GRAND RAPIDS - Tommy John Surgery had a different effect on Ty Uchman than it had on others.

“When I first had it I was nervous,” noted Uchman, whose surgery took place in August of 2020. “I was mostly a PO before that but after the surgery I was in the cage every day. It was all I could do. I got so much better. It was kind of a blessing in disguise.”

While the possibility of being a two-way player in college entered the picture, Uchman found out that the recruiting process can be a bit cutthroat.

“There were a lot of ups and downs,” Uchman related. “Colleges come and go. You’re close to them one day and then you don’t hear from them again.”

Add in Tommy John, and it got even more complicated.

Schools like Tennessee, Duke, Notre Dame and Cincinnati had an interest early on in the process with Michigan State and James Madison coming on board after Tommy John. But it was George Mason that stood out in the eyes of 51st-rated 2023 in Michigan.

“Sophomore winter I had my first contact with them,” the Grand Rapids Christian incoming senior reflected. “They were the first to reach out to me after Tommy John. I wasn’t even throwing yet. I ended up going to a team camp in the middle of June, that was the first time they watched me. They offered me right there.”

So what stood out about Uchman?

“They liked my attitude,” Uchman explained. “Baseball is a game of failure and they like how I had been through a bad situation and turned the page. They also like my bulldog mentality and that I’m a two-way, I can hit or pitch.”

That is something the 6-2 185-pound left-handed hitting southpaw was hoping to be able to do in college.

“I really want to be two-way,” noted Uchman, who plays first base when not pitching. “I know I have the ability, it would be a waste of my talent. After Tommy John I hit a lot and thought I could hit at the next level. It just makes sense to be two-way.”

There was more that the seventh-ranked 2023 left-handed pitcher in Michigan liked about George Mason.

“I fell in love with their coaching staff,” Uchman related. “We have the same values. They’re grateful for everything. They were also the first school to reach out to me after Tommy John. They look at me as a person, not just a baseball player.”

Admittedly, dealing with surgery was not easy.

“It was nine months and then I could throw a little,” Uchman said. “Once I was able to get back on the mound it was super exciting. All the hard work, the PT, all the grueling process had paid off. The arm feels better than ever.”

Summer coach Rick Krewson, who introduced Uchman to George Mason, and high school coach Brent Gates, his uncle, are credited by Uchman as being instrumental in helping get where he is in the game today.

“The Procase also helped a lot,” Uchman said of the Michigan Procase in February where he showed off his skills with the bat. “That put my numbers out there which was very helpful.”

Uchman believes he can be a major asset to the program at the Atlantic 10 Conference school.

“I’ll bring a leadership role and a bulldog mentality,” Uchman proclaimed. “I just want to win. I give 100 percent at all times. I’m all about the team.”

Going to school 10 hours from home was something that had to be weighed before making it official with George Mason.

“In the end it didn’t matter,” Uchman said of the distance to Fairfax. “My mom wanted me to stay close to home but she left it up to me. As soon as I stepped on the campus I knew it was what I was looking for. I saw where Fairfax is rated one of the top three counties in America.”

The feeling of a commitment was amazing according to Uchman, who carries a 3.5 GPA and is uncertain about a college major.

“It took awhile to kick in before I realized all the hours I put in the gym had paid off,” Uchman said. “My family was proud. All the sacrifices they made are just a blessing.”

Uchman, who will turn 18 on Aug. 27, looks forward to his days ahead at the university in Virginia.

“There are five guys on my travel team going there,” Uchman concluded. “It’s going to be fun playing with them. I look forward to winning and, hopefully, making it to Omaha.”