Shaw Excited About The Opportunity At Valparaiso

Wyatt Shaw C / 1B / Princeton, OH / 2025

CINCINNATI - Everything about the visit to Valparaiso was perfect for Wyatt Shaw.

“I checked out the facilities and liked what they offered,” the Princeton High School senior reflected. “It’s a small school, and very welcoming. I felt more at home there.

“I talked to the head coach and really enjoyed our conversation. He said the entire coaching staff believes I’m their next guy. I’m their first 2025 recruit. It sounds like they want to build around me.”

There was more that stood out to the seventh-ranked 2025 catcher in Ohio.

“They’re great people,” Shaw said. “They made me feel like part of their family. It’s what I want in a college team.”

Valpo reached out to Adam Basil, owner of the Cincinnati Flames, who had high praise about the 6-3 195-pounder.

“They asked who to look at and he said Wyatt Shaw is a must,” the 17-year-old related. “He said he’s flying under the radar. After that they reached out to me. I went to the Top Prospect Games just before that, my numbers were good and they saw video on my Twitter. Then they had to see if I was mature enough for college. They came to watch me and I went 0-4 with three strikeouts, but everything I did from their standpoint was mature. It’s what they want in a player.”

His promise as a player was easy to recognize.

“I’m a left-handed hitter and they like how I swing the bat,” Shaw noted. “They clocked me at 1.9 (pop time) in-game. They like my frame and that I’m very projectable. I’m big and athletic and I’m a leader.”

Interest in Shaw came from numerous schools, including Army, Akron, Toledo, Lake Erie, Mount St. Joseph, VMI and St. Xavier.

“A lot of others reached out and wanted me to visit toward the end of summer, but I didn’t feel like they truly wanted me like Valparaiso,” Shaw explained.

The thought of playing at the next level began around the age of 13 and soon after the possibilities of doing it were genuine.

“I knew it was realistic when I was 15,” Shaw said. “I wasn’t the best player but knew how baseball was transitioning into taller and bigger catchers.”

Help in getting noticed came from Prep Baseball Ohio Director of Scouting, Kyle Weldon.

“He was big in this,” Shaw noted about Weldon, who has also served as an assistant coach at Mason. “He saw me play in high school and progress over the last two winters. He saw me mature as an athlete and he knew I was capable of playing at the college level. He didn’t know what level, but wanted me to attend the Top Prospect Games. I think I earned that playing against Mason the past few years.”

There were other influences in his baseball journey.

“Since my freshman year the coaches at Princeton have believed in me,” Shaw said. “John Sullivan, my hitting instructor, has helped me the most the past four years with my bat.”

Development in his overall game was a major part of the recruiting process working out.

“I’m a lot faster, a lot stronger and a lot more mature,” Shaw said. “If I know somebody trusts me, I’m someone who will run through a brick wall for them. As long as they trust me I’ve got their back. A lot of people feed off of that.”

The 70th-ranked senior in the state is confident about being a huge asset to the Missouri Valley Conference program.

“I’ll bring them a great bat and overall leadership, even if it’s coming from a freshman,” Shaw explained. “I take pride in learning and being able to lead. I just know I can contribute in more ways than one.”

Making the commitment official was a memorable experience.

“It felt very relieving,” Shaw related. “I wasn’t very stressed about it but I know my family was with it being late. I was on top of the world when I committed. You don’t experience this much, but when you do you get the experience of a lifetime.”

A 3.4 student at Princeton with aspirations to be a physician’s assistant major at Valpo, Shaw is ready for the challenges ahead at college.

“I’m most excited to help improve the program, help get Valpo on the map,” Shaw concluded. “I want to help them win. I think I can be a part of what they’re missing and be part of them succeeding.

“I know I can come in and compete for a starting job as a freshman,” Shaw added. “I know that’s big at the D-I level, but they’re open about me coming in and being able to compete my freshman year. I’m excited and grateful for that opportunity.”