TROY - “The best experience of my life so far.”

That is how Ryder Kirtley described his recruiting process that has now come to an end with a commitment to Virginia Tech.

“Being from Troy and talking to D-I schools, I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t thinking that was going to happen,” Kirtley admitted about making a commitment to the college in Blacksburg, Va. “At the end of the day, I’m thankful for it all. It was cool building relationships with coaches. There was nothing negative about it. The worst part was calling and telling them I’m going to another university. But all in all it was a positive experience.”

One that ended in a commitment to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“This means everything,” the Troy High School sophomore said. “My goal has been to play down south and get away from home where I can be a better person. When you play in the SEC and the ACC you’re playing the top teams in the country. There’s never a break in the ACC. Every game is with a good team. If you’re around good people and good coaches that means a lot.”

Playing in the Future Games capped things off for Kirtley, who had been in conversations with Virginia Tech and had attended a prospect camp there earlier in the summer.

“Virginia Tech felt like a real family,” explained the recently-turned 16-year-old, whose initial contact with the ACC program came at the National Program Invitational at LakePoint where Kirtley was one of 25 players in the 2024 class that made an impact on Shooter Hunt, PBR vice president of scouting. “I’m going to a solid family with a good team culture.

“They told me they see me being an impact player,” Kirtley added. “You can tell the coaches weren’t overhyped. They were pretty modest. You could tell they were telling the truth. The biggest thing for me was loyalty. I could tell there was that trust and bond.”

Kirtley was called “the best in-game defender” for Team Ohio at the Future Games. 

“The skill set up the middle of the infield is just advanced across the board,” noted Jordan Chiero, PBR Ohio Director of Scouting. “The raw athleticism is fun to watch. He can move laterally with the best of them and come in and get the ball with ease.”

Virginia Tech liked what they saw of the 6-0 160-pounder at the prestigious event in Georgia.

“They’ve seen me at so many events,” Kirtley said. “After the Future Games they said they love my bat and glove and feel I could build into an ACC shortstop.”

There was more that stood out about the Troy middle infielder.

“They like my attitude, leadership and my energy,” Kirtley related. “I’m not scared to make the big play. They see that I’m a good teammate and they like my athleticism.”

Indiana, Cincinnati and Ohio State helped form the main four schools Kirtley was interested in before a decision was made to go to the school located six hours from home.

“Eighth grade summer I was a basketball guy but after my first call with baseball that was where I wanted to be,” pointed out Kirtley, who received his first offer a summer later. “That summer I was playing up on a 15 team but with the Covid thing I wasn’t getting seen at all. I wasn’t being coached and never had anyone sit me down and say do this. Then I got offered to play on Bo Jackson.”

That was a turning point according to Kirtley.

“They took my game to the next level,” Kirtley noted. “Practicing with all those studs, there was a shortstop committed to Tulane, the environment and the coaches … it was amazing.”

His parents, brother and all his coaches, “especially Cory (Valentine),” were big influences in getting to where he is in the game today, according to Kirtley.

“Now that I’m committed I can focus on that school and bust my butt in the offseason,” noted Kirley, who carries a 3.3 GPA and is looking at a major in business management. “I want to do that so when I get there maybe I’m ahead of the game.”