Washington commit Carson Ohland ready to live up to hype
MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. (BVM) 鈥� Carson Ohland is arguably the best high school baseball prospect in the Evergreen State. (PBR) has him ranked as the No. 12 catching prospect in the United States, and he鈥檚 committed to Washington, but he didn鈥檛 become the type of player he is now on his own.
From a young age, Ohland has had a knack for athletics. But his love for baseball sprouted thanks to his father, Curt, and brother, .
鈥淢y dad played all kinds of sports growing up,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淏ut my brother is a baseball player at Central Washington.鈥�
His older brother paved the way for him and did his best to influence the way he plays the game, and both will finally get to play on the same team this summer.聽
鈥淕rowing up around my brother and seeing him catch made me want to catch,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淚 have never played on the same team as him. He鈥檚 always been four years ahead of me, but this summer, we are playing for the in Wenatchee in the West Coast League (WCL) together.鈥�
Along with his family providing the necessary motivation to become a standout baseball player, his career has provided challenges and chances to fail. However, he鈥檚 taking those in stride and continuing to make the best out of every opportunity given to him.
鈥淢y high school career has been challenging with getting all this attention so early,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been important for me to realize it鈥檚 going to happen, there are people who look up to me and there鈥檚 going to be a lot of pressure, but I鈥檓 going to get through it.鈥�
One outlet giving him national recognition was College Baseball Newspaper, which named him an All-American based on his performance last season.
Congrats to incoming Dawg on being named a HS All-American 馃嚭馃嚫
— Washington Baseball (@UW_Baseball)
鈥淭hat recognition is one of the biggest to this day,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淲hen I saw it come up, I was surprised and grateful for it. Seeing all those names just made me excited to be on the list because there were some big names on the list.鈥�
Last season Carson helped lead the Tahoma Bears to a 16-7 overall record and accumulated two home runs, a batting average of .426 and 14 RBIs, according to . He also recorded a pop-time of 1.94 seconds and had 147 putouts.
But before Carson became one of the best catching prospects in the , he lived in Missouri, where he learned a lot about who he wanted to be.
鈥淚 lived in Washington for eight years and moved out to Missouri for three years and got a taste for the Midwest,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淢y dad works for Boeing, and that’s why we moved to Missouri, but Washington always felt like home for me.鈥�
In Washington, Carson鈥檚 talents on the diamond started to turn heads and he learned how to deal with high expectations at a young age.
鈥淭he rankings don鈥檛 affect me,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淚 think any kid at a young age would see that as pressure just because your name is out there. Over the years, I鈥檝e learned to drown it out and learn it doesn鈥檛 matter; it鈥檚 just a number, and you still have to perform.鈥�
His performances on the diamond led him to offers from college baseball programs, but he decided to stay home and commit to Washington.
鈥淕oing back to the Midwest didn’t feel appealing or right for me,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淲ashington always felt right; I wanted to stay home, and it鈥檚 a group of mostly Northwest kids; I love that.鈥�
Carson is also a switch-hitting catcher, which could attract the eyes of MLB scouts and other professional teams, and he鈥檚 thought about what it would be like to be drafted.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been in the talks a little bit, and I鈥檝e been talking to my agency,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been a huge help in the whole process and setting up meetings with different scouts, and there are scouts that want to come to high school season and meet with me and my family.鈥�
Can鈥檛 wait!馃惡
— Carson Ohland (@CarsonOhland)
Carson is still a young talent, and as exciting as being drafted sounds, he鈥檚 going to continue his athletic journey one step at a time.
鈥淭he biggest thing for me is to enjoy my senior year,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淚鈥檝e talked to and caught , and talking to those big leaguers, the No. 1 thing they told me was to, 鈥楨njoy it, because you only get it once.鈥欌��
Carson is on the right path regarding the future of his athletic career. While it may lead him to Washington or levels beyond, he is going to remember the essential lessons baseball has taught him.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more than a game, there are relationships, and it gives life lessons,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淭hose three things are the most meaningful things to me and what makes baseball so great鈥earning how to deal with hardships because baseball isn鈥檛 easy, so getting through hard times and annoying moments, baseball gives you a lot of great things in life.鈥�
