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Boyd County Catcher Jacob Barnwell Discusses His Commitment to Ohio State

January 13, 2014

By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Directorbarnwell

Jacob Barnwell, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound, strong-armed catcher from Boyd County HS, recently committed to to Ohio State University.  The junior, ranked No.6 in Kentucky's 2015 class, had a whirlwind summer that saw him complete his travel ball season on a very good Huntington Hounds 18U team, and then be one of a handful of juniors selected to participate in the East Coast Pro Showcase in Syracuse, NY.

We recently caught up with Barnwell to discuss his decision.

 

PBR: Why did you choose Ohio State?

Barnwell: The reason I chose Ohio state was because I feel like Coach Beals and the rest of the coaching staff know what they are doing, and I feel like I fit in well with the coaches and the rest of the environment.  I liked what Coach Beals had to offer and being able to work with the head coach everyday builds a strong trust between us. Ultimately the reason I chose Ohio State was because I felt that it would give me the best chance to be happy and that is the number one thing to me because that is where I’ll call home for 4 years.   I want to make the most of what I can get because sooner or later it will be time to hang up the cleats and call it quits; some get told when they are 20 and some when they are 40 but sooner or later it’s going to happen.  I plan on staying for 4 years to get a degree that is very important to me because that’s the reason I am in college.


PBR: What other schools were you considering? 

Barnwell: Other schools I was considering was the University of Georgia. I liked Georgia because it was good weather year round, it was a great school, and it was in the SEC which has some of the best competition in college baseball. With offers from both I chose OSU because of the atmosphere they had building there.  I love everything about the school from academics to the sports programs.  The coaching staff seemed to make me feel very comfortable and treat me as if I am family.  

PBR:  Where did the coaching staff first see you compete?

Barnwell: The coaching staff first saw me play this fall thanks to the help of Tim Adkins. Tim was a very big part in Ohio state choosing to come see me because he got my name out to them early, and I can’t thank him enough for everything he has done for me.  

PBR: What role does Coach Beals expect you to play during your first year on campus?

Barnwell: After visiting Coach Beals at Ohio State and having a talk about what he expects from me, it seemed clear that he wanted me to be the guy on the field. This is something very special to me because not everyday do you have a coach willing to give the opportunity to start a player his first year. He also told me that I was going to have to prove to him I can do it. This shows a lot of trust he has for me and it was a big selling point on committing. This just makes me want to go out and work my hard to get the spot my freshman year.  

PBR:  Who has had the biggest impact on you as a baseball player?

Barnwell: The biggest impact on me was my dad.  If it wasn’t for my dad and my family I wouldn’t be where I am.  He has done so much for me in my baseball career over the years by sending me to camps and showcases.  e is always the one encouraging me to keep going and work harder to get to where I want to be and always supports me through everything.  My coaches have been another reason I have been able to get this far in baseball.  From tee ball, though AABC, high school ball, and travel ball because without them I would have nothing.  

PBR: Who do you play for in the summer and what was your most exciting experience playing summer ball?

Barnwell: I play for the Huntington hounds coached my Caleb Stewart and organized by Tim Adkins. The Huntington hounds are based out of Huntington, West Virginia and provides a spot for players from WV, KY, OH, and MI.  The most exciting part of my summer was playing in the perfect game 4th of July weekend in Atlanta and being ranked 8th and undefeated out of 200+ teams.


PBR: You have committed to Ohio State before your junior season.  How does it feel to be finished early with the recruiting process?

Barnwell: It feels good to know that I don’t have to worry about college recruiting anymore, and I can just focus on getting my name out to as many pro scouts as possible. This is just the first step in a process I want to end in playing professional ball, and its going to take a lot of hard work to get there but I will do anything it takes to get there.

PBR: What are your goals this spring at Boyd County?

My goals this spring for Boyd County is to win as many games as possible and getting the team to the state championship. It will take everyone on the same page to do it. I believe that everyone on the team, if they applied themselves to wanting to get better, we can be a very tough team and I take it upon myself to lead them.

PBR: Who is the toughest pitcher you have faced in Kentucky?

Barnwell: The toughest pitcher I have had to face in Kentucky is Jake Hamilton from Pike County High School. He is signed to play at Kentucky and is also a Huntington Hounds player.  As much as I hate giving him any credit I still do.  He is a dominant lefty arm in the high 80’s and occasionally 90-91. We get along very well and I enjoy his presence as long as he isn’t pitching to me.

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