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Get Scouted Scouting CareersYou have to hand it to Matt Hand.
A 2016 National Scouting Report baseball prospect, Hand received six NCAA Division I offers this year before making a verbal commitment to defending Patriot League champion Lehigh University. He is expected to sign his National Letter of Intent on Monday at Council Rock North High School in Newtown, Pa.
“When I started [the recruiting process], I kind of felt I was starting later than other people,” said Hand, who enrolled with NSR at the start of his junior season in late March. “Some of my friends already had offers. I didn’t really care what division I played in. I just wanted to continue playing. I had no idea I would end up playing in Division I.”
Hand began receiving attention last spring. A first-team All-Suburban One League pitcher and honorable mention shortstop, he helped CR North capture the District One championship and advance to the Class AAAA state quarterfinals. Then he helped the SOL National/Bicentennial Athletic League all-star team win the prestigious Carpenter Cup tournament at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. On top of that, he was a top performer last summer for the Philadelphia Bandits, one of the premier showcase teams in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Then the recruiting floodgates opened.
In August, Hand received offers from Villanova, La Salle, Saint Joseph’s, Lafayette and Navy before finally committing to Lehigh, a 7,000-student private university in Bethlehem, Pa., located about 40 miles northwest of his suburban Philadelphia home.
“It was crazy,” Hand said. “I never thought I would receive more than two or three offers, much less six. All of my hard work, dedication and training finally paid off.”
What made Hand more attractive to college recruiters was his outstanding work in the classroom. With his impressive 4.21 grade-point average and 1940 SAT score, he qualified for many top academic schools.
“Ever since I was a little kid, my parents stressed the importance of academics,” said Hand, who turns 18 in December. “I wasn’t able to go outside or play sports unless my homework was finished. I grew up in an atmosphere where academics were more important than sports.”
Hand said his older sister, Michelle, was a great role model. A two-sport athlete at Council Rock North, she boasted a 4.2 GPA in high school before enrolling at the University of Maryland. “My parents expected the same from me,” Hand said.
Hand said he ultimately committed to Lehigh because of its great academic reputation and conference champion baseball team. Lehigh is a member of the prestigious Patriot League – composed of eight private universities and two service academies (Army and Navy) — one of the most selective academic conferences in Division I.
“I wanted a good academic school that competes at a high level,” said Hand, who will major in Business. “Most likely, I will be playing baseball for four more years. Then, like everybody else, I’ll be out there looking for a job.”
Hand is one of 10 incoming freshmen committed to Lehigh for 2016. He hopes to contribute right away as an infielder and relief pitcher.
“When I made an official visit, I spent a lot of time with the coaches and players,” Hand said. “Coach [Sean] Leary and the other coaches were very welcoming. So were all the players. They made me feel right at home.”
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.