Perception propelled Charlie Condon from unknown prospect to a walk-on to probably the greatest baseball gamers on the planet. He may have taken an easier path popping out of highschool in Marietta, Georgia, and gone to both Rhodes School or Sewanee, acquired on the sphere earlier and continued taking part in soccer on the facet. 

Frankly, it is what his dad and mom suggested, encouraging the youngest of their three youngsters to think about the advantages of a smaller college. However one thing buried deep inside him — a quiet confidence that his father cannot totally clarify — willed him to this place that nobody may have foreseen only some years in the past: main the Georgia Bulldogs to an NCAA Regional on Friday, taking part in third base and main the nation in house runs, and, a few month and a half from now, probably main the way in which within the MLB Draft because the No. 1 choose.

Condon ought to have fallen by the cracks at a number of factors alongside the way in which. Right here was a child who was relegated to the B-Crew of his journey ball program; a child who was so skinny that he’d later pinch his thumb and pointer finger collectively to indicate, “I used to be this large round”; a child who missed fall ball yearly as a result of he beloved taking part in quarterback; a child who, like loads of different children through the COVID-19 pandemic, went unseen by school coaches who had been stored off the highway recruiting.

Make no mistake: Condon made this inconceivable story occur by expertise and sheer pressure of will. However he needed to be in the appropriate place, on the proper time, surrounded by the appropriate individuals.

If Georgia coach Scott Stricklin does not take a flier on him, if he does not benefit from a difficult redshirt yr, if he does not then journey 1,200 miles from house for baseball boot camp in the course of Nowhere, USA, perhaps none of this occurs. If, if, if …

Take the pandemic. If not for a worldwide shutdown, Paul Fletcher would not have left his job teaching within the Atlantic League. He would not have come house to Marietta and acquired on with a journey ball program referred to as 6-4-3, teaching the C-Crew. He would not have gotten a name from the man teaching the workforce one tier above his: “Hey, I acquired this child that began sizzling for the summer time. It is his junior yr and no person’s him. May you come over right here and see what you suppose and the place we should always attempt to discover him a spot to play?” 

Fletcher stated the coach thought the child was D-II or NAIA materials. He then went to a sport to observe Charlie Condon play. 

“Are you out of your thoughts?!” Fletcher instructed the coach afterward. “That child’s a first-round draft choose.” 

Condon hit a house run, which was spectacular in itself. However what offered Fletcher had been his three different at-bats, which had been all arduous line-drives.

Instantly, he acquired on the telephone. As a result of he performed at Tennessee, his first name was to Vols’ coach Tony Vitello, telling him, “I acquired a child. He is large however just a little skinny proper now. However he is getting stronger.” Fletcher stated Vitello watched Condon and appreciated him. However the trailing off “Effectively …” he acquired in response to truly bringing him on instructed him it wasn’t going to occur. So Fletcher’s subsequent name was to Georgia. Condon instructed Fletcher it was his dream college and he’d already been accepted on a full tutorial scholarship. It simply so occurred that Fletcher knew the pinnacle coach, Stricklin, courting again years. 

Fletcher gave Stricklin the identical spiel as Vitello, with the additional advantage that Condon would not be a danger since his college was paid for. He added, “Scott, I feel he will be a excessive draft choose. His work ethic and competitiveness are off the charts.'”

The truth that Fletcher instructed him, “This one I am going to put my identify on,” was sufficient for Stricklin to get entangled. Fletcher had solely referred to as Stricklin about a couple of prospects previously, and every time he’d been write. Stricklin watched some clips of Condon and very quickly was providing him an opportunity to stroll on. Condon dedicated on the spot.

“I knew he’d be positive,” Stricklin stated. “I definitely did not suppose and I do not suppose anybody thought he’d be the potential first choose within the draft, however that is because of what Charlie’s been capable of do since then.”

Condon was already 6-foot-6 when he acquired to Georgia, however he was uncooked. He wanted time within the weight room. He wanted at-bats. It was going to be tough, however Stricklin believed he wanted a whole season to take a seat on the bench and develop.

A powerful fall almost modified these plans, he hit the ball so effectively, however an abundance of fifth- and sixth-year seniors who had been granted one other yr of eligibility because of COVID left Condon squeezed by way of discovering a roster spot.

It was aggravating at occasions, being sidelined regardless of feeling he was adequate to play. When the workforce went on highway journeys, he stayed behind. The monotony wore on him. However Stricklin stored checking in with him, nearly on daily basis, encouraging him that he was getting higher, that he was doing the appropriate factor. He challenged him, “300 and sixty-five days from now, the place do you wish to be?”

“I give Scott credit score,” Fletcher stated. “He did not run the child on the market and mess with him. He was affected person. And Charlie listened and purchased in and stated, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ And so they did. 

“It turned out to be one of the best factor for him.”

Trying again, Stricklin stated, “It was simply one other hurdle for him to beat.”

As Georgia posted a powerful 35-20 common season document, incomes a spot within the 2022 NCAA Match, Condon packed his luggage. Stricklin had gotten him a spot within the Northwoods League and an opportunity to compete on daily basis.

Condon was like a caged animal. After being pent up for therefore lengthy, he felt turned unfastened and able to play.

Nick Studdard, hitting coach for the St. Cloud within the Northwoods League, remembers Stricklin calling about Condon. Yeah he was redshirt, Stricklin instructed Studdard and his common supervisor, “However he is acquired all of the instruments.” Which left Studdard and the GM confused. The Rox was probably the greatest groups within the league, answerable for producing probably the most draft picks. “If he has every thing you say he has,” Studdard stated, “why the hell is he not taking part in for you?”

