Findlay to pitch at Ohio college
Peterborough’s Aidan Findlay is hoping to parlay a chance to play at an Ohio community college into an NCAA baseball scholarship.
Findlay, 18, who just graduated from Kenner Collegiate, has accepted an offer to play baseball at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio beginning in August.
The six-foot-four, 200-pound right-handed pitcher grew up in the Peterborough Baseball Association’s rep Tigers program before switching in Grade 10 to the Toronto Mets of the Canadian Premier Baseball League.
“I’ll be there for two years and then, hopefully, I’ll be able to go somewhere in the NCAA,” said FIndlay, the son of Wanda Findlay and Dan Masterson. “I’m really excited about going down there. I’m really anxious to get down there.
“The reason I picked junior college is usually you get more playing time in the first year than at a four-year school. I’m hoping I will and it will all really depend on how I do in the fall ball season.”
He got an email from the Lakeland coach in November inviting him down to see the college. He went down in December and later went to see the team play to Myrtle Beach.
“When I went down for the visit they offered me a spot right there and I made my decision in June,” Findlay said. “It’s really close to home; it’s only 5 1/2 hours from home. The school itself is small. The coaching is really nice and the pitching coach is really interested in me, too, which is always a big help.”
The college’s student population, of 8,830, is larger than the town of 6,900 where its located.
“It has the same feel to it as Peterborough,” he said.
Findlay’s uncle Chris Masterson had a connection to the Mets and it was through him the opportunity to play in a higher calibre league came about.
“I wanted to go somewhere with better coaching,” said Findlay, who has commuted to Scarborough four times a week for three seasons. This year the Mets, who are now in their tournament schedule, finished first in the league.
“It was definitely better competition to play against,” he said.
Findlay believes it helped him land the college opportunity.
“I’ve gotten physically stronger. I’ve become a better pitcher because of the coaching I’ve had. They’ve taught me better situations to throw different pitchers and things like that.”
It wasn’t until he joined the Mets that Findlay, whose brother Liam plays for the junior Tigers, really thought playing baseball south of the border was an option.
“When I got to the Toronto Mets is when I thought this could really happen. I can do this and get to a school and possibly make it to the major leagues,” he said.