Kolton Looking Forward To Making Memories At Central Michigan

Benjamin Kolton RHP / 3B / Chaminade-Julienne, OH / 2025

DAYTON - The decision to become a PO has paid off for Ben Kolton, who is now a commit to Central Michigan.

“I went to a Prep Baseball showcase at the Bo Dome and that’s where Bo Jackson got my metrics from,” the Chaminade-Julienne senior reflected. “They called me up and told me what they wanted to see from my future and wanted me as a PO. I made the switch and stuck to it over the summer.

“For me, that’s when college baseball became more of a reality, when I made the switch to Bo Jackson. My dream was to play college baseball, but at the time it wasn’t looking like an option until I made the switch to Bo Jackson.”

A showcase at Central Michigan gave the 80th-rated 2025 right-handed pitcher in Ohio an opportunity to show what he could do now that he had turned to a PO.

“My uncle, who was an NAIA All-American at Madonna, strongly encouraged me to attend a camp at Central Michigan and signed me up for a two-day weekend,” explained Kolton. “He thought that at that camp I would get the most honest assessment of where my potential was, whether D-I, D-II or D-III level. He knew that (head) coach (Jake) Sabol would give honest feedback on my ability.

“It was the greatest decision of my life. I had an extremely strong camp, all my pitches were working and the coaches pulled me and my friend, Cam Niehaus, out after the camp and expressed strong interest.”

It was a memorable experience for Kolton.

“Coach (Aaron) Hilt ran us through some drills that they do the first day and the second day the majority of POs got 10 batters to face in two innings,” Kolton related. “They gave me the first two innings which was great, it didn’t feel too different from being a starter.

“This was my chance to prove what I could do and with the numbers I was putting up I hoped they took a look at me. They ended up keeping me and Cam around and wanted me back for a campus visit. I went back three days later and they offered two days after that.”

The final decision came down to Central Michigan and Findlay before Kolton decided on the Mid-American Conference school in Mount Pleasant.

“Being new coaches there, they’re not going anywhere,” Kolton reasoned. “For me it was (pitching) coach Hilt. He knows what he’s doing and has great plans for me. He’s into the metric part for pitchers to help get us where he wants us to be and for us in our future. Being there with Cam is a bonus. Obviously there is work to put in, but I think we can become part of the top of the Central rotation.”

The CMU pitching coach sees Kolton with the potential of making an impact in the program.

“Coach Hilt liked my arm position, metrics, spin rates, character and the craft I have,” the 5-11 165-pound right-hander noted.

Getting to the point of being a commit to Central Michigan benefitted from recent improvement according to Kolton.

“It came from a Driveline program at C-J,” Kolton said about strides he has made as a pitcher. “Coach Todd (Barhorst) does a great job with how he looks at metrics. He tries to get everyone better and will go out of his way to help us.”

Becoming a PO helped make the journey to play college baseball a reality.

“That’s when it really opened for me with my recruitment, and my stuff got better,” Kolton pointed out. “It started with Division III Wittenberg and then Findlay and then Central as time went on.”

Pitching coaches, Chris Gongora at C-J and Brandon Riley with Bo, are credited with being instrumental in his development on the mound and Kolton is now ready to show what he can do at the next level.

“I’ll bring competitiveness and hard work to the program,” the 243rd-ranked senior in Ohio said. “If I continue to be in the weight room and stay true to coach Todd and then Central, I can reach my full potential. I hope to make an impression and compete for a starting spot as a freshman.”

There were mixed emotions that came with the decision to commit to Central.

“It was hard to say no to the coaches at Findlay and the other colleges that were recruiting you,” Kolton explained. “But once I got that off my chest, I was excited to attend Central and excited for what’s to come.”

The plan is to major in the business or finance area, with Kolton, who carries a 3.3 GPA in high school, looking forward to a future at the university located five hours from home.

“For me it’s about bringing the winning mentality to Central,” concluded Kolton, who will turn 18 on Oct. 9.