Youtsey to play baseball at Tiffin U.

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

In the midst of a very successful senior season, Lincolnview pitcher Jaden Youtsey has signed a letter of intent to continue playing baseball at the next level.

Youtsey, the son of Stacy Youtsey and Chris Youtsey, will play for the Division II Tiffin University Dragons, a school that competes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and is roughly 90 minutes away.

“I love their facilities and when I went there for a college visit I really felt at home,” Youtsey explained. “(I looked at) Heidelberg, Marietta, Shawnee State and Notre Dame College as well. Before my decision, I was really thinking of going away, but it really feels good just to stay around.”

Under head coach Eric Fishpaw, he’s a four year letter winner, two-time All Northwest Conference selection, including First Team honors during his junior season, and was named as Prep Baseball Report Preseason All-Ohio First Team member prior to this spring.

So far this season, Youtsey has an ERA of 0.00 through 15 innings, and he’s been equally impressive at the plate, going 16 of 33 with three home runs, 10 RBI and 15 runs scored.

Among the highlights this season: 4.2 innings of no-hit ball against Delphos St. John’s, 14 strikeouts thrown against Bluffton and a three RBI day against New Knoxville at Dayton’s Fifth Third Field.

For his career, he has a .348 batting average with 91 total hits.

He was last week’s Van Wert independent/Northwest Ohio Welch Trophy Student Athlete of the Week, and he noted that Tiffin’s coaches have plans for him on the mound.

“They said I’ll be in the pitching rotation and I’m going to fight for a spot to play wherever I can,” Youtsey said.

Youtsey, who also played golf for the Lancers, plans to major in criminal justice at Tiffin.