LaPointe Sees Bright Future Ahead At Eastern Michigan

Ethan LaPointe LHP / Holy Names, ON / 2024

“It was late in my 14U or 15U year when I knew I wanted to go and play baseball in the states,” LaPointe reflected. “But I knew I had to work my butt off.”

Hard work followed and now the 17-year-old is an Eastern Michigan commit.

“A lot of gym time or just throwing it, by myself or with someone,” LaPointe explained about what he did to improve once he decided playing at the next level was for him. “Working with pitching coaches with Team Elite also helped a lot.

“Team Elite really helped me with everything,” added LaPointe, who credited Tommy Carion and Matt Rehfeldt with being a big part of his development. “Last summer I was in the low-80s topping 85-86 and couldn’t find the zone, but once I got my confidence up it was game over.”

It was at the PBR Border Battle at Adrian College when Eastern Michigan came to watch LaPointe throw for Team Elite.

“I pitched one of my best games, I threw a one-hitter,” reflected the seventh-rated 2024 left-handed pitcher in Ontario. “I waited a couple of weeks after that but nobody reached out so I sent an email to them and they asked me to come on a visit.”

The trip to Ypsilanti not far from home was everything LaPointe hoped it would be.

“Coach Britt has a good plan for the program,” the Holy Names High School senior said of the new head coach at EMU, Robbie Britt. “The pitching coach (Craig Prince) also has a good plan for pitchers. The whole mentality there, I just loved it. Plus, it’s only 50 miles away.”

A commitment eventually came, bringing an end to a recruiting process that included interest from JUCOs, talks with Central Michigan and the cancellation of a planned visit to Adrian.

“I wasn’t going to get a better offer than Eastern,” reasoned LaPointe, whose recruitment only picked up a few months ago.

“I didn’t talk to any schools until summer started up,” LaPointe related. “I made some PBR showcases and went to the Future Game Trials, and once I started pitching well D-II and D-III schools started talking to me. But I knew I could do D-I. It was stressful with schools reaching out, but once I committed it was a big weight off my shoulders because I wasn’t sure what I was going to do after high school.”

LaPointe was just what Eastern Michigan was in search of as a pitcher.

“A tall lefty throwing high-80s,” the 6-7 205-pounder said of what prompted EMU’s interest in him. “They said the ’24 class was a big recruiting class for them but they had no lefties so I was a big add for them.”

Height has never been an issue for LaPointe.

“I’ve always been the tallest on the team,” LaPointe related. “As a 14-15-16U I struggled pitching, I struggled with my body. I was really robotic. But once I figured that out and figured out my mechanics, that all changed.”

Now the 44th-ranked 2024 in Ontario is excited about what he can do at the next level.

“My goal is to be the ace for the team,” LaPointe explained. “Maybe not freshman year, but being 6-7 I think I can get my velo up to 100. I topped at 93 a few weeks ago and if I keep working who knows what I’ll be by freshman year. I think I can be a great asset to that team.”

Sport management or business are potential majors for the 3.0 student, who is looking forward to a big future at Eastern Michigan.

“I can’t wait to go there and play baseball,” LaPointe concluded. “After I committed I looked at some YouTube videos where they’ve played and I can’t wait to see how I do against some great baseball players. I’m so excited.”