C. Milton Wright junior pitcher Bobby Ruse has committed orally to play baseball for Maryland, Mustangs coach Tony Blackburn said Thursday.

Ruse went 4-2 for C.M. Wright as a sophomore and this past fall pitched for the Oriolelanders fall showcase team, coached by former Orioles minor leaguer Tim Norris.

Maryland, which ushered in a new coaching staff this season, was "very aggressive" in recruiting Ruse, who is the third local player in his class to commit to the Terps, Blackburn said.

"They want to keep the local kids from leaving Maryland," Blackburn said.

Ruse "has a very smooth delivery," said Blackburn, who said he was echoing the sentiments of new Terps pitching coach Sean Kenny. "Every time he goes out there, he's smoothing out. ... His mechanics are becoming sounder. You can tell he's been putting in the work in the offseason."

Ruse has worked out in the offseason with close friend and fellow Mustangs pitcher Bradley Markey, a senior who signed a national letter of intent in November to play for Georgia Tech.