JOHNSTON, R.I. - An injury did not “hurt” Alex Marot when it came to finding a future college home to play baseball.

“At the time I was hurt I panicked a little and thought I might miss out,” admitted The Winchendon School junior. “But I went to Florida and I was good enough to get an offer.”

That all came about after being noticed playing for Team Massachusetts at the PBR Future Games in Georgia the first week of August.

“They saw me at the Future Games for the first time,” Marot said of West Virginia, where the top-rated 2023 third baseman in New England has made a commitment. “Coach (Steve) Sabins is who I talked to and he said they were not looking for a third baseman but he saw me hitting and liked what he saw.

“He said I had a good approach at the plate and went up there with confidence. If you can go 5-for-6 at the plate at the Future Games with a fractured hip, you can hit anybody.”

Playing in the south from the end of September to the middle of October proved only added to the belief Marot can hit anybody and an offer from West Virginia awaited the 6-2 200-pounder when he returned home.

“I got the offer on Friday and committed on Monday,” related the 14th-ranked junior third baseman in the nation. “They made it seem like an environment where they love their athletes. All their sports are great and they play in a great conference, so it can be a fun run all year.”

North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Illinois, Northeastern, Stetson, USC-Upstate and Virginia Tech were other schools being considered by the 336th-rated 2023 in the country who played at the PBR Future Games the past two years.

“Last year I played for Team Connecticut but there weren’t coaches there with Covid,” Marot reflected. “This year it was crazy, every college you can think of was there. That put me in contact with a bunch of schools I’d dreamed of playing for and gave me an opportunity to play at a high Division I school.”

That is something that the 18-year-old has thought about for some time.

“I’ve always known I wanted to keep playing baseball for as long as I could,” Marot noted. “In sixth or seventh grade college baseball came into the picture and it became realistic after my ninth-grade year, talking to schools and getting an idea of where I can play and how I was going to do it.”

His parents along with trainer Jason Oldham were among those Marot credited with helping make it all happen in addition to Chris Constantino with hitting and coaches Derek January and Rich Gilbride with the recruiting process.

Improvement has also benefited the cause for the West Virginia commit.

“I’ve been working out a lot,” Marot said. “I’ve been going deeper into my swing to see how I can get better and be more consistent.”

Being a corner infielder is the plan in college for the eighth-rated 2023 player in New England, a 3.2 student looking at a major in business or finance.

“I have a good glove so I can play anywhere,” pointed out Marot, while understanding his best tool is in the batter’s box. “I’m a guy that can hit three through five in the order, give good contact and not strike out a lot.”

Marot, who was 4-for-8 with a pair of walks in his first appearance at the Future Games in 2020., looks ahead with excitement to his college days at the Big 12 Conference university.

“I’m looking forward to fighting for a spot,” Marot explained. “I can’t wait to face big-time schools that I’ve watched since I was young.”

Being committed, admittedly, brings a feeling of relief .

“Playing at a great school, a dream school for baseball, I’m so happy all the work has paid off,” Marot said. “But it’s not done yet.”