If you have talent, colleges far and wide are going to find you. That’s what Metea Valley’s Tyler Gluting, a junior pitcher/outfielder, was able to glean from the recruiting process.
And it’s how the highly touted left-hander landed his commitment to Oklahoma.
“I went to Kentucky, Texas Tech and NC State, and when I went to Oklahoma, I just knew,” Gluting said. “I really like the environment there. I went there on a football Saturday.
“It was cool seeing everybody there.”
Shooting up the scouting charts over the past year, Gluting gained 20 pounds and threw nearly 95 mph on the radar. It made him the state’s top lefty for the 2027 class by Prep Baseball Report.
Metea Valley coach Steve Colombe got a glimpse of Gluting’s new stuff in March with a live indoor batting practice session before the season. Gluting was already dialing in at 92 mph.
Metea Valley’s Tyler Gluting (4) walks up to the plate against Larkin in the fifth inning of a nonconference game at Judson’s Hoffer Field in Elgin on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
“When there’s a hitter and you’re going through game situations and you’re at 92 in March, that’s different,” Colombe said. “He’s just a junior and there’s so much baseball ahead of him.”
But that didn’t always translate for Gluting last spring on the mound for the Mustangs.
Adjusting to his newfound velocity, Gluting struggled at times with control. He struck out 27 in 12 1/3 innings, showing his ability to dominate games. He also walked 32, however.
After Gluting’s big summer on the showcase circuit and a big-time college commitment, Colombe is expecting a breakout season in 2026.
Metea Valley’s Tyler Gluting (5) delivers a pitch against Naperville Central during a DuPage Valley Conference game in Napervilleon Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News)
“He made a big jump, so there’s a lot of figuring that out,” Colombe said. “There were some outings where he had it. He went four (innings) against Waubonsie and struck out 10.
“Rolling Meadows was a similar outing.”
Gluting is working with a pitching coach — former Joliet Catholic standout Doug Bedinger — for the first time to help him harness his stuff. He also made the move from Cangelosi Sparks, his original travel program, to the East Cobb Astros, a national travel team based in Georgia.
“From freshman to sophomore year, I put on 20 pounds, got a lot stronger and got my fastball up eight mph,” Gluting said. “And that put me on the radar a little bit more.
“I’m still working on stuff to control it, but it’s going to be a lot better.”
Metea Valley’s Tyler Gluting (5) winds up for a pitch against Naperville Central during a DuPage Valley Conference game in Napervilleon Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News)
Gluting said working with Bedinger since August has not only helped with his fastball but secondary offerings as well. He has added a slider and worked on the grip to his change-up.
In addition, he’s trying to be more consistent with his mechanics.
“It’s my front side, my glove hand, making sure I don’t go down too quickly,” Gluting said. “I’m usually late, so this helps me find my timing. I feel like the slider is going to be a really good pitch.
“I have a new grip on my change-up, and I feel a lot better with it.”
Gluting is already an established all-conference outfielder. He had a big sophomore year, hitting .364 with 11 extra-base hits. For now, Oklahoma is giving him the chance to be a two-way player.
“I give Ty a lot of credit,” Colombe said. “He set out to look for a school that wanted him both ways. A lot of kids would settle for pitching. I have this big-time arm and I’ll just try to do that.
“I give him a lot of credit for staying hungry.”
Metea Valley’s Tyler Gluting (4) makes his way to right field between innings against Larkin during a nonconference game at Judson’s Hoffer Field in Elgin on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
Gluting wants to keep the bat around as long as possible.
“I love playing the field every day,” Gluting said. “I just love being able to make an impact on both sides. I want to do it as long as I can.”
Gluting shut down throwing until December to concentrate on weight training in the meantime. When Gluting starts to ramp up for the spring, though, Colombe knows the sky will be the limit.
“Hopefully, he’ll be our No. 1,” Colombe said. “He has potential to be (Illinois’) pitcher of the year.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
Originally Published: October 13, 2025 at 10:24 PM CDT