HARRIMAN, TENN. - A lot has changed since Ronnie Engelman was playing baseball at Mason.

The 2016 graduate went to Roane State Community College out of high school as a two-way prospect.

“Originally I was going to hit and play shortstop and second base and also pitch,” the 5-11 185-pounder said. “But my role was erased once I started to get a lot of innings. I began to focus on that, working on throwing and seeing how far that would take me.”

It has worked out for the 155th-ranked player in Ohio’s 2016 class, with a recent commitment to Eastern Kentucky.

“They contacted me at the end of the season,” Engelman explained. “I wasn’t too familiar with it, but my brother is from Lexington and I ended up falling in love with it. EKU just seemed to fit.”

The Division I program that competes in the Ohio Valley Conference saw much to be impressed about with the right-handed pitcher.

“They like my ability to throw strikes,” Engelman said. “They also like my ability to command four pitches. Staying in the zone with multiple pitches is harder than you think, so if you can do that it looks good on you.”

With a repertoire featuring a fastball, cutter, curve and change, Engelman is working on adding a sinker to his arsenal.

“In high school I was trying to strike out people,” Engelman noted. “Here, I developed as a pitcher. I’ve learned you don’t need to do too much. Just put it in the zone, put it over the plate and challenge hitters.”

With 76 strikeouts in 76.2 innings this season and five complete games in 13 starts, Engelman brings promise with increased velo. At Mason, Engelman was 83-84, last year as a Roane freshman 85-87 and this year as a sophomore 86-88, touching 90.

“I still need to improve my strength a little,” Engelman said. “I’m behind most people in the weight room, that’s not been my biggest friend so that has to change. It’s not that I don’t like the weight room, I’ve just had a lot going on.”

Size has never been a plus for Engelman.

“I was recruited out of high school late,” Engelman explained. “I’m not overly pleasing to the eyes. I’m not big and bulky where things can just take care of itself. I’ve just needed to do my job and let things pan out there.”

Junior year in high school Engelman attended a PBR showcase that sparked interest at the time.

“I got a lot of looks from that. There were a couple D-I schools and many D-II and III,” Engelman reflected. “But honestly, by grades were lower than I would have liked so the JUCO route seemed to be the best option. Toward the middle of my senior year my mom and I decided JUCO was the route for me.”

It proved beneficial for Engelman.

“Baseball is a team sport,” Engelman said of what he learned at Roane. “You know you have a job to do and if you don’t take care of your job the team suffers. You have to do your job for the team.”

Engelman notes that Eastern Kentucky likes the idea of finding junior college players for their program,

“What they like about junior college guys is they have a chip on their shoulder,” Engelman explained. “After going there they have a new respect for everything. JUCO is a little more humbling and those that play there find out there is a little more behind the game.”

Now Engelman gets to take the knowledge learned to the Division I level.

“What they said is they see my role on the team as a starter or reliever, whatever role I can grab,” noted Engelman, who is considering a major in either business marketing or sport management. “Everybody has aspirations to play in the pros and I still have those hopes and dreams.

“I don’t want to leave the sport, I have a lot more to give to the game than athleticism. Maybe I’ll be a coach. I’ve got a lot of knowledge in the game to share.”