MATTAWAN - The combination of covid and an injury brought a hindrance to the recruiting process of Luke Kerrins. But the PBR Preseason All-State earlier this year helped change the future of the ninth-ranked junior outfielder in Michigan.

“I tore my ACL last year and didn’t play, so I knew I had to update my numbers since they were two years old,” Kerrins explained. “I went to the PBR event Jan. 31 and hit a PR in everything.”

There was interest from Mid-American Conference and GLIAC schools prior, but Kerrins had Western Michigan at the top of his list.

“I sent them my stats and clips PBR sent to me,” the Mattawan High School 2022 reflected. “Coach ((Billy) Gernon called within a week and we built a relationship from there. I knew it was a great campus and as soon as I talked to coach Gernon I knew it was where I wanted to go.

“First off, academically it has a great business program,” added Kerrins, who grew up going to football games at Western, which is located 20 minutes away from where he lives. “It felt like home there. Coach Gernon made it feel like home more than any of the others did.”

There was a lot that Kerrins showed to impress Western as well.

“They like my speed and my arm strength from the outfield,” explained Kerrins, who had the top outfield velocity, top 60 time and third best exit velo at the PBR All-State event.

The prospects of playing at the next level came into the picture when Kerrins played 13U baseball.

“I was on a team where all the kids are committed now,” Kerrins related. “I started going to PBR events and big tournaments. I love the game and I didn’t want it to end. I love every single part of the game.”

Missing time on the ballfield helped show Kerrins what baseball meant to him.

“Being out a year, I learned a lot,” Kerrins admitted. “Watching everyone playing in the summer and committing motivated me to come back. I learned just how much I loved the game and that I can’t live without it.”

There was help along the way that proved beneficial for the 67th-ranked 2022 in the state.

“Coach (Joe) Clifford my high school coach and my summer coaches were a big part of putting me out there, plus everything I did through PBR,” pointed out Kerrins, listing former travel ball coach Rich MacDonald along with current Maroons coaches John Hemingway, Don Ampersee and Mike Hinga with playing a big part in helping guide him through the recruiting process.

Even so, the injury plus covid, admittedly, brought some doubts.

“It was rough at first,” Kerrins said about recruitment. “When I went to send out emails the only film I had was from the last summer before. It already was hard with covid, but on top of that with the injury and not playing last year I had to take as many new videos as I could to make it look as game-like as possible.”

Business/sales is the probable major for Kerrins, a 3.9 student who looks forward to what he can provide the program at Western Michigan.

“I’ll be the best teammate I can be,” the 5-10 170-pounder said. “I’ll bring speed to the field with stealing bases and bunts … all the little things.”

There is no doubt in his mind that Western is the right choice.  

“I knew after talking to coach Gernon the first time, it just felt right,” Kerrins reiterated. “Whenever I started naming schools I was interested in they were always number one. It’s surreal with the injury and covid and everything I went through to be committed there.”