Commitment Q&A with Arkansas State Commit Mason Lee
March 22, 2024
Whether it was at our winter scout day events, during the high school season, or at Creekside in the summer, 1B/LHP Mason Lee (Pattonville, 2025; Arkansas State commit) was a significant winner from a prospect perspective last year.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound right-handed slugger showed well above-average raw power both during workouts and in-game throughout 2023, rising greatly up our rankings to finish his sophomore campaign inside the top-50 in the state.
Additionally, a southpaw on the mound, Lee showcased a 4 pitch mix, including a fastball that was up to 88 mph, a changeup at 77-80 mph, a splitter at 79 mph, and a slider at 70-73 mph.
We spoke with the Arkansas State signee on his overall recruiting process, who his toughest opponent to date is, his advice to young baseball players, and 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?
Lee: I didn’t really know what to expect. After the rule change I was just hoping that I was performing well in front of coaches. I was looking for a college program that would not only develop me as a baseball player, but as an overall human being as well and I believe Arkansas State does an amazing job of that.
PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?
Lee: For me location and distance played a huge part of my recruiting process. I wanted to stay within 5 hours of home so that I could go home when I wanted but also be far enough to where I had to learn to live on my own.
PBR: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play?
Lee: Right after the Future Games the recruiting process started heating up for me. I feel like I was more of an under the radar guy so the Future Games helped me a lot with my recruiting process. The first place Arkansas State saw me play was the Future Games as well.
PBR: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision?
Lee: What I like most about Arkansas State was just how it made me feel at home. As soon as I got there I fell in love.
PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?
Lee: Before I made my decision to commit to Arkansas State I was talking to a decent amount of schools. My final three were Arkansas State, Indiana State, and Mizzou
PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in your state? What about them makes for a tough opponent?
Lee: The best player i’ve faced in Missouri is JD Dohrmann (Vianney, 2025). He throws hard, has tight spin on his off speed, and hides the ball well too. I personally believe he is the best arm in the state.
PBR: 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?
Lee: When I was around 13 or 14 I realized how much I loved baseball and wanted to play at the next level so I started setting micro-goals for myself and one of those goals was to play at a division 1 baseball program.
PBR: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?
Lee: Work hard, have fun, and stay hungry. Never let the next person out work you and always set goals for yourself.
PBR: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?
Lee: The most memorable moment for me in my baseball career has to be playing in the Future Games. It was awesome to be playing with the best baseball players in the state of Missouri while also playing in front of 300+ college coaches.
PBR: Preview your high school team's season for us. How do you feel your team will be?
Lee: I think Pattonville will really surprise some people this season. We gained a really good freshman named Cam Crumble (Pattonville, 2027), and also have a lot of sophomores that can ball as well. I’m really excited to see how this season goes for us.
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