CIF Aidan Nohava (2025) had a productive 2023 campaign, seeing valuable time throghout the spring as only a sophomore for eventual 4A State Runner-Up Brother Rice. He continued to show well deep into the summer and fall, standing out at the Illinois State Games and again at the Rock Fall Championships. 

The 6-foot, 191-pound right-handed hitter is no stranger to hard contact in front of our staff. At the State Games, he stood out initially in the workout with his round of BP, reaching up to 97.3 mph for his max EV with a max distance of 355'. He then continued to swing a hot bat throughout gameplay that week, and again at the Rock in the fall. He has shown the ability to handle his own on the infield, playing with rhythm and timing with a clear feel for the position, he certainly appears to be able to stick on the infield at the next level.

We recently caught up with Nohava to talk through his recruitment to Eastern Michigan, as well as some other fun topics along the way. 

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?

Aidan: I did not know too much about the recruiting process. Both of my parents never played sports so they did not know what was going to happen. I was looking for a college program that was competitive. I also wanted a program that was like my high school. At Brother Rice we are a family and I wanted my college program to feel the same. 

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

A: The location did not factor in my decision at all.  

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

A: The process really started to heat up this past fall. I played really well and got a good amount of college attention because of it. Eastern Michigan first saw me play at Grand Park in Indianapolis. 

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

A: I liked most how the coaches expressed the culture of the program. I love their mottos and their guidelines of the program. I saw a lot of what I wanted within those guidelines.  

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

A: The Navy.  

P: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

A: Playing in a Super Sectional against Lincoln Way East and winning on a walk-off. 

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

A: I think our team will be just as strong as last year, if not stronger. 

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)? 

A: The State Games helped me with my recruitment by getting me in front of multiple coaches that were really eager to recruit good players. The State Games also helped bring out a lot of coaches because of how good the talent was there. After the State Games I received my first college contact and ended up going to a camp because of it.  

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

A: I think my teammate on my travel team Filippo Baratta is one of the best players I have ever played with. He plays the game right and has many tools. His speed stands out. He works hard and will give you everything. I truly think he is the most underrated player in the state. 

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

A: Prep Baseball helped me get recruited by tournament coverage and tweets. PBR followed me, took videos and wrote tournament summaries that were put out online for college coaches to look at. It truly helped my overall recruitment.

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