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Jominy Twins Enjoying ‘Separate Journey’ In Recruiting Process

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KALAMAZOO - It could soon be time to go their separate ways for twins Kaden and Nolan Jominy.

Juniors at Mattawa High School, the two are currently in search of a college home for the future, a place to both excel academically as well as on the baseball field.

“We don’t talk about it a ton,” explained Kaden about the recruiting processes of each. “We want to be on our separate journey, but it’s cool to be recruited at the same time.”

Of course, the potential of going to the same college is always there.

“It’s definitely a possibility,” Kaden related. “If it did happen I’d be excited. But in talking to our dad, it’s unlikely to get the same opportunity at the same school. We’re not aiming for it, though it would be cool if it happened. But at the same time, we’re trying to have our own journey.”

Nolan also feels it would be special if they somehow went to the same university after high school.

“We haven’t really discussed it much, it depends on which coaches reach out,” Nolan said. “I’d love to do it. It would be cool to be on the same team. We have also talked about playing against each other in college. Now that would be interesting.”

Their father, Brandon, believes the likelihood of going to school together is not strong.

“As a dad of twins I’ve thought about it, but it’s important to remember they’re both individuals with individual paths,” the elder Jominy explained. “We’ve always separated them as much as possible. We separated them in kindergarten. When we sing happy birthday to them we sing it separately.

“I haven’t pushed them to play together,” Brandon continued. “I tell them to try and understand what they want in a school, where they play, what are their chances to start. It would be awesome for them to be at the same school, but their paths will take care of itself.”

EARLY COMMITMENT

The idea of going to college together became unlikely in the spring of 2023 when Kaden made a commitment to Michigan.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Michigan,” the third-rated 2026 right-handed pitcher in the state said at the time. “I’ve always been a Michigan fan. My heart’s with Michigan.”

It was a no-brainer for Kaden. After all, it was the place his father played college baseball.

“I was excited about it,” related Brandon, a shortstop and third baseman during his playing days at Michigan. “He was young but he had a lot of offers. Michigan is what he said he wanted to do forever. Being in state, it was a dream come true.”

Nolan also remembers the excitement in the household at the time.

“I was happy for him,” Nolan reflected. “I was kind of shocked, though, that he committed. I thought he’d wait it out.”

While thrilled for his brother at the time, there was a downside.

“I was happy at first, but friends joked about it and it could get frustrating,” Nolan admitted. “I knew my time would come, but it motivates you … it fuels you, and it did that for me. It’s motivated me to try and work harder than him.”

Motivation for Kaden came in a different way. With the college baseball world now changing with reduced roster sizes and the impact of the transfer portal, the dream of following in his father’s footsteps to wear the Maize-and-Blue came to an end a few months back.

“It was a combination of things,” Kaden explained about the decision to decommit. “With the landscape of college baseball and being unsure of what the rules were and how it all would work out, they told me they couldn’t guarantee a spot and to not hold back if another opportunity came up. They said they think I should open back up and I agreed. I’m now opened up and excited to see new places and go through a new recruiting process.

“Obviously it wasn’t what I was planning when I committed there,” he continued. “I’ve been a Michigan fan my whole life. It’s bittersweet, but at the same time I’m excited about the opportunities out there. My dad playing there made me a fan, but at the same time I’m excited to look at new places. I probably committed too early anyway. Now I’m more experienced and more mature and ready to see what happens.”

The decommitment was a time his father needed to be there for him.

“That was definitely tough,” Brandon admitted. “With all the changes going on in the NCAA from his freshman to junior year, things changed. The transfer portal, rosters, eligibility from JUCO appeals, you read into those. He had a conversation with (Michigan head coach) Tracy Smith and he said they were taking a different approach.

“I told him things happen in life that are tough,” the elder Jominy continued about his advice to Kaden. “What matters is how you respond to it. You can let it define you or go work harder than ever. I told him God has a plan, an even better one for you. Work hard and trust that something better is out there for you.”

The decommitment, understandably, had an impact on Nolan as well when it happened.

“I felt for him,” Nolan said. “I knew it was tough, but everything happens for a reason and I knew his time would come. He’s worked hard and he’ll be fine.”

INTEREST PICKS UP

Getting back in the recruiting process is not always easy.

“It’s a little different,” Kaden noted. “The rules are different than when I was younger. It’s easier to know who’s interested in me now, once Aug. 1 came, but the main gist of it is similar.”

Interest has come from “a few colleges” according to the top-rated uncommitted junior in Michigan, who has taken an unofficial visit to Michigan State as well as gone to camps at Penn and Yale.

“I’ve been talking to Ivy League schools,” Kaden related. “With my experience, I want to go somewhere I can stay and develop.”

Nolan has also been in contact with an Ivy League school.

