Cain Ready To Experience College Baseball At Kent State

Ian Cain 3B / RHP / Avon, OH / 2025

AVON - There are a lot of things that made Kent State the right college choice for Ian Cain, but one stood out.

“I felt very, very comfortable there,” the Avon High School junior pointed out. “That was one of the main things I wanted on a visit.”

It was a little more than a month ago when the second-ranked 2025 third baseman in Ohio made the short trip to check out Kent State once the deadlines to talk and visit colleges for those entering the junior class of high school were reached.

“I really enjoyed my recruitment with them,” Cain related. “They tried to gain a connection with me, getting to know me as a person and also to know my family. It helped with my choice. They’d been watching me for a while, but for me one of the main points is their player development. And not a huge huge factor, but being close to an hour from home is nice.

“On Aug. 1 they reached out and texted me and said they wanted to stay in contact. We made a couple calls, found a date that would work for both of us and I went on a visit. The players I met were very welcoming, the school was very very nice and the baseball facilities were nice.”

Cain, who had offers from Memphis and Marshall, also made an impression on Kent State.

“They like my speed, athleticism and how I play the game,” the 21st-rated junior in Ohio said. “They see me as a D-I potential draft pick. They really enjoyed watching me, talking about my bare-handed play at the Future Games. I’m just glad to be able to pick Kent State.”

Cain pointed to Prep Baseball Report as the key to his recruitment.

“PBR was definitely the main way I got my name out there with showcases and the events I went to,” Cain explained. “The connections that PBR has throughout baseball is really really nice.”

Once Aug. 1 came around, Cain had a busy day.

“That was the most stressful part about my recruiting,” Cain related. “The first week because of who texted me I had to figure it all out. After that, it was pretty easy to manage.”

Cain gave credit to four people who were vital in his journey to play baseball at the Division I level.

“I’ve known David Siler since I was around six or seven and have always worked with him with glove work and hitting,” Cain said. “I’ve been hitting with Kody Bledsoe the past couple of years and that’s increased my development tremendously.

“Ryan Rua has been my coach with T3 the past couple years and he’s helped me not only physically but also mentally. Patrick Scholla, my head baseball coach at Avon, has mentored me into being a leader on and off the field.”

Improvement paved the way for the chance to take his game to the next level.

“The main thing, and I’m glad I realized it, was my confidence has gone way up,” Cain explained. “A year, year-and-a-half ago, I knew I was good but if I’d strikeout I looked down on myself. Now I realize you’re going to have ups and downs, everyone has them.

“I also trained everyday to fine-tune my batting, fielding and pitching to be the best player I can be.”

Cain, who turned 17 on Sept. 6, is confident he can be a major asset to the Mid-American program at Kent State.

“I’m a team player that will try his best to help keep the tradition of winning games at Kent State going,” Cain said.

The idea of playing baseball at the next level began just a few years back.

“I always wanted to make it to the major leagues but knew you had to play college baseball first,” Cain noted. “In middle school people around me that are trustworthy sources told me I had the potential to be a great college baseball player and that’s when I started taking it seriously.”

To make it a reality was a “very big stress reliever” according to the 6-0 170-pounder, who is looked at as a third baseman/shortstop in college.

“My whole life I’ve been striving to go D-I so I could play the best baseball that’s out there,” Cain said. “I’m still gonna strive for greatness and will play the game the way I’ve been playing it, but now I realize I have a home in college and can go out and have fun.”

The plan is to major in the business field according to the 3.75 student, who is looking forward to what is to come once his days of playing baseball in high school end.

“There’s a lot of hype around college baseball, it’s so electric,” Cain concluded. “It seems like it’s going to be so much fun to be part of and I can’t wait to get out on the field and experience it with all my college teammates.”