Eastern Kentucky Commitment Brings Relief To Erd

TOLEDO - Josiah Erd was a catcher for the most part of his freshman year at Toledo St. Francis. However, a position change proved to be paramount when it came to his future.

“I realized my bat was not good enough to play Division I,” Erd reflected. “So I got on the mound and my coaches liked what they saw.”

Improvement followed for the 47th-ranked 2023 in the state.

“I went from throwing 82 in the winter to hitting 91 this fall,” related the 6-3 180-pounder, who at the Bo Jackson Scout Day in February was listed as a top performer. “A high spin guy who physically you could easily see another jump from,” Jordan Chiero, PBR Ohio Director of Scouting, said after the event.

It helped bring interest from colleges, with offers coming from Toledo, Bowling Green, North Alabama and Eastern Kentucky.

“I knew I didn’t want to stay close to home, I kind of want to be my own person and start the adult life,” Erd explained, eliminating the two nearest schools in his thought process. “North Alabama just transferred from D-II to D-I but it was a bit further. Eastern Kentucky is right in the middle.”

A strong connection with EKU began at a Buckeye Elite Tournament.

“Coach (Jimmy) Onate gave me their number and I got in contact with coach (Walt) Jones,” Erd said in reference to the assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Eastern Kentucky. “From the beginning it felt like a good fit and we kept talking.”

A visit to the university located 41/2 hours from Toledo followed an offer. A commitment came next.

“I really liked everything about the visit,” Erd pointed out. “It’s like it’s own small little town. The facilities are nice and they have a new turf field. I watched a practice and I liked the culture. They were having fun but getting it done.”

Belief is that the ASUN Conference program can benefit from what Erd has to present.

“They really like how I pitch, I think they liked my velo the most,” explained the 17th-ranked junior right-handed pitcher in Ohio. “They said we expect you to be a contributor freshman year and that’s what I’m going there to do.”

The thought of playing baseball at the next level started early for the 16-year-old.

“It’s been my dream since I was five when I first started playing,” Erd said. “I’ve wanted to be Division I ever since and the dream came true. One, I got an offer ... and two, I committed to a nice school.”

Making it to the D-I level was important in the eyes of Erd.

“A lot more people are watching you,” Erd related. “A lot more younger kids are looking up to you so there’s more weight on your shoulders.”

Erd is confident of handling the challenge.

“I feel I’ll be a solid contributor on the mound,” Erd noted. “By the time I get there I should be good with my velo and have developed my off speed. The big thing I need to do is gain some weight. I’m 180 now and my goal is 205 to 210 when I get there. I want to develop my offspeed, my curve and change, to make them an elite pitch instead of just a pitch.”

Being a good teammate is also important to Erd.

“I’m an energetic guy that likes having fun,” Erd said. “I’ll be on the top step cheering on my teammates.”

Coaches Ryan Clark and Onate, along with his father Josh, have been major influences in the baseball journey for Erd, a 3.3 student who hopes to go into an academic field to become an athletic trainer when his playing days are over.

“Making a commitment felt like a lot of weight off my shoulders,” Erd admitted. “It had really been bugging me, I didn’t know what decision to make. Once it was over, I didn’t have to worry about it any more.”