A mainstay behind the plate for the Powell Legion A baseball team will continue his playing career at the collegiate level next season.

Cameron Schmidt, a 2019 graduate of Powell High School and a four-year starter at catcher for the Pioneers, has signed to play for NAIA powerhouse Midland University next season.

“I’m pretty excited about getting the chance to go play baseball,” Schmidt said. “I wasn’t planning on college baseball until about two years ago, before my junior season. Stuff really started to unfold, and I decided that’s what I wanted to do and work towards.”

The Warriors, based in Fremont, Nebraska, play in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Prior to the 2019 season, Midland had played in five straight GPAC championship games, winning twice. MU head coach Chad Miller credits one of his assistant coaches for bringing Schmidt to his attention.

“Our assistant coach Larry Moore discovered Cameron on a recruiting platform and was impressed with his skill and ability immediately. He passed Cameron’s video and information to me right away,” Miller said. “As we did our homework, we discovered he [Schmidt] isn’t only a physically strong athlete with skill, but he also possesses the intangible leadership traits we desire in our players.” 

Schmidt was named to the 2019 West All-Conference second team following his senior season, finishing with a .314 batting average and amassing 27 hits, including nine doubles.

Kids usually have to be talked into playing catcher when they begin their Little League careers; Schmidt was one of the rare few who took to it with gusto. And aside from a few freelance appearances on the mound or at third base every season, behind the plate was where he felt the most at home.

“I’ve caught ever since Minors, I’ve always been a catcher,” he said. “As I got older, I knew it was the position I enjoyed the most.”

Once he expressed an interest in playing college ball, Schmidt began hearing from a handful of schools in need of a quality catcher. MU was a late addition to the process and after a whirlwind recruitment that included a campus visit, Schmidt was sold on Midland and head coach Miller.

“The last couple of weeks of the baseball season, the Midland coach contacted me and put together an offer,” Schmidt said. “I went and visited and decided I liked it; I wanted to be a Warrior and go play baseball for them.”

Midland’s campus visit wasn’t Schmidt’s first of the summer, but it definitely made an impression.

“The campus was really clean, all the kids I met were cool,” he said. “I met some of my teammates, and they were cool. The dorms were really nice. The coaching staff seemed really professional, and I’m excited for them to help me get better.”

Miller said Schmidt’s campus visit impressed the coaching staff, as well.

“When he visited our campus it was obvious Cameron was a driven, mature and respectful young man that comes from a great family. We were impressed in how he interacted with our people on campus and our coaches,” Miller said. “Sometimes players like Cameron can slip through the cracks during recruiting and we are happy he did. We discovered him just in time and he is a nice addition to our recruiting class. ”

Pioneers head coach Joe Cates said Schmidt has put in the work his last two seasons to improve his game.

“He put forth the effort he needed to get a chance to play college ball, and that effort has paid off,” Cates said. “He’s going to be consistent as far as his leadership role behind the plate. He’s got such a good attitude. I think he’ll be beneficial to that program.”

As for what Schmidt will bring to Midland in terms of athleticism, Cates cited fast hands and fielding ability behind the plate.

“I think with a full year of practice, not having any distractions is going to serve him well,” Cates said. “He’s not playing any other sports; it’s baseball every day, swinging every day. I think it’s going to be beneficial. I’m hoping in that first year, he really finds his stride and just excels.”

Having competed collegiately himself, Cates said he warned Schmidt that he’ll have his work cut out for him.

“He has the ability, but I told him he’s really going to have to work his butt off,” Cates said. “I’m hoping he gets in there and gets with a coach that really knows about catching. He’ll be in an environment where he’ll get better every day. I want him to enjoy the atmosphere; he’ll get to travel and play different ball clubs, make new friendships. It’s a fun environment.”

Miller agreed, saying he believes Schmidt has the physical strength, skill and maturity to compete at the next level.

“Every freshman goes through a period of adjustment as they transition to the college game,” he said. “Cameron gave us many reasons to believe he will be able to handle that adjustment well.”

For Schmidt, he credits his coaches for helping him fulfill a dream.

“I couldn’t have done it without my coaches Joe Cates and Tyler England,” he said. “All of my coaches and all of my teammates, they helped push me, make me better. They helped make me the player I am today.”

“I was really glad they [Midland coaches] liked what they saw,” he added. “I’ve got a lot of things to work on, so I was happy they wanted me to go catch for them. I take a lot of pride in that.”