PICKERINGTON - It was the middle of summer and Adam Sadler was at a loss about his college future.

“I had no idea where I was going in July,” the Pickerington North senior reflected. “I was always telling my parents … I wish I knew where I was going.”

But that suddenly changed when Akron entered the picture..

“The whole process with them began in late July,” Sadler related. “I wasn’t really getting recruited heavily and there were just two weeks left in the summer ball season when they reached out and showed interest. They extended a walk-on offer to me.”

That gave some positive vibes to the 214th-rated 2023 in Ohio.

“I had switched travel teams and was with Dan Moss and that helped,” Sadler explained about the move to Triple Crown. “I was getting some D-II and D-III attention and also talking to Toledo, Akron and Ohio U.”

Ashland eventually offered two weeks before Sadler participated in the PBR Ohio State Games in early October.

“I spent three months preparing for that,” explained the 85th-ranked senior right-handed pitcher in the state. “I struck out eight of the nine hitters I faced. For Akron to come see me there was big. They’d seen me at the camp, but needed to see me in a real game.”

Akron, head coach Greg Beals in particular, liked what the 5-10 195-pounder showed.

“That night after they saw me pitch at the PBR Ohio North-South Games coach Beals extended an offer to me and I committed the next morning,” Sadler noted. “He loved how competitive I was even though it was a North-South game. He liked how I commanded and spun the ball. They believe I can come in and pitch right away with the way I can spin the ball.”

That is an area of the game that the 18-year-old has made a lot of strides.

“I have more command on pitches and have improved on how to spin the ball more effectively,” Sadler said. “I’m learning how to throw a changeup now, which is a big deal to me. With my four pitches, you want all of them moving to keep hitters off balance.”

It wasn’t until recently that pitching even became top priority for Sadler.

“With my old travel team I was a catcher, pitcher and outfielder,” Sadler explained. “Dan turned me more into a pitcher. We worked all offseason on pitching, I already knew how to catch. Then in June/July he turned me into all pitching.”

It was then a matter of being seen.

“I wasn’t being put out there against the best competition,” Sadler pointed out. “That’s what pushed Akron on me late and why they offered me a walk-on which I thought I might accept. But once they saw me against better competition and with how competitive I was they extended an offer.”

While baseball is now his future, football was once Sadler’s dream sport.

“Basically, I was all into football but I had no offers,” Sadler related. “Nobody was looking at me. So in between sophomore and junior year of high school, knowing the type of athlete I was and that I was a really good baseball player and knew I could pitch, I began to think I might have a better opportunity in baseball.”

But it was far from easy when it came to the recruiting process.

“The most stressful part was just getting recruited,” Sadler explained. “When it came to playing I knew I’d do well. Once I was able to compete against the best competition like the PBR Ohio Games, and seeing I can compete against that kind of competition, I got interest. After that it was narrowing it down to where do I want to be to trust coaches to develop me, and I thought Akron was the best chance. Coach Beals has sent guys to MLB.”

His first travel ball coach Tony Powers, with the Predators, and second travel coach Ryan Geotzman, with Arsenal, are credited by Sadler with being big influences in getting his game on the right path. Triple Crown Royals staff - Dan Moss, Logan Moss, Josh Stover and Colton Bond - helped Sadler improve to where he is today, an Akron commit.

“Nobody in my family has been to college so this is going to be a new step for me,” Sadler said. “That’s what I’m excited about. I want to keep playing baseball and win, win, win.”

Sport management, education and communication are being considered as college majors by Sadler, a 3.7 student this past quarter who is confident about what he can bring to the Mid-American Conference program located two hours from his home in Pickerington.

“I know they’ve not been that good the last couple of years,” Sadler concluded. “The biggest reasons I chose Akron is … one the coaches, and two they’re building something. I think with coach Beals and the pitching coach, Blair Everhart, they’re going to build something there and I want to be a part of it.”