Shaw Finds The Perfect Fit At Wright State

CANFIELD - Nate Shaw looks at a college commitment as a two-way street.

“It’s not just me committing to them, but also them committing to me,” Shaw explained. “It’s 50-50. It’s me wanting to go there and them wanting me just as bad.”

The Canfield junior found what he was looking for in Wright State.

“I had an immediate connection with coach (Nate) Metzger and coach (Alex) Sogard,” Shaw noted about the associate head coach/recruiting coordinator and head coach of the Raiders.

Interest began earlier this year.

“Last offseason we started talking and after Sept. 1, when you’re allowed to reach back and forth, that sparked it,” the 10th-ranked 2022 right-handed pitcher in Ohio reflected.

One part of his pitching stood out to Wright State.

“They like my pitchability,” Shaw said. “I’m able to throw it where I want it. Velo is great, but pitchability is the key to success.”

The 6-0 193-pounder drew attention at the Future Games after throwing two scoreless innings.

“This past offseason I really got myself on the map,” Shaw pointed out. “I made a huge jump in velo with more pitchability. The PBR Future Games was an awesome experience playing against the best in the country. It really helped to get video out there from that.”

Improvement has not come for Shaw just in the way of velocity and pitchability.

“I’ve become more mature as a young man and more mature as a pitcher,” the 16-year-old noted. “In the past I wasn’t always there mentally.”

Until recently, the 30th-rated junior in the state had played outfield in addition to pitch.

“I was always a two-way guy and liked hitting more,” Shaw said. “But this summer I made bigger jumps on the mound and my mechanics got cleaner. Something just clicked.”

However, Shaw understands more work and improvement is needed.

“I really can improve everywhere,” Shaw admitted. “The big thing with me is to keep getting stronger.”

Kent State and Miami were among other schools that Shaw had been in conversation with but Wright State was the first to offer.

“I just felt at home at Wright State,” Shaw said of making the commitment. “It’s the best fit for me.”

Shaw pointed to his father as the biggest influence in his baseball journey.

“He tells me to go do my thing and don’t think too much,” Shaw noted. “Have that faith to go out there and do it.”

A major in a field of business is the plan for Shaw, a 3.99 student who believes he can be a major asset to the Horizon League baseball team.

“The big thing with me is I can bring maturity to the program,” Shaw said. “I want to bring that dedication, fight and commitment to the program to do whatever it takes to win.”

A virtual tour of Wright State was made during the recruiting process that helped in making the final decision.

“It was definitely above and beyond my expectations,” Shaw related about his recruitment. “It was scary to go through but the fun part of coaches reaching out made me 10 times more confident to go out there and perform.”

Making the commitment official was a dream come true.

“What a great feeling for me,” Shaw said. “It felt awesome talking to my family all the way through it. But it’s just one small step toward the ultimate goal.”