High school baseball has not always been easy for Cole Vander Velde. It’s a competitive, grueling sport, and he had to put the work in to make an impact.
“I had to prove myself in high school and find a way to get on the roster and get in the lineup every day,” said Vander Velde.
Vander Velde has always wanted to play baseball in college as well, and this goal would cause him to put in even more effort towards success on the diamond.
“Pretty early on, I had that idea of playing at the next level, and I feel like that kind of motivated me to push myself and find a way to be able to play in college baseball,” mentioned Vander Velde.
Vander Velde’s recruitment process wasn’t exactly typical either. While the typical baseball recruits get most of their exposure during the summer, Vander Velde didn’t get that much, meaning he had to put in some extra work in the fall to get noticed.
“I had to email coaches and ask if they could let me go to a showcase,” said Vander Velde.
All of this work and effort would pay off for Vander Velde, as he will now be making an impact at the next level. Vander Velde committed to the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where he will major in an undecided field of engineering.
“I went up to visit there, and seeing the facilities and the classrooms really impressed me for a smaller school,” explained Vander Velde. “As soon as I got that opportunity to play baseball there, I thought it was a perfect fit for me and what I wanted to do in college.”
Playing in college means a lot of changes for Vander Velde. The intense travel and workload of college baseball, being away from home, and playing with a whole new team without longtime teammates and his twin brother, Owen Vander Velde, who committed to DePauw for baseball, will all be major adjustments.
“I love the team we have here, and I feel like it’s gonna be tough to end that season,” stated Vander Velde. “Us all going separate ways for college is tough.”
However, the opportunity to play at the next level is an exciting one, and Vander Velde is ready for everything that comes with it.
“I’m looking forward to getting exposed to high-level players, meeting a whole new group of guys to play with, traveling all over the Midwest,” said Vander Velde. “It’ll be fun.”
