RHP Connor Blue (O'Fallon, 2025) is one of the first names that comes to mind when thinking of talented arms from southern Illinois, currently slotting in the rankings at No. 28 in the state. We saw Blue well all year, including numerous looks throughout the spring where he helped to headline a talented Panthers rotation. He kept up his strong play deep into the summer, eventually landing a spot on Team Illinois at the Future Games where he made his name a must-know in the state's 2025 group; boasting a fastball up to 89 mph to pair with swing and miss off-speed. 

Blue announced his commitment to Cincinnati just over a month ago, and we had the chance to catch up with him about his commitment, as well as some other fun topics. 

Our Q&A

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?

Connor: Going into August 1st, I had very little recruiting experience with talking to college coaches and did not know what to expect. But on August 1st I had a very busy day talking to coaches and am super grateful for all of the colleges that reached out.  

P: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision? 

C: Yes for sure, Cincinnati is five hours from home and that is perfect for me. Also, the five hour trip is much easier for my family to come watch me play.  

P: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play? 

C: The Future Games really helped get my name out there and after that weekend is really when everything started to heat up for me. Going into the Futures Games I knew of just a couple schools interested, but August 1st over 20 schools contacted me which was mostly due to pitching well at the Future Games. Cincinnati first saw me pitch at Grand Park in Indianapolis at my last outing leading up to the Futures.  

P: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision? 

C: I really like the experience and background of the new coaching staff at Cincinnati, and how they all came from winning cultures. I was really impressed by all of the resources and the great facilities they have. Also, playing in the BIG 12 has always been a dream of mine.   

P: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision? 

C: I cut my list down to two schools a couple of weeks prior to making my decision: Dallas Baptist and Cincinnati.  

P: Who is the best player you have faced in your state? What about them makes for a tough opponent? 

C: Riley Iffrig is the best batter I have faced in the state. The way he fights off the good pitches you make and will just wait until he gets a good pitch to hit made it very hard to get him out.  

P: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college-caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level? 

C: Baseball has always been a huge part of my life, but I realized I could play at a high level in college when my velocity jumped from 72 to 85 mph in just about a year.  

P: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are? 

C: If you are actually serious about playing at a high level in college, to keep your priorities straight and just work as hard as possible each day.   

P: Preview your high school team's season for us. How do you feel your team will be? 

C: We are going to have one of the best pitching staffs in the state and will be very good defensively. Even though we are losing a few key seniors, I think we have some great young talent that will be ready to fill their spots. 

P: How did the Future Games and/or the Illinois State Games affect your recruitment process? Did you receive more attention following the event(s)? 

C: The Future Games provided tons of exposure for all the players there, and most of the coaches I talked to early August watched me pitch in the Future Games, who would have most likely never reached out if it weren’t for the event.  

P: Who is the next talented young player to keep an eye on out of your high school or travel program? 

C: Keegan Seipp is one to keep an eye on, he is just a freshmen but already has a physical frame and can really hit. 

P: Did Prep Baseball assist in your recruiting? Whether it be through a showcase, tournament coverage, tweets, etc?  

C: Yes definitely, I think most of the tweets are very beneficial for recruiting and can really help people get looks from coaches. I really appreciate the high school coverage as well. 

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