EASTPOINTE - Playing baseball at Detroit Edison has given Caleb Sanders an up close look at the college recruiting scene.
Werner Blakely - a 2020 Edison grad - drew attention from schools across the country, making a commitment to Auburn before deciding to turn pro after the most recent MLB Draft. Gregory Pace Jr., a classmate of Sanders, was also highly recruited before committing to Michigan less than a month ago.
Now Sanders is the latest Division I commit from Edison after the junior announced his decision to attend Dayton.
“Werner is a great guy,” Sanders reflected. “For him to be as good as he is .. he’s very humble. He talked to our class, with me and Greg and a couple of others, and told us all about what he’s experienced. He’s a good role model for all of us.”
There has been more help from summer coach John Young as well as from inside the school’s baseball program..
“Coach (Mark) Brown pushes us,” Sanders said of the head mentor at his high school. “He’s been around and knows a lot. It’s why you go to Edison, it helps grow you as a player.”
The sixth-rated junior outfielder in the state has done that.
“The one thing I’ve worked on a lot is picking up speed,” the 5-10 160-pounder explained. “I was 7.4 (in the 60) at the start of the season and 6.6 at the end of the season.
“I’ve always had an aggressive type of game, playing smart and stealing bags was not an issue. But with more speed you’re able to do more by taking angles and taking away hits. You not only need to be fast, but you need to be able to play fast.”
That is just one aspect of the game that attracted Dayton.
“My arm is a plus tool,” Sanders added about what helped sell Dayton on the 26th-ranked 2022 in Michigan. “They also like my in-game hitting. I’m really aggressive with pitches I like. They said I had a nice swing. They also like how I approach the game.”
Dayton’s interest in Sanders began in August.
“It all started a week or two after the Future Games,” pointed out Sanders. “After that I was in contact with a few other coaches but Dayton contacted my coaches and wanted to get to know me as a player and person. I had a lot of options, but I liked Dayton coaching wise and I liked their philosophy.”
Hawaii and Ball State were the other main schools Sanders considered.
“I was close to committing to those schools, but nothing compared to Dayton when it came down to it,” Sanders said. :”It was a tough decision, especially not going on visits with COVID-19. I had a lot of on-line tours.”
One that stood out was with Dayton.
“They take care of their athletes,” Sanders explained. “They eat properly and they have a lot of advisors which is what you need education-wise. They have the classes you need, when you need to take them and teachers that work well with the athletes. You can see with the coaches and the facilities they want to see you succeed.”
Sanders, who has a 3.98 GPA and is looking at a major in business or computer science, points to his father as a major influence in his life and his game to this point in time.
“I’d like to acknowledge my dad for pushing me hard,” Sanders said. “It’s not been just me, it’s been all the sacrifices he’s made. He’s invested a lot in my career.”
Teammates along the way like Blakely, Pace and Justin Smith are others that have helped according to Sanders, who has been thinking about playing college baseball since age 10.
“When I was younger I practiced more than most,” Sanders related. “I was dedicated. I was taught you have to sacrifice to become a better player.”
All the hard work has paid off for Sanders.
“For a while I was kind of worried,” Sanders admitted. “It was tough seeing guys around you committing to big-time schools. At first I’m thinking, what’s out there for me? Fortunately, I found what was best for me. I’m glad I kept a level head and kept working.
“From the competition with friends to my coaches and Werner, it all helped. Without them I don’t know how well my recruitment would have gone.”
Now Sanders looks forward to what he can do for Dayton.
“A big component of who I am as a person is my leadership,” Sanders said. “I think we’re going to have a great team and I’ll fit in where needed. Outfield is my main position, and I think right field I can help with that, but I’ll do whatever is needed even if they want to turn me into a pitcher.”
