FAIRFIELD - The coveted 90 helped bring extreme interest to Fairfield left-handed pitcher Kayden Campbell. A connection with coaches at Louisville helped the seventh-rated 2022 southpaw in Ohio decide on where to commit.

“A few weeks ago I started talking to them,” Campbell said in reference to the staff at the American Athletic Conference school. “I talked with Eric Snider, the recruiting coach, and talked with Roger Williams, the pitching coach. I FaceTimed the head coach (Dan) McDonnell the next day and that’s when they offered.”

One thing in particular stood out for Campbell in the decision-making process.

“I’m told Williams is the best pitching coach in the country,” Campbell noted. “They had two pitchers drafted this year.”

It proved to be a difference-maker for the 30th-ranked uncommitted incoming junior in the state at the time of his commitment.

“I was talking to a few other schools and did virtual visits,” pointed out Campbell, listing Boston College, Xavier, Alabama and Indiana. “But I really bonded with the coaches at Louisville over the phone. I think it was the best fit for me.”

The offer and commitment came despite Louisville never seeing the 6-2 182-pound lefty pitch in person.

“I talked to the pitching coach for an hour and 11 minutes,” Campbell reflected. “We talked about how he likes to coach. He’s more of a one-on-one dude with each pitcher. Everyone is different. Everyone has a different build to them.”

The strong interest came after the Fairfield High School 2022 showed an increase in velocity.

“I was 84 before the quarantine,” Campbell related. “I started going to a pitching coach, Eric Minshall, that a high school friend went to and I got to 90. PBR posted it when I was pitching in a round-robin tournament in Chillicothe. I sent a video out and they liked it and wanted to talk to me.

“They think they can really develop me as a player,” Campbell continued. “They think they can make me better and said that I’m good for them.”

Campbell feels he can provide a lot to the Louisville program.

“My talent, I throw strikes and I compete,” the recently-turned 16-year-old said.in naming off traits he believes he will bring to the Cardinals. “I can get to the national championship with them.”

It was only a couple years ago that Campbell began thinking about a future that included college baseball.

“It was the summer between eighth grade and my freshman year,” Campbell noted. “It was then that I thought I could go to college and play with how my talent is. Not to sound cocky, I’m not, but I’m good enough.

“When I started playing on my fall team and my coach, Kurt Hutter, said colleges wanted to talk to me it became realistic.”

A commitment to Louisville makes it official.

“It’s a dream come true,” Campbell said of the decision to attend Louisville. “I’m so happy and my parents are so happy for me. I really didn’t think that I’d get offered yet. I thought they’d wait until they’d seen me pitch, but I’m glad they offered. It means a lot to me that the coaches have trust in me and how I perform.”

Campbell, who carries a 3.1 GPA and has plans to major in mechanical engineering, is not about to settle now that a commitment to play at the next level has been made.

“I still feel the same,” explained Campbell, who is playing with the Durham Bulls this summer. “I still have to compete whether people are watching me or not. I still have to compete to the best of my ability.

“I feel I still need to get a little stronger and I also want to throw more first-pitch strikes.”

And hopefully in the future Campbell can be another Louisville pitching product selected in the MLB Draft.

“That makes me want to work even harder and get better as a person so one day I can get drafted,” Campbell said.