According to the article in the News-Gazette in Champaign, IL about recent 2026 high school commit Tre Cole, it was mentioned that James Franklin was involved in his recruitment. James Franklin was noted in the article (see the link) that he is a "baseball fan" himself. I can attest that having seen him at several games this past year already. He used the time to bring recruits and current players for one-on-one time in the seats while enjoying the game. If he is involved in any way with baseball recruitment, that could be HUGE going forward. The new sports era in Blacksburg, ushered in by a new BIG TIME football coach and an ambitious group of executives at the head of the Athletic Department, has anticipation reaching a fever pitch. The AD team looks ready to bring improvements to all sports across the board. Buckle in Hokies, it's Hammer Time!