RHP Casey Giemzik (Brother Rice, 2024) started off his 2023 campaign on a high note, exploding onto the scene at the Preseason All-State: Upperclass in late February with a fastball up to 90 mph. When the spring season rolled around, he helped make up one of the best teams in the state, earning a considerable amount of time on the bump and playing a key role in the Crusaders' success all season long, eventually coming away as the 4A State Runner-Ups. Giemzik continued rolling deep into the summer, particularly at the Illinois State Games, where he came away as one of the event's biggest winners on the mound, landing a commitment to the 2023 NJCAA DII National Champions, Heartland Community College. 

We recently caught up with Giemzik to talk through his recruitment process and much more, below. 

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? 

Casey: During the recruiting process I wanted to find a program to help me develop as a player and person on and off the field. I also wanted to find a program to help me get to and succeed at the next level. I wanted a program that can feel like a second home to me, and that I would like to spend the next two or four years at.

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

C: Location did not really affect my decision because I knew Illinois had a lot of great junior college programs. 

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: Summer after my junior year. I started getting looks from many schools at the D1, D2, D3 and Juco Level.

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

C: I really liked Heartland when I visited. Coach Razo and Coach McGinnis made it feel like a second home. In Juco baseball, Heartland has been very successful, has a tradition of winning and has a great history of sending many kids to the next level while developing them very well. With kids that i've played baseball with in the past playing at Heartland, I was able to get a bit of a player's perspective from them and heard all great things from them about the program. 

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

C: The other junior college programs I liked were Lincoln Land and Parkland. 

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

C: C Enzo Infelise (Providence Catholic, 2025; Oklahoma commit), i've played with and against him since I was in middle school. He's always been a tough hitter to get out, being able to hit the ball anywhere in the field. 

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: After my freshman year, I really wanted to take the next step over that summer to try and improve on mainly pitching, and try to be the best pitcher I can. 

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

C: Just work everyday, stay disciplined and try and get 1% better every day. Also, don't let mistakes ride on you, just have fun. 

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

C: My most memorable moment was my sophomore year going down to Georgia and beating No. 1 ranked IMG. The whole game was electric, back and forth game that ended with a walk-off. 

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

C: We have a lot of returning guys and a lot of good young players. I believe we have a shot to win state this year. 

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 Illinois State games helped me get a lot of attention from schools, including Heartland. 

P: If you could steal any tool or quality from another player in the state, what would it be and who would it be from? 

C: I would want to steal RHP Cole Van Assen's ability to be unpredictable on the mound and keep the hitters on their heels. 

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

C: OF Nolan Ramoley, sophomore at Brother Rice with me. 

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

C: Yes, they helped me when I went to PBR tournaments and attended the All-State showcases.

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