“I went to a Harvard camp,” the eighth-ranked 2026 shortstop in Michigan noted. “I’ve also been talking to smaller programs in Michigan and in the northeast. I have a Prep Baseball event scheduled in March and plan to attend more camps in the future. With my football schedule, things weren’t aligned to go to camps in the fall.”

As for relating any interest from colleges to each other, Kaden takes it all in stride.

“We don’t talk about that too much,” Kaden explained. “If a school texts me I text him about it. We’re both well versed in talking to coaches. He’s got a good personality so he’ll be great. Going through this at the same time is pretty exciting. I’m excited to see what happens to him.”

BIG INFLUENCE

Nobody has been more important in their baseball lives than their father. A 2000 graduate of Westminster Academy in Florida, where he played on state championship teams his junior and senior years of high school, Jominy went on to play at the University of Michigan.

“I came from a baseball school that played the best competition,” Brandon related. “We had 20 kids from the back-to-back teams that ended up going D-I or getting drafted. I went to Michigan and had an okay career, nothing to write home about. But there were a lot of good memories.

“Baseball has always been a key part of life for me, but being a .250 hitter you had to get a job.”

The twins’ father was the third member of his family to go to Michigan, in addition to his great grandfather and grandfather. His dad went to Western Michigan.

“I grew up a Michigan fan while I was in Florida,” Brandon said.

Now employed at Stryker Company, a global leader in medical technologies, Brandon says it is “awesome” having twins.

“I coached them growing up,” Brandon explained. “I remember I tried to have them share a bat one year and at the end of the season my assistant coach said ‘you need to get them each a bat.’ He said they were always fighting over it.”

But pushing each other came in more ways than just physically.

“From a competitive aspect, we make each other better,” Kaden said. “You want to be able to have bragging rights to tell our dad. We love competing against each other. It pushes us both to be better.”

Each knows the importance their father has had in their baseball lives.

“He’s always been super inspirational to me,” Kaden said. “He played in college and coached me up until I was 13. We always did so much baseball together. A lot of kids aren’t as fortunate to have a dad be there.”

Nolan, wholeheartedly, agreed.

“He was our coach up until 13U and he’s going to coach us again this summer,” Nolan related. “He always took us to the field and had BP with us. I’ve never had a better BP thrower. He’s been so supportive, really helping on this journey. The same with my mom. Both have helped me with the process.”

Advice has always centered around “attitude and effort” according to the elder Jominy.

“Mistakes and errors are made,” Brandon said. “We never discuss that. But if you’re not giving effort or not encouraging your teammates, those are the types of conversations we’d have after games.”

MORE ASSISTANCE

Prep Baseball has also proven beneficial to the twins.

“Definitely having my numbers out there to look at through a reliable source like Prep Baseball has helped me,” Kaden said. “Going to the Future Games twice was helpful. That’s where I got my first college exposure. I received my first offer from Indiana from that.

“I go to LakePoint two or three times a summer,” he added. “To have a live source that coaches can trust is something that has really helped. I’m thinking about doing the upcoming ProCase as well. I’m excited about that opportunity.”

Nolan has also had his share of assistance from Prep Baseball.

“I went to the Top Prospect Games last year and one more Prep Baseball showcase,” the fourth-rated uncommitted junior shortstop in Michigan related. “Playing all over the country and going to the camps I can has also helped. I plan to go to more Prep Baseball events this summer.”

Adam Goodwin, Prep Baseball Michigan Director of Scouting, has seen both on numerous occasions and has high praise for the 17-year-old twins.

“Both Kaden and Nolan are spirited competitors between the white lines and come from a good family,” Goodwin said. “Kaden is poised for a big spring in Southwest Michigan on the mound as a Top 10 player in his class.

“Nolan is coming into his own aside from Kaden,” Goodwin added about the 34th-rated uncommitted 2026 in the state. “He had a big summer a year ago and will look to continue that this coming spring at Mattawan.”

SUPER COMPETITIVE

Growing up and playing baseball together was a big part of gaining interest in the sport.

“It’s always been fun,” Kaden reflected. “We’re super competitive. We played a lot of baseball games in our house when we were little. We used to make up games. Even now, we do live ABs against each other and we still have that competitive edge, talking trash with each other. We record it now to back up our talk.

“We both love the game so much. We were on the same team until I went to the Hit Dogs at 15U, but we’ll be on the same team this coming summer with D Las Vegas. It was different not being on the same team.”

Nolan remembers playing the game with his sibling at a young age.

“We have always been super competitive,” Nolan noted. “It’s always been fun supporting each other but also competing against each other. We still do a lot of one-on-one in the winter with him pitching and me hitting. We do a lot of arguing, but that’s because we’re very competitive.”

Their father remembers an instant when that competitive edge was obvious.

“There was a Home Run Derby when they were 10 or 11 and I had to pick two players for it,” Brandon reflected. “I picked the two players on the team with the most home runs and Kaden was one of them. Nolan was upset about it.

