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NC State’s Garrett Mirel Opens Up in Exclusive Interview

Garrett Mirel spoke with On SI's Jordon Lawrenz about his commitment to NC State's prestigious baseball program.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Jun 20, 2013; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Eliot Avent (9) watches his team prior to the game against the North Carolina Tarheels during the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images
Jun 20, 2013; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Eliot Avent (9) watches his team prior to the game against the North Carolina Tarheels during the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

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North Carolina State Wolfpack

With all eyes on Dalton Bargo, Garrett Mirel is the latest recruit to join NC State's baseball team. After Elijah Sanders committed just a few days prior, Mirel decided to join him as the Wolfpack's latest commitment in the Class of 2026.

NC State didn't need Bargo to bring new eyes to the team, but the Tennessee transfer could help the Wolfpack get back to the next level. NC State's season kicks off in February, one that Mirel will be closely watching ahead of him joining the team next season.

Garrett Mirel's Commitment

On October 25, Mirel took to social media to write, "Blessed to announce my commitment to NC State to play division 1 baseball."

"I would like to thank God, my family, the GW coaches, and my advisor, " he added. "I want to thank the NC State coaching staff for giving me this opportunity to continue my dreams.

Mirel's Major Setback

For Mirel, he didn't have an easy path to Division 1 baseball. His journey included a major setback when he tore his UCL during his junior season.

"I am originally from Thousand Oaks, California and I moved to Boise, ID my junior year and tore my ucl junior season," Mirel said. His recovery was brutal, but he managed to push through and continued to pursue his dream of playing professional baseball.

"It took around 9 months," he said in regard to his recovery. "I got PRP but it worked perfectly and I have not had a problem. The mental part was definitely the hard part i started meeting with a mental performance coach and that helped a lot."

Mirel noted that it took, "probably around 4 more months" to get back to a "good mindset again" once he got back to throwing the ball. Thankfully for him, he didn't let the mental aspect hold him back. Instead, he used that to bet on himself at junior college.

Mirel's Juco Journey

Between relocating and the injury, things didn't go too well for Mirel at LMU, "I got decommitted at the end of my senior season."

He added, "I was talking to a few mid-majors but I wanted to bet on myself and go to a junior college for a year and I chose to go to Golden West where my pitching coach from LMU went."

Choosing Golden West may have been the definitive career move that kept Mirel's career going. He didn't hesitate to shout out his coaches, trainer (Tommy Costello), and advisor (Jake Susman), "They have never done me wrong, and I believe they are the reason why I am in the position I am today."

Choosing NC State

With Texas Tech and Kansas State on the table, something clicked for Mirel during his visit with NC State. After visiting with the Wolfpack, he cancelled his other three visits. Those visits would've been with Power 4 schools, but the Wolfpack immediately won him over.

"Something that stood out was the coaching staff and how I felt wanted and the facilities that they are building are amazing," Mirel said. "I also feel like I could develop more as a player and a person at NC State."

Mirel is a three-pitch pitcher: fastball, slider, and changeup. At the end of the day, the lefty has a ton of faith in his slider, "I believe that my best weapon is my arm action coming from a 3/4 slot and cross body with a slider. I believe my slider is going to lead me to the most success in the ACC."

Veteran head coach Elliott Avent has an eye for players at all levels. While neither Mirel nor Sanders are players coming out of high school, they're under-the-radar Juco stars who have been itching for the opportunity to play D1 baseball.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.