Service Brings Strong Qualities To The Table

WARREN - While the interest is there, Oliver Service believes the recruiting process could still be going a little bit better as junior year of high school approaches the halfway point.

“It’s going okay, but not how I wanted it to,” the fourth-rated 2023 catcher in Michigan admitted. “The colleges I am talking to are truly interested in me, it’s just how do I get them to pull the trigger?”

The thought of playing at the next level took off for Service three years ago.

“I was 13 when I realized I can play college baseball,” explained Service, now 16 years of age. “It’s always been a dream, but at 13 is when I started playing real travel ball. The summer I was turning 14, my high school coach came up to me and said Michigan wanted to talk to me. It was like … this is real. This is really happening. Now I need to do what I can to make this happen.”

More interest has followed.

“I’ve been talking to about seven schools,” noted Service, who helped University Liggett to the Division 3 state championship as a sophomore. “It started with Michigan and Michigan State as my first two, then came some others like Southern University, Central Michigan and Notre Dame.”

Coaches have found a lot of positives in the game of Service.

“All of them love my hitting,” Service related. “All of them say I can swing the bat like no one else. But they don’t really tell me anything to work on.”

Service has been pleased with what he has discovered when visiting colleges.

“I really like the Notre Dame campus, it’s amazing,” Service said. “I like Michigan State a lot, too. They have nice facilities and the coaches are amazing. Overall it’s a great school. The same with Michigan. Even though it’s filled up (the 2023 class), it’s always been kind of a dream school for me.”

Improvement has come throughout recruitment for the 6-0 185-pounder.

“I’ve been going to camps, and going to the Future Games helped a lot,” Service pointed out. “That’s where I got interest from Notre Dame, at the Future Games.

“PBR has really helped me out a lot,” Service continued. “They have more people in touch with colleges than the others. Whenever I do a PBR, I’m always getting recognition from coaches. They have great contact with so many college coaches.”

The University Liggett catcher/outfielder made an impression performing for Team Michigan at the Future Games in Georgia at the end of summer.

“I made a lot of plays catching,” Service reflected about the prestigious PBR event. “I had a back pick at first, I threw a guy out at third, I had some big blocks and I helped pitchers if they were struggling. I put everything out on the table to show these colleges what I could do.”

The ninth-rated uncommitted 2023 in Michigan has also exhibited strong ability in the outfield.

“No one I’ve talked with has said ‘we want you just as a catcher or just as an outfielder,’” Service noted. “With my range and arm, I feel I can track down any ball in the outfield. At catcher I bring a different energy. I feel I can control the game. I love being in that leadership spot. In baseball you need a great catcher to lead the game and I feel I can be that guy.”

Those abilities bring Service an enormous amount of confidence when it comes to performing at the next level.

“I'm a team-first guy that will do whatever it takes to help the team win,” Service explained. “I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do. I can play multiple positions, I can swing it like no one else, I can pick up teammates and I can be a leader on the team.”

Service, who carries a 3.6 GPA in high school and has aspirations to major in sport medicine or meteorology, understands the importance of continuing to strive to improve his game.

“I definitely need to work on my speed before I get to college,” Service said. “I’m also working on using all sides of the field. Using the opposite side will help make me an even better player.”

Travel coach Atanas Illitch and high school coach Dan Cimini have been vital when it comes to development and recruitment according to Service.

“Right now I plan to make a decision after the high school season,” noted Service, who at present has had offers from Southern University and Henry Ford College. “Most of the schools have told me they want to see how I do there.

“Right now I’m just going to keep working hard to keep getting better. I’m not going to let anything affect me.”