A FASTBALL TO LOUISVILLE

by Lucy Poppleton

Josh Klug was recruited before he even threw a pitch in a high school game. Despite Klug being unable to play his freshman year due to COVID cancellations, the University of Louisville recruited him during the winter of his sophomore year. “I was trying to get recruited for catching, and then I realized I could actually pitch pretty well, so I decided to throw some videos out there, and then colleges started reaching out,” Klug recalls. “I went to a couple of camps, and [eventually] Louisville reached out.”

Klug has been playing baseball since he was six years old. “When I was little, I think baseball was always just a fun thing to do,” reminisces Klug, “But now…it’s more competitive, and [I have] more to focus [on].” Since then, Klug has grown to appreciate the sport and how it has impacted him. His parents and his brothers—especially his oldest brother Paul—have supported him along the journey. “[Paul] has been there since day one for me, and he’s always wanted the best for me,” says Klug. “He’s brought me to be who I am today.” Additionally, baseball has taught him skills like “patience, discipline, and teamwork,” which have played a huge role in his future as he continues his baseball journey into college.

Because the 2020 season was canceled for COVID, Klug has played for Central’s baseball team since sophomore year and has been on varsity every year since. His favorite memory? Winning districts last season as a team. “Even though we lost the next game, it was just really fun to win with all the boys,” exclaims Klug. The friendships that Klug has formed with his baseball teammates—the boys—are a huge part of why he enjoys the sport.

In terms of his future, Klug has been committed to play baseball for Louisville, an NCAA Division 1 school consistently within the Top 25 rankings, since his sophomore year. Klug played travel ball for the Grand Rapids Diamonds, and Louisville found out about him through this coach. “[The recruiting process] all happened in like a span of two weeks, so it happened really fast,” explains Klug. Once he arrives, Klug will join former travel teammate and TC West alum Wyatt Danilowicz on the Louisville baseball team. “He’s been my friend for a long time. [Wyatt] and I have been super tight. I still talk to him to this day, and I’ll be talking to him next year and for the next three years,” says Klug. While at Louisville, Klug plans to major in business and is excited to play baseball at an ultra competitive level.

Beyond baseball, Klug also played varsity football for Central. Though his senior season was cut short because of an injury, Klug still had a lot of fun. His most memorable experience was when Central won the Patriot Game. “That was a really fun time because it came down to the wire,” he recalls, but Central pulled off the win. Klug is looking forward to this spring’s baseball season— his final season. “I think we [have] a great team this year. We want to make a good run in [the] playoffs, too,” concludes Klug. “I’m excited!” //