Crae Watkins, RHP, Brookside HS, Class of 2014

PBR: Why did you choose Lincoln? 

Watkins: I chose Lincoln University because of the great coaching, close knit team, instant opportunity for playing time and the fact that the school is close to the East Coast where I would like to eventually attend graduate school. 

PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Watkins: Other than Lincoln, I was considering Maryville College (TN), Roanoke College (VA), UMass Boston (MA) and Butler University. Maryville and Roanoke College were also beyond fantastic and it was very very close between them and Lincoln.

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

Watkins: Coach Pla contacted me shortly after I sent him my recruiting video. Soon after that, I took an unofficial visit to Lincoln in January, meeting shortly with Coach Pla. We exchanged texts and calls and decided to schedule an official visit for September. After participating in an intersquad practice with Lincoln, I instantly liked Coach Pla and Coach Kruemmer's attitude on the field. They hold their players to very high standards and expect them to compete to the best of their abilities without complaining or showboating. 

PBR:  Your YouTube prospect video was quite a hit with the college coaches.  How much did that help you in the recruiting process?

Watkins: My prospect video helped me tremendously in my recruiting process. Unlike the common recruiting video, my unique introduction clip drew coaches’ attention leading them to watch my entire video; I received many compliments from various coaches. All the credit for the intro clip goes to my mom and dad. 

PBR:  How long have you been a submarine pitcher and how much of an advantage does that give you on the hill? 

Watkins: I have been throwing submarine for two years now thanks to my pitching coaches, Adrian Abrohamowicz and Phil Brua. I believe it gives me a tremendous advantage on the hill. I rely on hitters to aggressively approach my fastball early and pound it into the ground. During the summer, I often relieved mid to high 80's throwing lefty Michael Martin (North Ridgeville HS) and throwing slower from a much different arm slot gave my team great success and really threw off opposing batters. 

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

Watkins: Coach Pla expects me to come in and compete for significant playing time as a freshman, filling voids in the bullpen that Lincoln previously had.

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

Watkins: My biggest strength as a player is my work ethic on and off the field and my ability to boost morale and motivate other players. I believe I will help Lincoln by being a positive and supportive teammate as well as providing the best relief I can possibly give.

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

Watkins: This summer I am playing for the Lake Erie Warhawks coached by Oberlin College Head Coach Adrian Abrohamowicz and former Class-A submarine pitcher Phil Brua. My most memorable moment this summer came with Bob Beck's North Coast Vipers when we as a pitching staff gave up only 1 earned run over 21 innings pitched in the Battle of the 330 tournament.

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

Watkins: For me, it's a three way tie. Casey Demko, Tyler Sullivan and Mathew Seekins are all fantastic contact hitters who force me to battle throughout the entire at bat.