Ryan Addington, OF, Lakota West, Class of 2013

PBR: Why did you choose Carson Newman? 

Addington:  Choosing a school was a difficult choice.  I had some great options to choose from.  Carson Newman seemed like the best fit for me.  It's a strong academic school with a comfortable campus environment.  The baseball facilities are excellent and Carson Newman plays in a competitive D2 conference and has a history of success.  I felt like this was the place that would help make me the best baseball player I can be, and the college experience there will help me grow as a person as well. 

PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Addington:  I had a good visit with Bluffton; they have great facilities and are a program on the rise. Heidelberg was the other school that I gave strongest consideration. They have a great tradition, excellent coaches and a strong team environment. Ultimately I narrowed to Heidelberg and Carson Newman, and chose Carson Newman. I had interest from several other schools, but these were my best potential fits.

PBR: Where did the coaches first see you? How did your relationship develop with their coaching staff? 

Addington:  Most of the schools that expressed interest in me first saw me at the PBR Top Prospect Games or at other PBR events.  For Carson Newman, the coaches had seen some film on me but first saw me play in a tournament in Tennessee last Fall. I made a couple of strong defensive plays and doubled and tripled into the gap in the championship game.  They invited me down for a visit soon thereafter.  Coach Griffin and I stayed in contact, then I went to see them play a few weekends ago.  That last visit helped solidify my decision to attend Carson Newman.

PBR:  Carson Newman is in Tennessee, how much of a factor did distance play in your final decision?

Addington:  Distance hasn't been a concern for me. I've been looking for the best college fit that combines my academic interests with a great baseball experience, regardless of distance from home. In the case of Carson Newman, I do have some family in that area of Tennessee which is an added bonus.

PBR: What role do the coaches expect you to play your first year on campus? 

Addington:  Coaches expect me to get off to a good academic start, while also working hard on strength training. They also have ideas for fine tuning my swing, so we will be working hard on that once I get to campus. Beyond that, I am expected to compete for an outfield spot for next season.

PBR: What is your biggest strength as a player and how do you feel that you will help their baseball program? 

Addington:  My greatest strengths are my defense, baserunning and finding any way to get on base. I love to chase down baseballs in the outfield. Carson Newman plays an aggressive style which fits very well to my strengths. I will be working to improve my consistency at the plate and Coach Griffin has a great reputation for developing players to maximize their ability.

PBR: Who do you play for in the summer and what was the most memorable experience from this summer?

Addington:  I have played for the Cincinnati Riverbats since I was 9 years old. This upcoming summer will be my 10th and final season with them. It's difficult to pick a most memorable experience from last summer. I have amazing teammates and we have the best time competing and enjoying the game of baseball. Every practice, every game, every tournament, all the laughs...it's all memorable!

PBR: What were your stats for last spring season at Lakota West?

Addington:  I was injured with a broken wrist last season.  I was able to play JV ball through my recovery period (hitting 0.354), but really wasn't getting any pop on the ball.  I felt like I got back to full strength about halfway through summer ball.  From that point forward in summer and fall ball, I hit 0.433 with more gap power and extra base hits.  I am healthy and stronger for my senior year so I'm looking forward to helping our team chase after GMC league and Ohio state titles.

PBR: Who is the toughest pitcher that you have faced in Ohio?

Addington:  This is a tough question. I would probably say Andrew McDonald from Mason. He throws hard, but also has good movement on his pitches.