NILES — In all likelihood, Mason Schmidt will hold the distinction of being the youngest player on the 2026 Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ complete roster.

The Somerset, Wisconsin native, who turned 18 last month, may also very well hold the distinction of being with the Scrappers for a shorter length of time than any other player this summer.

Such is the life of a teenager transitioning from high school to an uncertain future.

Of course, in Schmidt’s case, the uncertainty comes with benefits.

The way Schmidt sees things, the remainder of 2026 is a win-win scenario regardless of what transpires over the next couple of weeks.

Schmidt recently graduated from Somerset High School with a 3.993 grade point average. His GPA – impressive by any standard – is astronomical compared to the ERA he posted on the baseball diamond.

Schmidt’s late arrival in the Mahoning Valley was the result of leading his high school team to the Wisconsin state semifinals. He played his final game in a Somerset uniform on June 16. He traded his high school jersey for a Scrappers uniform on June 19.

The first half of the MLB Draft League schedule, which includes players with remaining college eligibility, ends July 5.

Schmidt is set to enroll this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he earned a scholarship with the baseball team. However, those plans could be put on hold depending on what happens in the upcoming MLB draft, which takes place July 11.

Schmidt’s name has surfaced as a possible draft prospect.

“It’s an honor just to be mentioned, just to be recognized in those circles,” Schmidt said. “We’ll see what happens, but the other scenario is that I end up pitching in college this coming year, which has always been a dream. So to me there is no downside in what happens.”

Schmidt recently completed his senior season at Somerset with an 8-1 record and a 0.25 ERA. He finished his high school career with over 400 recorded strikeouts, including 127 this season. He averaged two strikeouts per inning during his junior and senior seasons.

As a hitter, Schmidt batted .462 this past spring (12-for-26).

“It’s been a crazy month or so, that’s for sure,” Schmidt said. “(Somerset) had a great run. I had a blast playing with my teammates, and the tournament was something I’ll always remember. Then while that’s going on, I get a call, and I’m invited to play in the MLB Draft League.

“I was shellshocked. Getting a chance to play in the state semifinals, then to come right into this league, is an honor. It gives me the opportunity to showcase what I can do ahead of the draft. And if my name isn’t called, this is a fantastic lead-in to college. It kind of gives me a good idea of what to expect.”

Growing up, Schmidt also played basketball and football, “but I had a baseball in my hand since I was two years old, and that’s always been my sport.” He turned to pitching as a freshman in high school and never looked back.

“Even when I was younger, I could always throw hard,” Schmidt said. “But when I first became a pitcher, I quickly learned that throwing hard is only a small part of pitching.

“I was only putting the ball in the zone once in a while as a freshman. I was terrible at throwing strikes, and I worked a lot of 3-2 counts. That’s when I stopped focusing on hitting and started focusing on the craft of pitching. I worked on my command. I took a huge step between my freshman and sophomore years because I really focused on what pitching was all about.”

Schmidt says he also took a leap this year in terms of maintaining his velocity, which tops out at around 93.5 miles per hour.

“The max velo itself didn’t necessarily go up, but over the past year I’ve been able to sit in the 90s throughout the course of a game,” Schmidt said. “That was a huge part of my success this past year.

“I’m excited about my future. I truly feel as though I’m not even close to reaching my ceiling just yet, so I can’t wait to see what’s in store, whether it’s in college or pro ball.”

In Schmidt’s first outing with the Scrappers, he pitched three innings, giving up one run on one hit while recording three strikeouts.