READING, Ma. - Will Burns understands that time goes by quickly.

“My philosophy is you might as well chase the dream while you can,” Burns said about his quest to play college baseball. “Since I was 14, I’ve wanted to play at the highest level I can.”

Division I baseball at Maine is where the 18-year-old is headed after a commitment to the America East Conference university in Orono.

“My coach got them in contact with me,” the Bridgton Academy post-grad student explained. “He did an awesome job helping with my recruitment. They ended up seeing me play at Fraser Field (in Lynn, Ma.) and liked the way I played. I got down on an unofficial visit and that was the deal breaker.

“I loved the way the whole staff conducted themselves,” Burns continued. “They talked to me like I was already part of their family. I checked out the campus and knew it was the place I wanted to be. It ended up being a three-week process from the time they saw me, to my visit, to when I committed.”

The 22nd-rated 2023 third baseman in New England had also taken a visit to Merrimack while getting interest from Stonehill and other schools in the New England area.

“I like what they’re building there, they had a good year last year,” Burns said of Maine, which won the AEC regular season title with an overall record of 27-22, the first winning season at the school since 2013. “But the biggest thing is the coaching staff. They told the truth which is what you want to hear. They were very up front with me. Once I got there the staff as a unit was unbelievable.”

Somewhere in the infield is the projected position for the 6-0 215-pounder, whose strength is considered at the plate.

“They want my bat in the lineup, if I can produce,” Burns noted. “They like my bat and the mindset I have. They wanted a guy that will come in and try to take a spot freshman year, that should be your goal. I appreciated that they understood the small things.”

An older brother, Peter Burns, played a big part in the desire to be part of a baseball program at the next level.

“I started thinking about college baseball a little before high school,” Burns related. “My brother is five years older and once he decided to play college baseball I wanted to do that and it became a real possibility.”

It led to hard work which resulted in improvement for the left-handed hitting D-I commit.

“A lot of work goes into it,” pointed out the 300th-ranked 2023 in New England. “You’ve got to surround yourself with people that will help you. My coaches pushed me and that was a big part. Also, myself pushing myself helped and my brother, a catcher at Boston College, also pushed me to be the best version of myself.”

It all proved beneficial in bringing an end to a recruiting process that was “all over the place” according to the 133rd-rated senior from Massachusetts.

“The process was definitely stressful,” Burns reflected. “Two years ago I got hurt and missed 10 months. I decided to post grad which is where I am now. That allowed me an extra summer for recruitment which helped. But the biggest help came from my coaches. They set me up to go to events with PBR which put me in contact with coaches being able to see me.”

Rich Gilbride and Derek January, coaches with the LB Expos, and Bridgton Academy head coach Aaron Izaryk are credited with aiding the journey for Burns, who believes he can be a strong asset to the Maine program.

“I’ll bring leadership as I get older,” Burns predicted. “I’ll also bring a strong work ethic, someone who will compete with the other guys. I enjoy competition. When others are competing alongside you it forces everyone to get better.”

Finance or science are probable majors for the 3.7 student, who is thrilled to have made a commitment to Maine, which is located 31/2 hours from his home in Massachusetts.

“It was definitely a big stress reliever,” Burns said. “Once I knew it was going to happen was when I got the call and I was offered. When it came to that day, everything fell into place. My family was excited and I was, too. It’s a big accomplishment in my life.”

Now Burns is ready to take his game to the next level at Maine.

“I’m looking forward to playing at a high level in baseball,” Burns concluded. “I can’t wait to compete for a spot alongside my future teammates. I’m anxious to see what we can do with the program.”