Barr Headed To 'Dream School' To Join His Brother

JOACHIM, Ontario - His dad went to Michigan. His older brother will become a Wolverine next year. Now Preston Barr is joining the family tradition.

Once an offer was made, a commitment to the Big 10 school was a no-brainer for the University of Liggett sophomore.

“I was looking at some schools in the midwest region but Michigan has always been my dream school,” related Barr. “My brother made my decision much easier. To be playing on the same team as him means a lot.”

After all, Preston and older brother Kurt have been around the game since their childhood.

“We’ve been playing together since we were little, we grew up around the game,” Barr noted. “We love and have a passion for the game and our chemistry is unmatched. He told me all about the school and that helped sway me in making my decision.”

The recruiting process went rather quickly for the second-rated 2024 in Ontario

“Last year when I went to Florida I got a couple looks from schools from the midwest region,” Barr reflected. “In the fall I went to a PBR event and put up some good numbers and schools became more aggressive.”

One of the schools intrigued with the 6-2 170-pounder was Michigan.

“It helped with my brother already committed there,” Barr admitted. “They’ve been looking at me all along and I started talking with them about six months ago. It went fast. At the beginning they just tried to get to know me and make sure the fit was right.”

Barr, who won’t turn 15 years of age until June 20, loves what he sees in the university located in Ann Arbor, a little more than an hour away from his home in Canada.

“It has an amazing baseball program and the academics are amazing,” pointed out Barr. “It’s close to home so my parents can come watch my games.”

Throughout the recruiting process travel was more difficult, however.

“During Covid it made recruitment hard on us,” noted Barr, who currently travels 50 minutes a day from his home to high school at the University of Liggett. “They’re a lot stricter in Canada. But the coaching staff at Michigan helped my decision. They were very friendly and made the process easier for me.”

The chance to be a two-way player at Michigan was another selling point for Barr, a right-handed pitcher who also plays third base in high school.

“They like how I can do everything - hit, play the field and pitch,” Barr said. “I’m going there as a two-way and I’m very thankful to be able to do that. Most of the schools were looking at me as just a pitcher, but honestly that’s not what I wanted to do. I love to hit and play the field. I didn’t want to be constricted into doing just one thing.”

The opportunity to do both will happen at Michigan, which has a baseball program that Barr has followed for some time.

“Since I was little I’ve always watched them on youtube,” Barr noted. “I played in the Little League World Series and my dad went to Michigan. That’s when I started thinking about college baseball.

“But really, I always thought it was going to happen. I worked hard and thought the time I put in would pay off. It’s always been a goal to play at the highest level. To be able to do it now feels great.”

A 4.0 student considering a major in business, Barr understands the work needed to be a two-way player at the next level.

“I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on pitching, hitting and infield,” Barr explained. “I spend a lot of time with Kurt working on mechanics, practicing and hitting the weight room. Over the past year I’ve seen the time I’ve put in paying off. I’ve got a lot more velo, I have a lot more power at the plate and my arm across the infield is better. I’ve also gotten quicker with more lateral movement. That comes with all the stretching I do.”

It has helped make the college baseball aspiration become a reality at his dream school.

“It was awesome to share the moment with my dad,” Barr said of making the final decision to attend Michigan. “With all the time I’ve put in, and my dad helping in creating me into the player I am today, that moment is unforgettable.”