen Harlamert 2B / OF / Coldwater, OH / 2024

COLDWATER - Braylen Harlamert had his immediate future planned out. He did not play summer ball, instead working 55-hour weeks with plans to be a student at the University of Cincinnati.

But suddenly everything changed.

“An offer came late,” the Coldwater 2024 graduate said. “An assistant coach at Northern Kentucky used to coach my cousin and gave me an opportunity and I jumped on it. I committed a week later.”

Ironically, Harlamert had been to Northern Kentucky in the winter.

“When I was at UC it was only 10 minutes south from there so I went and checked it out,” noted Harlamert, who turned 19 on Aug. 31. “I was just trying to figure out what I wanted to do for college and I chose to go to UC.”

Then came the chance to play baseball at the next level and a revision to his plans were made.

“I like the homey feel there,” explained Harlamert, who is now a full-time student at the Horizon League university. “It’s a smaller college, more of a fit for me and it’s family oriented. I’m having a great time so far.”

Northern saw the 5-10 155-pound left-handed hitting second baseman, who can also play outfield, as a good fit to the program.

“They play a lot of small ball with fast guys that put pressure on the defense,” Harlamert noted. “That’s something I’ve been doing for a long time. It’s what I do. They said they love the game I play.”

It was sophomore year of high school when the aspirations to play at the next level began for Harlamert.

“I had a good year and I knew baseball was the love of my life and I started to look at colleges,” Harlamert reflected. “I took a trip to Findlay and went to a PBR camp when things started to pick up. Junior year I had another good season, but still no offers. Going into senior year I was looking at that one big offer to come in. I wanted D-I or nothing and that’s what I stuck to. That was the goal. When nothing came in I thought, it is what it is and moved on. Fortunately, an opportunity came.”

As one would expect, the offer was a bit of a surprise to say the least.

“It was a shock,” the sixth-rated 2024 second baseman in Ohio admitted. “I hadn’t been doing any baseball stuff. It was a month prior to moving in at Cincinnati. It was crunch time. My mind was spinning. I had to figure things out. An opportunity was there. I jumped out of my seat and committed a week later.”

So how was the feeling when it became official?

“Making a commitment was awesome,” Harlamert related. “My parents were behind me. Coach is a big family guy, that’s how I was raised, it’s my number one priority. What he said made a lot of sense.”

Harlamert was quick to credit others on his baseball journey that has landed him at Northern Kentucky, pointing to uncle Brian Harlamert, his former coach at Coldwater who passed away two years ago, current head coach Cory Klenke, Coldwater assistant coaches Aaron Harlamert and Jack Hemmelgarn, ACME coach Tom Brunswick and his twin brother AJ, along with parents Bruce and Sara Harlamert.

“I’ve been blessed my whole career to have coaches that do a great job,” Harlamert said. “And my twin brother has pushed me for a long time. All of these people have been huge for me.”

Harlamert is majoring in Sales at the university located in Highland Heights, Ky., a little more than two hours from home.

“I’m looking forward to the big practices with live at-bats,” Harlamert concluded. “I haven’t seen a live AB since my last game with Coldwater. There’s a lot of preparation to get ready for it.

“I’m ecstatic about it all,” Harlamert added. “This is a game I grew up playing and I love with all my heart. To be able to play it for four more years, I’m super thrilled. I’m just excited for the opportunity.”