MERIDEN, Ct. - Julian Stevens found what he was looking for in a college and a decision came quickly.

“The biggest thing is I’m really interested in playing in the best baseball division possible where they can develop me the most,” the Amity High School senior said about what he liked with Missouri. “They talked about developing players and trying to get them playing as early as possible.”

Interest came at a tournament in August.

“They had a coach watching a teammate of mine that was committed there and he started talking with me on the 7th of August,” Stevens reflected. “I had a few calls with (head) coach (Steve) Bieser over the phone and it felt like a good fit. We clicked immediately. Then I did a few virtual tours.”

An offer came on Aug. 15 and the fifth-ranked 2021 outfielder in New England committed a day later.

“It’s a huge weight off my shoulders,” the 17-year-old admitted about the stress of being uncommitted the summer before senior school year. “If you’re one of the better players, commit your junior or sophomore year. Being able to go to a school I like, when I finally committed I got the best sleep I’ve had in awhile that night.”

Missouri took a liking to the 6-1 175-pounder, who is the second 2021 player from Connecticut to commit to the Southeastern Conference school.

“They like my bat and the way I can play outfield,” Stevens related. “More than anything, they like the maturity I have playing the game. They also like my speed for playing center field.”

Stetson, Rutgers, New Orleans, St. John’s and UConn were others considered by Stevens, whose game has seen big improvements of late.

“I feel my eye at the plate has improved my pitch selection,” Stevens explained. “I’m more aggressive with my swing. My throws in the outfield are also more consistent and I’m getting better jumps.”

Strides were made during spring when the high school season was cancelled due to COVID-19.

“I’ve got a net that I hit off a tee into every day,” Stevens said about how he worked to better his game. “At 8 o’cock I’d do schoolwork, go back to hit at noon and lift every day to stay strong. I didn’t want to lose weight because of the virus.”

The 27th-rated 2021 in New England realizes more improvement is required to play in the SEC at a program like Missouri.

“I’m working on making sure I’m not chasing a pitcher’s pitch early in the count,” Stevens explained. “I’m also trying to improve my accuracy on throws from the outfield. I want to do all the little things just right.”

Admittedly, there was some stress being the second-ranked uncommitted senior in New England before deciding on Missouri.

“It was definitely nerve wracking,” Stevens reflected. “I spent a lot of time staying up late at night thinking, did I miss my timeframe. I had no idea if a good D-I program was left for me.”

The one Stevens found is nearly 18 hours away from where he lives in Connecticut.

“Traveling far from home is not a big deal to me,” Stevens noted. “I’ve bounced around living in almost every state on the east coast.”

The idea of playing at the next level began five years ago.

“Since I was 12, I knew I wanted to go to school for baseball,” Stevens said. “Academics are important to my family, but I felt college baseball was my calling. By the time I was playing 14U summer everything started to click and I started to break away from my peers.”

With a 4.16 weighted GPA and plans to major in computer science, Stevens sees a bright future ahead helping out the Missouri program.

“I feel I can bring leadership,” Stevens assessed. “Off the field I’m not afraid of new environments. On the field I believe I can produce as soon as possible and be somebody they can just rely on.”

His father Julian is credited with being the biggest influence in his baseball life.

“Almost every team I’ve played on he’s been my head coach,” Stevens noted. “First and foremost, my family has been big in helping me through the process.”

With recruitment over, Stevens had advice for others.

“If I had to do it again I’d take my time and enjoy it,” Stevens related. “It’s stressful but it’s also nice that somebody is interested in you. Take your time and enjoy it.”

The Amity senior is appreciating being a Division I commit.

“This means everything to me,” Stevens concluded. “My whole life I’ve been making sure to stay focused and away from the mainstream a lot of teens focus on. I’m not done yet, but I’m moving in the right direction.”