“While we were at the field he said ‘let me show you. Give us 10 pitches each.’ He hit three and Kaden one and he said, ‘see.’ It was always that competition between them. The hard part was treating them as individuals rather than comparing them to each other.”

CONFIDENT TWINS

That competition continues to this day when it comes to the recruiting process.

“I try to tell them not to compare themselves with others,” Brandon said. “Don’t worry about what others are doing or where they’re committing. Everyone has their own timeline. Make good luck happen.

“If you work hard, get your metrics up, get stronger and faster and improve your game, results will take care of itself. But you need to work. What Prep Baseball events would be good for you? What camps should you go to? I’ve been a hands-on father when it comes to that stuff. Even though it was 25 years ago, I have an appreciation for what it takes.”

The elder Jominy is of the belief both have strong abilities when it comes to playing at the next level.

“When they were in travel ball at maybe age 13, they went to Atlanta and faced top competition from all over and both did well,” Brandon reflected. “Nolan has never shied away from hitting velocity and Kaden has always done a good job on the mound in all these big tournaments. I think they can play in college.”

Both are confident about what they can bring to a college program.

“I’m an extremely hard worker, I give everything I’ve got,” related Nolan, a 5-11 180-pounder. “I’m not the biggest guy, but I hustle on and off the field and give it my all. Anybody that takes a chance on me will like what they see.”

Kaden is also excited about what he can do at the next level.

“I’m super confident in my ability to pitch,” the 6-0 185-pound right-hander said. “I feel a lot of people are chasing velocity, and I am too, but I’m also confident I can beat hitters by locating pitches. I’m a competitive person. One of my biggest strengths is my confidence that I can go out and compete against whoever I’m facing and beat them.”

WORKING HARD

Improvements continue for each while also searching for a college home.

“I’ve been working hard, getting stronger,” Kaden said. “I’ve put on 10 to 15 pounds and I’m excited to see what high school season brings. I’ve been working on pitch design and also working on a sinker now. I’m always motivated and now I have that extra push (from decommitting).

“I haven’t missed a day in five or six months. I’ve gotten so much better as a pitcher and I’m excited to see where it takes me.”

Adding strength has also been a focal point for Nolan.

“My main focus the last two winters has been on getting stronger,” the 50th-ranked 2026 in Michigan noted. “I was 135-140 as a freshman and now I’m 180. That’s helped me get more power. I’ve always been a singles hitter, but now I can display some power and hit it gap-to-gap.”

As for what they are looking for in a college, academics is a big centerpiece of what each is striving to find.

“I want to go to a place that’s good academically where you can succeed on and off the field,” explained Kaden, who carries a 4.5 weighted GPA and calls business “the frontrunner” when it comes to a college major. “I want coaches I can trust who will help me be the best I can be. I want a place where the coaches trust me and I trust the coaches.”

Nolan, like his brother a 4.0 student on an unweighted scale, also has an idea of what he has in mind in a college where he plans to major in the business field.

“I want a good academic school, with a good baseball program and a quality coach,” Nolan said. 

NO RUSH TO COMMIT

As for when a decision will be made, there is no rush according to the 17-year-old juniors.

“I just want to see what comes into play and who’s willing to do what,” Nolan explained. “Dad committed after the high school season started his senior year, so there’s no push to rush it.”

Kaden is hoping to make a decision earlier than his father did.

“Ideally, I would be committed by the end of summerball so I know where I’m going by senior year,” the sixth-ranked 2026 in Michigan said. “But I’m not in a rush. I want to see how I improve and what I get this summer. I want to take it slower than the first time. Right now the best option for me is to see what I do this spring and summer.”

No matter the timeframe, continued hard work is on the horizon.

“I’ve been training and working my butt off, and I’m going to continue to do that,” Kaden noted. “I’m 185 now and looking to be 190 by the time high school ball starts. I’m working on a mobility program and a strength and recovery program. That’s been helpful to me. I go to the gym every day. Just keeping the arm healthy is the big thing.”

Nolan also has high expectations about the immediate future.

“When I was younger I thought colleges would come more, but with the new rules it’s trickier,” Nolan pointed out. “The transfer portal made it harder. But my dad always told me my time would come. You’ve got to believe in the process, work hard and hopefully coaches will take a chance on me.

“I think things will really kick off with the high school season,” Nolan continued. “I think we’re going to have a great year. I’m going to go to some camps coming up and I’m really confident that coaches will reach out. I’m really excited about what’s to come.”

Commitment or no commitment, there is one more thing to look forward to when it comes to baseball in the summer of 2025.

“I’m going to coach D Las Vegas Baseball this summer,” Brandon said in reference to the travel organization his two sons will be playing on after high school, a team with a challenging schedule that includes the Prep Baseball Nationals in Atlanta. “I said I’d step in to coach one more year. I’m looking forward to enjoying one last summer with them.”

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