Q&A with Jacksonville State Commit Henry Vedder
April 18, 2026
We recently had the chance to talk to Vedder about his recruitment process, along with some other fun topics, below.
Our Q&A
Prep Baseball: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?
Henry: I didn’t have to many expectations going into August first or really just the whole process in general. I really just tired to keep an open mind and not let it distract me from what really mattered.
PB: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision?
H: It’s really hard to pick what I like most about Jacksonville State. Coach Beiser and the whole staff are amazing and all have my best interest in mind. To go along with that as soon as I visited the campus and saw the beautiful facility’s and got to meet everyone I knew it was home.
PB: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?
H: If I could say one thing I would say that you really have to trust the process. You will come across many people who are way better than yourself but you can’t sit there and compare yourself to them. Everyone has their own journey and you just have to trust that all the work you put in because it will all be worth it in the end.
PB: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?
H: That’s the only part I’m worried about. I’m going to really miss my family but I took all of that into consideration when I committed in the first place. The brotherhood I saw between the guys when I visited reassured me that I would be okay.
PB: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play?
H: I was in the first class that was affected by the August 1st rule. I knew certain colleges were going to reach out before hand but nobody could contact me before August first.
PB: Was there a particular Prep Baseball tournament or showcase that helped accelerate your recruiting process? If yes, how so?
H: Yes, the futures game was an amazing experience and it really drew me a lot of attention.
PB: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?
H: Missouri State was the only one I was really considering besides Jax State. I committed before I went on any official visit a few schools wanted me to go on.
PB: Who is the best player you have faced in your state? What about them makes for a tough opponent?
H: I faced Camden Lohman last year and that wasn’t very pretty.
PB: If you could steal any tool or quality from another player in the state, what would it be and who would it be from?
H: If I could steal I tool from anyone it would have to be Jake Brettschneider’s changeup.
PB: Who is the next talented young player to keep an eye on out of your high school or travel program?
H: Someone I would keep a very close eye on is Cameron Fuqua. He goes to P3 with me and he is having a huge offseason.
PB: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college-caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?
H: Probably my sophomore year high school season. I had a big year and going into that summer was when I really locked in and started to go to work.
PB: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?
H: My last summer ball game ever I threw a 2 hitter at Lake Point and it was just a really good way to say bye to summer ball and very memorable.