Rocky Road Leads Wenzel to CCSU

Logan Wenzel, a 2021 graduate of Middletown High School, will continue his academic and athletic journey at Central Connecticut State University.

Wenzel will play baseball at CCSU after having the last two years of his high school career cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and injuries.

As a high school sophomore, he earned All-Conference and was primed to take the next step as a junior before the COVID-cancellation.   

“It allowed me to focus in even harder and push myself,” Wenzel said of the cancellation, “I got to work with pitching coaches and top tier Division 1 talent as soon as the spring came around.”

He was named a captain prior to his senior season this spring and was all set to make a big splash but injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential.

“I missed out on all the first practices and the first game and that was the start of an unfortunate tale. I came back and was playing catch-up from the jump. I ended up creating a tear in my labrum of my throwing arm. I was devastated and I was out for the season from throwing,” added Wenzel, who gutted out his senior season, “I would have never thought the last time I threw a high school pitch would be my all-conference season as an underdeveloped sophomore. I found myself in and out of the lineup as a DH for the rest of the year with nagging injuries including hamstring and injury management of my shoulder.”

Despite the setbacks, Wenzel shared some good times with unforgettable teammates, “A lot of them have gone on to play college ball and succeed. It’s amazing and I love those guys I’ve played with, most of them since I was less than 10 years old, from the little league days to the Generals AAU team to MHS baseball.”

He now has a renewed since of energy and his ready for the next challenge, “I’m getting super healthy and eyeing an incredible comeback story from one of the scariest surgeries a pitcher can get.”

Wenzel credited his Middletown coaches and teammates, along with his AAU teammates and coaches for helping him be the player he is today, “A huge shout out to my Generals team and coaches Paul Radziewicz, Rick Murray, Pat Lenahan, Pat Wantanabe, and Eddie Valariano, and one of my biggest influences Bill Tobin, along with a super important piece to my puzzle, coach Trevor Brown. Couldn’t have down it without him, and a thank you to the MHS staff and family for what they did for me as well.”

Besides baseball, Wenzel also played basketball as a freshman, learning from some incredible MHS athletes, “Being around one of the best athletes I know DeAaron Lawrence and others like Brennan Maxfield, they taught me a lot about wanting to be the best in everything I do, and that hard work truly does pay off.”

He was also part of National Honor Society and added that he took pride in being a presence in the classroom, crediting his brother Tyler Wenzel and his parents for his work ethic.

He also participated in band for the first two years of high school, playing the clarinet and was 2nd chair his sophomore year.

Now fully health following shoulder surgery, he’ll join a Blue Devils team at CCSU that is coming off a 28-15 season, which included a Northeast Conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA tournament.

​ “I chose CCSU because they are an incredible program with a school really close to home. I’ve always wanted to land here, and I made my dream become a reality of being a Division 1 pitcher but ultimately that’s just the tip of the iceberg of where I hope to be one day,” stated Wenzel, “I’m excited to show my stuff on a bigger level. Ready to show what Connecticut baseball and the baseball world in general what could have been achieved with a healthy senior season. I think I’m really going to surprise people and turn heads, that’s what I’m preparing myself to do every single day. I can’t wait to bond with these guys and become a true team.”