MEDINA - Basketball was the top sport for Ty Stolarski when he entered high school.

Not only has that changed, but the Medina senior is now a commit to Akron as a two-way baseball prospect.

“When I was younger my top sport was basketball but my freshman year that changed,” Stolarski related. “I saw a lot of older guys going to college for baseball and that sparked my interest. It’s a sport I’ve always loved. Once I started getting better at it I began to think about a path in baseball.”

The 32nd-rated 2021 right-handed pitcher in Ohio, who is also an infielder on the left side, started conversing with Akron in late summer.

“I visited a couple other schools but then I talked with the pitching coach at Akron and they showed an interest in me as a two-way,” Stolarski reflected. “They called my high school coach, my Premier (summer) coach and did a bunch of research on me. They gave me a deadline of Aug. 7.

“I ended up going with my family to check out the field,” Stolarski continued. “It’s really close to home (30 minutes) and it’s really nice.”

Charleston and Seton Hill, a pair of Division II schools, were at the top of the list of colleges for the 103-ranked senior in the state before the attraction from Akron.

“They like my arm,” the 6-4 175-pounder noted. “They said I’m very athletic on the mound. They feel I have a high ceiling if I put on some weight. They also like my bat and how I fielded at shortstop and third base.”

The feeling was mutual for Stolarski in regard to his appreciation for the Mid-American Conference program.

“The coaches are really nice,” Stolarski said. “(Head) Coach (Chris) Sabo had really good things to say about me and how much he was willing to work with the players. He also said there were a lot of JUCOs that will be leaving so I will have a great opportunity to play my freshman year.”

There was also the idea of being a two-way performer at a Division I school.

“I like the challenge,” explained the just-turned 18-year-old. “I haven’t fully matured yet so we’ll see how it goes. If by the time my sophomore or junior year rolls around and I’m a really good pitcher I’ll do that or if I’m really good in the field I’ll do that. I’ll just play it by ear.”

What Stolarski does know is what has helped improvement come and what needs to be done to continue getting better.

“I put on weight and that transitioned on the field,” Stolarski said about his improved game this year. “I’m getting comfortable with my build and my velos have all gone up. I’ve had a good year hitting as well as pitching.

“I have good command with my fastball and curve but I need to work on my splitter,” Stokarski added in reference to where additional improvement can come. “My goal in the offseason is to master that. On hitting, they don’t throw me inside so I have to work on hitting the outside pitch to right-center.”

Stolarski points to his father, John, as the biggest influence in his baseball life.

“He had a lot of records at his high school and tried to walk-on to play baseball at Akron but it didn’t work out,” noted Stolarski, who also had high praise for all his coaches along the way in aiding his development in baseball and life. “He never had the same opportunities I did, so his goal was to give me more. He didn’t have a chance to be seen at events like PBR.

“He’s always been a tough man,” Stolarski continued. “He said baseball is a game of failure, just don’t think about it. Just enjoy your time.”

It has the Medina senior driven to succeed at Akron.

“I’ve got a chip on my shoulder to play for him,” Stolarski added.

A 3.5 student looking at a major in communications and a minor in business, Stolarski is happy the recruiting process has been completed.

“It was definitely different than I thought,” Stolarski admitted. “It all happened in a week. It was all by phone, but I really enjoyed talking to them.

“Now that it’s over it’s definitely a relief. I’m excited to get in the weight room, get bigger and get on campus next fall.”