photo by Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph Lindale High School baseball team pitcher Nash Walters, center, attends his signing ceremony for his intent to play at Texas A&M University Wednesday. He is pictured with his parents Robert and Kelly Walters and coaches (from left) Ryan Cook, Justin Mason and Tommy Copeland.

Lindale pitcher Nash Walters considers his biggest strength as a pitcher to be his ability to overcome adversity and fight through tough situations.

Opposing hitters might wish they could have created more adversity for him.

Walters, who did not allow an earned run his entire junior season, signed to play baseball at Texas A&M on Wednesday at the Lindale High School cafeteria. Walters struck out 48 in 31 innings, adding six saves for the Eagles.

“It’s awesome,” Walters said. “I’ve been waiting for a while to actually be an Aggie and now it’s happened, so I’m just excited for it.”

Walters said he chose Texas A&M over Texas Tech and Ole Miss and joined his family in Aggie apparel on the cafeteria stage to sign his letter of intent.

“I grew up actually as a Longhorn because of my dad,” Walters said. “After meeting with the A&M coaches I knew there was no where that I felt like I could be besides A&M.

“It was really the coaching staff and just being around the atmosphere of College Station. It just felt like home.”

A major factor for Walters was Texas A&M head baseball coach Rob Childress, a fellow East Texan who graduated from Harmony High School.

Childress has created quite the pipeline in East Texas in recent years. Last year’s Aggies squad featured former Hallsville and Tyler Junior College pitcher Jason Jester, Hallsville infielder Ronnie Gideon, Lufkin pitchers Gandy and Tyler Stubblefield and the Bullard Brook Hill duo of pitcher A.J. Minter and outfielder JB Moss. Childress also brought in 2014 District 16-4A MVP Brigham Hill from Nacogdoches.

“After meeting coach Childress, it seemed like the right thing to do in my heart,” Walters said. “He just could relate to me and he felt like he made a connection with me so that really sealed the deal.”

Though he still has his senior year ahead of him, Walters said he feels the tough district Lindale competes in has prepared him for a future of playing in the SEC. Last year District 16-4A featured plenty of top talent, including Hill and Whitehouse’s Patrick Mahomes, now at Texas Tech.

Now Walters can’t wait for the upcoming season and the following year in College Station.

“It just gets me really excited for it and makes me want to work for it and get ready,” Walters said. “It’s one of my biggest dreams. So I finally get to go accomplish it and it’s surreal.”