WEST CHESTER - Looks can often be deceiving. Carson Marsh is proof.

“I’m a smaller guy, 5-10 and 168 pounds,” Marsh related. “During the summer kids see me on the mound and think I’m not going to throw hard,”

But that is far from the case for the 33rd-rated junior right-handed pitcher in Ohio, who continues to show that size is not indicative of what pitching velocity can be obtained. During high school at Moeller in the spring, Marsh was throwing 84-85. This past summer it was up to 85-86. Now that velo has reached as high as 89.

Wright State took notice and, eventually, became convinced that the Moeller product could make an impact at the Division I college level.

“I went to a camp there in June and they didn’t have much interest,” Marsh reflected. “I was sitting 85-86 and they said I needed to put on weight and gain velo. So I started to eat more, I lived in the weight room and I went to a new pitching guy to help me use my legs more.”

A return visit to Wright State for a camp in October found Marsh throwing harder.

“They said they heard I’d made strides,” Marsh noted. “I sat 87-88 and hit 89. After that I went on a visit, I liked the campus and the coaches … and they offered.

“They said they like my personality and that I didn’t say much when I was at the camp. I sat there and did my thing. I was in my own corner of the bullpen waiting for my turn. They also said they checked with my coach and they like that I focus on academics, too.”

Marsh credited Brent McKinney with helping make the commitment happen.

“He focused on breaking down my legs and using more power,” Marsh said of his current pitching  coach. “I still need to use them more, but for me using my legs changed the velo.”

While there were a few other schools showing an interest in the 192nd-ranked 2023 in the state, Marsh had his sights set on the university located in Dayton.

“I just knew I liked Wright State,” Marsh explained. “I like that it’s a winning program. Plus, Nate Manley, my catcher at Moeller, is going there.”

It was only a few years prior that Marsh, whose main position at the time was shortstop, made an important decision.

“Three years ago I really started to focus on pitching,” Marsh said. “My older brother was a pitcher and had a lot of success at it. I felt I had more control over my body than him, I just had to start using my legs more and see how it plays out.

“Watching my older brother, I’d always wanted to play in college,” Marsh continued. “Two years ago is when it really started to come to my mind. If I make jumps, put on weight and use my body like I need to, it can be a reality.”

Marsh pointed to his brother and mother along with one of his summer coaches, Nick Brann, with helping make the dream come true. It has the 16-year-old excited about the possibilities ahead at the university located just 50 minutes from home.

“Coach (Alex) Sogard knows his stuff and coach (Nate) Metzger knows his stuff,” Marsh said in reference to the Wright State head coach and associate head coach/recruiting coordinator, respectively. “They’re trying to make it more personable, with how the family is doing things, not just all baseball.”

Marsh, who carries a 4.0 unweighted GPA, plans to major in accounting at the Horizon League school.

“I’m looking forward to getting to play baseball year ’round, working out and when it’s in-season it’s grind time,” Marsh said.

There is also a matter of once again showing that looks, and size, can be deceiving.

“When I was eight I was a lot smaller than everybody and when I was in middle school I was a lot smaller than everybody,” Marsh concluded. “At Moeller I’m the second smallest pitcher. What I want to do is show that smaller guys can throw hard. I feel I’ll bring a chip on my shoulder. With a chip on your shoulder you have to work harder. But I like being smaller and having that chip on my shoulder.”