BOWLING GREEN - Ty O’Brien did not mince words when talking about the sport he loves.

“I care about baseball more than anything in the world,” the Otsego High School junior said.

It makes a commitment to Toledo to play at the next level a major accomplishment for the 11th-rated 2024 catcher in Ohio.

“I’ve always wanted to play college baseball since I can remember,” O’Brien related. “It’s always been my favorite sport. When I got my first offer from Ohio Dominican in mid-summer after a tournament that showed I could go and play college baseball.”

Still, when an offer and commitment was made with the Mid-American Conference university located 20 minutes from home, O’Brien was admittedly surprised.

“It was really shocking,” O’Brien said of the feeling he had at the time. “It took my breath away, there are no words to describe it. I’m just super excited to accomplish my goal and dream to play college baseball.”

A connection with Toledo has been there for some time according to the 16-year-old.

“I’ve always had a relationship with Toledo,” O’Brien noted. “I went to camps there from the time I was young until now and built a relationship with the coaches. They said they’d come see me this summer.”

O’Brien did not disappoint.

“I play for Ohio Elite and we played at Toledo and I caught well and hit a home run,” O’Brien reflected back on his performance with UT watching. “When fall came around Toledo offered and wanted me to come on a visit. I met with the coaches and a couple of weeks later I committed.

“The Toledo coaches were super nice to me and I really was able to connect immediately when I went on my visit,” O’Brien added. “I love the culture that is being created by (head) coach (Rob) Reinstetle and Toledo also has some really good facilities.”

O’Brien pointed to key roles a number of his coaches have played in getting to this point of his baseball journey.

“I have had coaches help me, especially my hit coach Tom Runnells,” O’Brien said in reference to the former professional baseball coach. “He changed my swing. I also latched on with coach Cam Comer who helped me with my defensive skills.”

Travel coach Jeremie Young and high school coach Chase Welker are others that O’Brien gives credit to in becoming a D-I commit.

“I sent out a lot of emails but didn’t get much back,” O’Brien explained about his recruitment. “Camps were a big reason I was looked at a lot. The head coach of my travel team really helped get my name out there and my high school coach helped me with recruiting and trusting in me.”

It all made a big difference for the 85th-rated junior in the state, who also benefited from improved size.

“The weight room has played a big role in my career,” pointed out O’Brian, a three-sport athlete who is a member of the honor society at Otsego. “My freshman year I was a skinny 5-10 150 pounds and now I’m 6-foot and 200 pounds. I can tell that the weight room has made a big impact in the sports I’m playing.”

O’Brien, whose visit to Toledo took place on Nov. 17 and commitment followed on Dec. 6, has been catching since the age of eight.

“It’s really important to me,” O’Brien noted. “My dad used to be a catcher and I’ve always wanted to be one. You have to be the leader of the field and tell everyone what to do and that fits me perfectly.”

There is more that O’Brien believes he can provide the program at Toledo.

“I’m someone that is a hard worker,” O’Brien said. “I hope to be a leader at some point and I want to make the program better when I leave than it is when I enter it.”

UT sees O’Brien as a player with a big upside.

“They like that I’m a big presence behind the backstop and that I have a pretty good bat,” O’Brien said.

Playing catcher is not the only thing O’Brien hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“Toledo has a good health field and I want to go into that like my dad,” explained the 3.9 student, who has plans to be a physical therapist or physician’s assistant.

There is more that O’Brien is anticipating with excitement when it comes to going to college and playing baseball at Toledo.

“I’m really looking forward to traveling,” O’Brien said. “I’ve always wanted to play in different states at different universities, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

The goal is also to improve along the way.

“I want to make myself better at everything, not just one thing,” O’Brien concluded. “I need to get better at everything to become a great player.”