Division I college coaches have been following Aiden Drotos around this high school baseball season, seeking his verbal pledge to their program.

It’s still early in the process, but the Penn-Trafford junior decided it was time to connect with one.

Drotos announced a commitment Friday to Penn State.

He has drawn attention for several reasons, which explains the growing interest from the next level. For one, he is a left-handed pitcher with command. Two, he has been clocked in the low 90 mph range. And three, he can hit for power.

Joining a Division I program checks off a longtime goal for the talented southpaw who used to play hockey.

“Being a D-1 commit is not only a testament to how hard I’ve worked through setbacks,” Drotos said, “but also a testament to the people who helped put me in this position.”

Penn-Trafford coach Lou Cortazzo is confident when he trots Drotos out to the mound. The commitment is something he has earned, the coach said.

“I think it’s great because Penn State was on the top of his list,” Cortazzo said. “If he keeps working hard, he will do well there.”

Drotos this season is 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 21 walks in 33.1 innings for the Warriors (12-5, 8-2 Section 1-5A).

It remains to be seen if Drotos will follow in the footsteps of past Penn-Trafford alums who became terrific two-way players in college, but the Nittany Lions mainly like his arm.

Another point of pride for Drotos in his decision: He gave up hockey after his sophomore year and developed a health problem that slowed his progress.

“I had made a good jump, and going into this past summer I felt great,” he said. “Then, throughout the summer I lost about 20 pounds and I felt drained. It continued in the fall, and the performance dipped with it.”

He was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

“After that, I started working at Battleground BG (Baseball Group) and started seeing a massive jump in velocity,” he said.

Drotos (6-foot, 180 pounds) recently struck out 15 and allowed three hits in a 13-1 win over Kiski Area.

Other schools, including West Virginia, showed interest. But Penn State caught his eye like he catches the outside corner.

“I had been in conversations with other schools, but Penn state was really what I wanted from the start,” he said. “With the investments they’ve made into the program and the phenomenal coaching staff, I fell in love immediately.”