Mayfield OF Tim Wetzel commits to Ohio State

Tim Warsinskey, Plain Dealer Reporter

Before he became a highly recruited baseball player, Mayfield's Tim Wetzel always wanted to attend Ohio State. When the Buckeyes offered him a scholarship recently, it made for an easy decision.

"Ohio State was the best fit for me academically, and so was the whole school because I have two siblings there [Rob and Christina]," Wetzel said. "I always wanted to go to the school even if I wasn't playing a sport."

Wetzel, a senior this fall, has made an oral commitment to

play baseball at OSU. A center fielder who bats and throws left- handed, Wetzel hit .412 with 26 RBI in 22 games this year, and was 28-of-29 stealing bases. He hit a school-record six triples.

Wetzel said he considered Kent, Dayton and St. Bonaventure. He also is a standout running back / safety and said OSU coaches gave their blessings for him to play football at Mayfield this fall.

"They want to come up and watch me play. They're all into high school football," he said.

Wetzel said he plans to study chemistry, pharmacy or anesthesiology.

Mayfield baseball coach Don Ramer played for Ohio State coach Bob Todd and assistant Greg Cypret when they were at Kent State.

"I told them one of these days I'm going to get a player for them and I told them about Tim his sophomore year," Ramer said. "They came up and saw him and wanted him right away."