MATTAWAN - Carson Byers got a taste of what he was looking for in a coach at the next level while at the Future Games.

“I hit in one of the last BP sessions,” the Mattawan junior reflected. “When I got back to the hotel, Aaron (Wilson, PBR Michigan Director of Scouting) sent me a text and said coach (Justin) Dedman wanted me to call. It was 12:30 at night. That showed he had special interest in me. That was huge. It showed me I was wanted.”

The Miami of Ohio hitting coach expressed the words that Byers wanted to hear.

“He said I could be a two-way,” Byers noted. “That was really important for me. Every offer I had was as a two-way. When they said two-way it sealed the deal. I’ve talked to college pitchers and they said to do hitting for as long as you can.”

The 30th-ranked 2022 in Michigan drew prior interest from Miami as a pitcher.

“They first reached out when I was on my way home from a tournament in Ohio,” the 6-0 185-pound southpaw reflected. “In talking to the pitching coach (Matthew Passauer), he was the kind of person I wanted to play for in a program.”

When the opportunity to be a two-way player followed, Byers knew the Mid-American Conference school was where he wanted to make a college home.

“To find a great staff and have the ability to play on both sides of the ball is great for me,” said Byers, who walked around the Oxford campus on the way down to the Future Games. “I sat down with my parents afterward to decide where I wanted to be.”

Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Oakland and Wright State had all offered the third-rated junior left-handed pitcher in the state, with interest also coming for other schools in the MAC as well as Big 10, ACC and Big East programs.

“For me the biggest thing was it’s close to home,” Byers said about the decision to make a commitment to Miami. “I wanted to build a great relationship with a coaching staff and I found that at Miami. I also like how the team grinds and gets after it.”

There was a lot about Byers that attracted college coaches.

“They like the competitor in me,” Byers said about Miami. “The first thing that stands out is my pitchability. I can throw the fastball in offspeed counts and offspeed in fastball counts. I just try to put zeros on the scoreboard and I’ve been able to do that this summer.”

Byers believes a better body has helped the cause.

“I’ve improved a lot in the offseason toning down with nutrition and weight training,” Byers noted.

The focus on getting better remains.

“I need to get more experience playing at the highest level possible,” Byers said. “I want as much experience as I can get so I’m ready to play when I step on campus.”

The 16-year-old feels he can provide a lot to the Miami program.

“I see myself bring a winning mentality,” Byers said. “I think it’s going to be a fun atmosphere there with all the young coaches. I’m really looking forward to getting there and trying to win as many games as possible.”

A 3.95 student with plans to major in business, Byers has had the desire to play collegiately for a long time.

“Since I was a kid I’ve wanted to play pro baseball and college baseball is the biggest goal in that dream,” Byers related. “I’ve dreamt about D-I and now that I’ve reached that goal I need to work harder to get to the next level.”

Byers points to a number of people that have helped in his baseball journey.

“The main reason I’m where I am is the family support system I have,” Byers said. “Coach Rich MacDonald is another. He’s been my coach since I was 11 and took my game from an average player to a college-level player. The coaches with Arsenal also made the game fun. They helped me realize what I can do on the ballfield.”

The end of the recruiting process admittedly brings relief to Byers.

“It was all kind of unique,” Byers said. “I had nobody talking with me last year and then the first tournament this summer I started getting looks. It ended up being a three-month process and I met a lot of good people.

“It came down to the velo jump. I’ve always located, but never threw hard. When I went from topping at 82 my first tournament of the year to topping at 87 that kind of set me apart.

“It’s just a great feeling and a huge relief knowing I have a home after high school,” Byers concluded. “Now that I’m committed, I’m going to work even harder to be ready when I get there.”