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With the the first signing period passing, we reached out to committed players from the 2018 class to hear about their baseball career and to gain insight into their recruitment. Continuing our look is No. 53 2018 C Michael Felton of Mountain View who is committed to Western Nebraska CC. 

PBR: Why did you choose Western Nebraska Community College? 
Felton: I am excited to say that I have committed to attend and play baseball on a full athletic scholarship at Western Nebraska Community College.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?  
Felton: I had strong interest from Webster (in St Louis), Northeastern, Regis, and UCCS and considered them all carefully, including fields of study, how I could help and fit with the team, the coaching staff, and cost.

PBR: Where did they first see you? How did your relationship develop with the coaching staff? 
Felton: Several of the schools saw me at the Erie Showcase over the summer, while I was playing for my high school summer team. I had a few coaches approach me them. I also showcased with PBR a few times and once with Perfect Game here in Colorado and had very good results with them. Most of them then contact my high school coach, Brian Smela, or talked to the Northern Colorado Roughnecks coach, Nate Howell. Coach Jones of WNCC contacted me after that as well, and when I visited the school I really liked talking with him.  His style of coaching reminds me a lot of my dad's: quiet but high expectations that he will hold you accountable for.  Everyone I have talked to about him really had nothing but good things to say.

PBR: What role do you expect to play your first year on campus?  
Felton: I have high expectations for myself.  When I visited WNCC this past fall, I really liked Coach Jones and the things he was talking to me about.  I liked that he coaches the catchers, and I feel like I can learn a lot from him.  He also has a really great reputation with other teams, with his players, with the umpires, and with the community for being an excellent coach.  He and I both feel like I can make an immediate positive impact.  Obviously, the goal is to earn a starting position as catcher. 

PBR: Who has had the biggest impact on you as a baseball player?  
Felton: For sure my dad has been a huge influence.  He played and coaches in high school and has a great knowledge of the game.  He coached me since before I can even remember and up into high school.  He always treated me fairly, never really coddled me or showed me favoritism because I was the "coach's kid". On the field, I was just another player who he expected to work hard and be a good teammate. Off the field, he always encouraged me to pursue what I enjoyed. He made sure I kept focus and worked hard, but still had fun.  

PBR: What have you worked on/improved since last year? 
Felton: Well, I have a catching coach I am working with, Gabe Garrison, and he's helped me sharpen my receiving and throwing skills.  Getting consistent, strong, and on-point throws was my focus over the summer and I think that came along really well.  Most recently, I needed to focus on regaining strength and mobility in my leg (I broke it at the beginning of football season).  Now, with my leg doing fine, I'm starting to focus on my hitting, focusing on some things that will help me gain more power.

PBR: Who is the best player that you have played against or with?
Felton: I was really excited to practice with Logan Moore several times.  He had great advice and I think he is a great defensive catcher.  Same with Dakota Shea-Shelley, good guy and great catcher.  I think I have played with and against some really excellent players. I played with Cole Winn when I was younger, played against him in high school and caught for him at a PBR showcase.  He's fun to catch because he's got some pop and movement that I don't get to see that often right now.  

PBR: What are your thoughts on the recruiting process? Any advice for other players who have the desire to play college baseball. 
Felton: The recruiting process is pretty confusing, so I just tried to work hard toward excellence and see what happened.  I know that's not always the best advice in recruiting, but it worked for me.  We were never in a position financially to do the big travel teams to showcase, or travel all over to try and get noticed.  I just had to work hard and see if I was good enough for a coach to say they would take a chance on me.  I think I could have done more reaching out to schools and coaches earlier, but I was pretty unsure of what schools and what level would be a good fit for me. I just wanted to go where I could play immediately, so I could keep "honing my craft" (as my high school coach, Coach Smela, calls it).  For high school players who want to play in college, I would say that hard work is the key. Period.  Logan Moore used to tell me that there may be players out there more skilled than me, but no one should out work me. And, my parents always told me that hard work is "the great separator": it separates those who love to play from those who love to be the best at what they love to play.  The last advice is also from my parents:  It's not where you start it's where you finish. I keep telling myself that, whether it's the start of a season, whether I am feeling confident or feeling I didn't prepare myself as well as I should have, whether it's school or sports or whatever.  It's sort of a "keep looking forward and driving to your goals no matter your situation" kind of thing.