Cole Harting OF / OF / Mason, OH / 2020

WEST CHESTER - “They have wanted me the most since Day 1.”

That not only was a great feeling for Cole Harting but a big reason why the 13th-rated player in Ohio’s 2020 class committed to the University of Cincinnati.

“They reached out to me,” the Mason junior added about UC. “I didn’t have to go look for them.”

Cincinnati assistant coach JD Heilmann knew Harting well.

“JD used to coach at Midland so knew who I was,” Harting said. “He came to watch us play a lot.”

There was also high school ball with Mason teammate Joe Powell (12th-rated senior in Ohio), an earlier Cincinnati commit, bringing interest to the Comets’ games from UC coaches.

“I made varsity my sophomore year and we played two games at UC,” Harting said. “They also saw me at the Top Prospect Games before they offered and at the Future Games after the offer.”

Xavier, Tennessee and Coastal Carolina were others in the running for the standout center fielder, but there were too many plusses with Cincinnati to pass up.