CINCINNATI - Originally from Maryland, Luke Schlimm had aspirations of going back in that direction to play college baseball. But that has changed.

“I always thought I wanted to play in the south, but the best fit was Ohio State so I wasn’t going to ignore that just to play in warmer weather,” the LaSalle junior said. “I’m going to be happier at Ohio State.”

A lot was weighed in making the decision to commit to the Big 10 school, with Duke, Central Florida and Arkansas others the top-ranked 2022 left-handed pitcher in Ohio was considering.

“It’s close to everything I need,” Schlimm pointed out about OSU. “It’s far enough from home but I can make it back to my house in one-and-a-half hours. I have a good relationship with my trainer in Mason which is only an hour away.

“They’re very much into player development which is something I’m looking for,” Schlimm continued. “I want to develop into a first-rounder. They also fit my pitching philosophy and what I do from a training standpoint. Academically, they have the degree I want to pursue and they’re very good at that.”

A 4.4 student looking at a major in mechanical engineering, Schlimm began drawing interest from Ohio State in the fall of 2019.

“I was with the Giants Scout team and pitched two or three innings there,” the hard-throwing southpaw reflected. “It wasn’t one of my best outings but they liked me.”

Hard work followed.

“I started making good progress in the offseason,” Schlimm related. “My coach was relaying that to Ohio State and they told him to get me to come to a camp. I went in late January/early February and threw well. They said they were ready to make an offer whenever I was ready, but I wasn’t ready to commit yet.”

An impressive performance at the PBR Preseason All-State Underclass Showcase in February accelerated the recruitment … temporarily.

“I was happy with what I did there,” the 14th-ranked 2022 in Ohio said. “I always thought I could compete with the best in the state and was able to do that. It was probably the best bullpen I’ve ever thrown. That’s another thing with Ohio State, I threw at their camp the weekend before and they kept an eye on me.”

But COVID-19 slowed down the process.

“I was just coming off Preseason All-State and talking to a lot of schools,” Schlimm noted. “They were ready to come watch me and two or three days out from our first scrimmage everything shut down.”

However, once back on the mound the 6-0 180-pounder shined.

“I kept in contact with Ohio State during quarantine and once I was back into summer ball and the covid stuff had calmed down I threw really well,” Schlimm said. “I threw at a Junior National Tournament in Alabama and it was on TV. I did well and that kind of sped up my recruitment. I got some offers and I talked to my coach and said it’s time to start hearing offers.

“In late June/early July they officially offered. It was a super, super competitive offer. I visited some other campuses, but everything Ohio State had to offer was the best fit for me academically and with baseball. It’s always been my favorite.”

Even being from down south.

“I’m originally from Maryland but I knew about Ohio State,” said Schlimm, whose mother is a Maryland alum. “I had family in Ohio and I have two cousins that go there. Obviously I’m a big fan now.”

Ohio State is a fan of Schlimm as well.

“They like how I can spin the breaking ball and how I’m a competitor,” Schlimm said of the Buckeyes. “I was hurt the second half of my high school season (in 2019) and most of last summer so I wasn’t able to show off my skills. I flashed it in the fall, but wasn’t able to maintain it. Now my best stuff from last fall is average for me now. I’m up a couple miles an hour on my fastball and I’m able to get more consistent. My command’s the same, but I’m spinning pitches a lot better.”

More improvement is on the horizon.

“I need to add a third pitch,” Schlimm explained. “I’m still debating which one I want. I’ve tried the change but not had a good feel for it so I may go with a slider or cutter. I need a pitch I can throw in any count like my other two pitches. I’m also looking to gain one or two miles an hour every year.”

The idea of pitching in college hit the summer before Schlimm turned 13.

“I realized I might make something of this,” Schlimm remembered. “I always had thought about it, but never really understood what I had to do to get there.”

His parents, trainer Josh Elleman and Bo Jackson Elite coach Tom Schaffer all played key roles in helping make it happen according to Schlimm, who is relieved a commitment has been made.

“I’m happy I’ve been able to come to a decision,” Schlimm said. “Now I know where I’m going and I can work toward going to that school specifically.

“The recruiting process was pretty much what I expected,” Schlimm added. “A lot of phone calls and a lot of the same questions. But I enjoyed it. I talked to some interesting people. It’s something I’ll always remember.”