Since they were youngsters, Seymour’s Janzen Bloom, Keenan Bohall and Jorge Vega have played together on the diamond.
Bloom on the mound or in the outfield, Bohall behind the plate and Vega at first base — covering three major aspects of the field.
Throughout the years, as they developed their game and grew up, the three set their goals high with each baseball season.
On Tuesday, weeks before the first pitch of their senior year, the three inked their futures with family, teammates and friends present.
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Bloom committed to Indiana University Southeast, Bohall signed to Franklin College and Vega decided on University of Northwestern Ohio.
“Any time we can have kids play at the next level, it’s exciting for us,” Owls head coach Jeremy Richey said. “It’s not surprising because we knew that this was going to be a good group since they were younger. It’s a great day for us, and I’m very proud of the three of them.
“I think that baseball in Seymour is exciting to kids right now. I think that by having kids go to college to play, it shows it’s possible to happen. These three have prepared and worked to play at the next level.”
Richey said he used the recruiting website FieldLevel to reach out to coaches across the country, showcasing his athletes.
It’s the most baseball players that have signed from Seymour since 2009, when five athletes decided to continue their careers on the field.
“It’s a dream come true,” Bohall said. “They’re guys I’ve played with my whole life. To be able to do it with them is a cool experience to share.”
Bloom joins Grenadiers
Last month, Bloom went to IU Southeast for a workout and a tour of the facilities.At that point, he know he wanted to join the Grenadiers.“It’s a smaller school, but you still get the college feel,” Bloom said. “I wanted to go to someplace big, but at the same time, I didn’t.”
For Bloom, the goal has been to play college ball all along.
“I’ve wanted to play in college since I picked up a baseball,” Bloom said. “It’s a relief. It feels good to know where I’m going and have my future in sight.
“I will work hard and be the best I can. I need to try and not let things I can’t control bother me. In the past, I’ve had problems getting in my own head. I need to step back, take a deep breath and control what I can control.”
Last season, Bloom threw 42 innings with 51 strikeouts on the mound while giving up 34 hits and 24 earned runs.
In the batter’s box, Bloom finished with 16 hits on 60 at-bats with a .267 average.
Richey said Bloom’s strength and size will translate to the next level.
“He’s physically impressive,” Richey said of Bloom. “He has thrown a lot of big games. They know that he’s going to be ready. He understands it’s going to take some work. You don’t just step in as a freshman and throw a lot of innings. A lot of his physical abilities transcend to the mound.”
The Grenadiers, an NAIA school in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, is 7-5 this year and finished 37-18 in the 2014-15 season.
Bohall t
o GrizzliesRichey said Bohall does all of the little things right as a catcher, which will help Franklin at home plate in the future.“Keenan is everything you can ask for in a catcher,” Richey said. “The catcher has to be the guy with the dirtiest uniform at the end of the game. We put a lot of pressure on our catchers here that they will need to be leaders. They are really excited about getting him because a lot of his abilities are intangibles. They’re really excited to be getting him.”
For Bohall, college baseball didn’t seem like an option until he hit high school.
“I didn’t feel like I had it in me through middle school,” Bohall said. “When I got into freshman baseball, I really started pushing myself more. As I developed through high school, I realized that (baseball) is something I wanted to continue to do.”
Bohall, who earned the Owls’ hustle award last year, is known for his energy behind the plate and leadership qualities on the team.
He said his biggest goal is to bring consistency to the catching position at Franklin.
“I want to bring solid defense from behind the plate,” Bohall said. “I feel like I can bring strong defense and have strength at the plate.”
The Grizzlies, an NCAA Division III school, are coming off last season’s 24-win campaign and have qualified for seven consecutive Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference postseason tournaments — the longest active streak in the league.
They are 3-4 this season.
Bohall will join former Owls teammates Peter Duncan and Mitchell Moore at Franklin.
Vega to Racers
Whether he’s at the plate or holding down first base, Vega will bring a physical presence to UNOH.“Jorge is a big, strong kid who can swing the bat,” Richey said. “He’s tremendous at first base. He will be another one who can physically handle the collegiate game.”Last season, Vega was consistently a threat hitting-wise for the Owls, finishing with 16 RBI on 16 hits.
“It feels amazing,” Vega said. “I really need to work hard to be able to contribute. I feel like I will be a contributor as years go on. I’m looking to get more athletic so I can be more useful in other positions.”
Vega will join a Racers squad that was ranked No. 17 in the nation in the NAIA preseason polls.
One of the assistant hitting coaches for the Racers is former MLB player Carlos Baerga.
Baerga was a three-time All-Star selection and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner during a 14-year Major League Baseball career.
The former MLB star also acts as the Racers’ recruiting coordinator in Puerto Rico.
“I think they’re a really good program,” Vega said. “I will have to compete to be able to play.”
In 2014-15, the Racers went 45-15 — 28-5 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference — and were 1st of 10 — NAIA Tournament Opening Round runners-up.