One player that seemingly got better throughout each look in 2023 was C/1B Carson Stevens (Neuqua Valley, 2025). Initially standing out to our staff at the Aurora Preseason ID, his strong showing was just a glimpse of what was yet to come, as he would go on to be pulled up to varsity later in the spring as only a sophomore. He showed no signs of slowing down in the summer, once again showing well to our staff, this time at the Northwest Suburban Open where he led the entire event in batted ball distance (363') and recorded the second hardest-hit ball of the day at 98.2 mph. His consistent success earned him an invite to the Illinois State Games, where he gave arguably his best look to date; reaching up to 101.4 mph for his max exit velocity while also taking a quality round of defense from behind the plate. Stevens caught the attention of scouts in attendance and wound up committing to the JUCO powerhouse Wabash Valley not long after the event. Now in his junior season, Stevens is primed for yet another big year in 2024, and we're excited to see what the year has in store for him.

We recently caught up with Stevens to talk through his recruitment process, what led him to make his decision, and much more. 

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? 

Carson: My goal was to build relationships with coaches. What I was looking for was a place to develop and become a better player. My ultimate goal is the MLB draft and I felt like Wabash Valley gave me the best opportunity to reach that goal in the end.  

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

C: I was very focused on wherever I could find the best JUCO baseball. Texas, Florida and Arizona were on the list, along with Wabash Valley and Heartland in Illinois. 

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 first time I actually talked on the phone to a college coach was last Spring during the high school season. I was pulled up to Varsity and got off to a hot start. After that recruiting really took off. Wabash Valley saw me play at the Illinois State Games. They followed me on X after the workout. We started talking more often from there. 

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

C: First, they are a great team that has had a lot of success. I really loved the coaches and the development process. I think Wabash gives me the best chance to reach my academic and athletic goals. 

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

C: McClennan, Weatherford, San Jacinto, Tarleton State and Heartland. 

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

C: I think one of the best players I’ve faced is LHP Chase Reeder (Naperville Central, 2025; Illinois State). Chase and I have played together since 11U. We both know a lot about each other because I was his catcher. It is hard mentally to treat it like just another at-bat. 

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: I think it was my Sophomore year that I realized I had what it took to be a college baseball player at a high level. I felt like I fit in on varsity and was not out of place even though we had D1 commits on that team. That summer I hit .400+ with a 1.000+ OPS at a lot of good tournaments. I also started to put up good numbers at PBR Events. 

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

C: Just keep working, put your head down and just grind it out. As a Freshman I was on the Freshman team at Neuqua. The next year I was on Varsity. A lot of years in the summer I was not the starting catcher. If you want it hit the weights, hit the cage and put in more work than your competitors. 

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

C: The most memorable moment in baseball was Fourth of July my 14U year. The feels like temperature was 104 degrees and it was a big tournament with a lot of good teams. We beat three of the top teams in the state in one day to win the tournament only giving up three runs. The pitchers, Chase Reeder, RHP Zach Baka (Montini, 2025) and RHP Michael Langan (Neuqua Valley, 2025) were great that day. That was a great team, we won 47 games that summer and four tournaments. 

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

C: Our team has a lot of committed players. We should be able to hit top to bottom in the order. We have a strong pitching staff with RHP Danny Cercello (2024; Houston commit), LHP Peter Pipikios (2024; North Park commit) and Michael Langan. 

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: I definitely think the Illinois State Games affected my recruiting. That was the first time to hit 100 mph exit velocity. I met a lot of different coaches and lots of them got to see me play. I received more attention after the event for sure. 

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

C: RHP Charlie Caroselli (Providence Catholic), he is a 2027 pitcher at Rhino and he is putting in a lot of work.  

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

C: Yes! I got a lot of hype from the showcases and PBR posting my BP on X. The Northwest Suburban Open BP last year had 18K views. Getting PBR ranked was also a boost for recruiting.

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