Senior Koty Dowell has been a very versatile player for the Neosho Wildcats baseball team this year.

He has bounced from catcher to right field to left field to second base, and on Tuesday against Joplin, he played his first game of the season at third base.

However, deep down, Dowell views himself as a catcher.

He will get a chance to stick to that position next year for Ozark Christian College in Joplin. Dowell signed a national letter of intent to play for the baseball team and coach Darrell Doss Wednesday at Neosho High School.

“It was close to home and they were interested in me,” said Dowell for his interest in the Ambassadors, who are playing their inaugural season this spring.

Dowell is friends with Clay O’Dell, a player on OCC from Carthage, so he was somewhat familiar with the program.

“They are signing me as a catcher, but you never know,” said Dowell. “I believe I’m the most sound, fundamentally, as a catcher.”

However, he has the versatility to play several position, which opens up the chance to be an everyday starter as a freshman.

Dowell had some interest in Crowder College, where he has attended some baseball camps in the past.

Dowell, 18, noted he will probably look into a degree in youth ministry at OCC.

Though not totally sure what he wants to do after college graduation, Dowell noted he would like to return and work in Colorado. This past summer Dowell spent July 7 to August 4 working on a cattle ranch.

He won’t be doing it this year though, as he intends to spend the summer in Neosho playing for the Nighthawks American Legion baseball team.

“I haven’t played an entire summer since my freshman year, so I will make sure to stay around this year,” he said of the Nighthawks, a two-time defending district champion.

Dowell is the son of Larry and DeAnna Dowell.