“Our workforce was actually not offered on it in any respect,” he defined. “They had been like, ‘Man, I do not know.’ So we determined to ship him a contract and cope with the workforce later — a 14-day contract and if he exhibits he can do it, we’ll deal with him.

“After which he acquired out right here …”

After a four-and-a-half hour bus journey to Waterloo, Iowa — to a stadium with practice tracks past the left area foul pole and a cemetery past the appropriate area pole — Condon picked up a wood bat and hammered a three-run homer in solely his second plate look.

“It was over middle area, which is like 395 ft and has a 30- or 40-foot tall fence,” Studdard recalled. “Everybody was like, ‘Oh, shit! OK, Charlie.’ As a result of, once more, he hadn’t performed a stay sport in over a yr.”

Again in Athens, cheers erupted contained in the Bulldogs’ locker room the place teammates had been watching a livestream of the sport after observe.

The following day, Condon hit one other house run.

“And the remainder was historical past,” Studdard stated. “He rapidly acquired turned over to a full contract and over that summer time, he type of blossomed as a younger redshirt freshman, 18-19 years outdated, and noticed loads of issues.”

The Northwoods League is a grind — 72 video games in 80 days, together with lengthy bus rides, little fanfare and never lots to do when there is not any video games or observe. It is a collegiate summer time wood bat league with the baseball romanticism of the Area of Desires and the baseball expertise of the minor leagues. 

Condon lived with a bunch household, down of their basement, with a cat who turned a pseudo roommate. He felt remoted at occasions, testing his focus. If he went 0-for-4 on the plate, he needed to discover ways to flush it and transfer on.

In methods large and small, every day requested the query: How unhealthy do you actually need this?

“Do you wish to do that for a residing?” Studdard stated he asks each potential participant. “When you do not, that is positive. However this won’t be the place for you.”

Condon’s resounding reply was sure, he wished all of it.

Studdard stated he had an excellent angle, joking round with teammates earlier than observe and main video games throughout bus rides to kill the time. Studdard remembered in the future when Condon stated, “Man, it is too sizzling exterior. Anyone wish to shave my head?” And he went by with it, buzzing his locks right down to the scalp.

For a style of house, he ate Chick-fil-A continuously.

“That is a Georgia boy for you,” Studdard stated. “Daily he exhibits as much as the ballpark with it and we’re like, ‘Once more?’ And he is like, ‘Oh, dude, it is undefeated.'”

Jokes apart, Studdard stated, “Come sport time, he locked it the hell in.”

The bat velocity, the barrel management, the plate self-discipline. Condon had the entire package deal, to associate with an athletic construct and defensive versatility, capable of play a number of positions.

Condon turned an all-star and was requested to compete within the house run derby. Studdard pitched, marveling with every moonshot, “Oh, shit. There’s one other one. And there is one other one. And there is one other one.”

He then hit two house runs through the All-Star Recreation and gained MVP.

“That was his breakout second,” Studdard stated. “He is doing it with a wooden bat and in entrance of all 32 main league groups. The entire sudden after that, he had 5 to 6 scouts at each single house sport.”

Towards the tip of the season, Studdard remembers seeing Condon take a telephone name within the dugout. Sitting atop the bench, Condon was grinning from ear to ear. It was Stricklin on the road, letting him know he’d been placed on scholarship.

“I instructed him, ‘Congratulations. You have earned this,'” Stricklin recalled.

Condon cherished his time in St. Cloud.

After a season of watching the sport somewhat than taking part in, he stated, “It was precisely what I wanted.”

“It acquired me used to taking part in a whole schedule, the ups and downs that include the season” he defined. “And being comfy in my very own pores and skin is what I at all times stated about what the Northwoods helped me with — studying to be who I’m and cozy with the success and failure that comes with the sport.” 

Condon got here again to Athens a distinct man, extra put collectively. 

“Bodily stronger,” Stricklin stated. “And the way in which he carried himself, I feel that summer time gave him a ton of confidence.”

These three months had been the second the place perception changed into actuality. He’d lastly gotten the chance to indicate his potential, and what a liberating feeling that should have been. 

“I knew he had the instruments, it was only a matter of getting on the market and doing it,” Fletcher stated. “He was in heaven. He thrived from it.”

He added, “It was undoubtedly what acquired him going — by far.”

Condon hit his first collegiate house run 4 video games into his redshirt freshman season in 2023. He completed the yr with an SEC freshman document 25 homers and a .386 batting common.

He was named SEC Freshman of the Yr, Nationwide Freshman of the Yr, a First Crew All-American and earned an invite to coaching camp for USA Baseball’s Collegiate Nationwide workforce.

His father, Jim, silently fearful in regards to the expectations he’d face this season. Would success change or overwhelm Condon?

Nope.

All he is carried out is hit 35 house runs — a document because the NCAA switched to BBCOR bats in 2011 — and lead Division-I in a smattering of statistics. 

Condon can also be first in whole bases (219), thirteenth in RBI (75) and No. 33 in base on balls (50). 

Stricklin stated he’d take him with the highest choose within the 2024 MLB First-Yr Participant Draft (the Cleveland Guardians have the primary choose). Condon has such good pitch recognition, he guessed he has 20/12 imaginative and prescient.

“I hope he goes No. 1,” Stricklin stated. “I feel he definitely deserves it. I do know that the child at Oregon State [Travis Bazzana] can also be a extremely actually good participant. Jac Caglianone at Florida, I feel another yr he is No. 1. Braden Montgomery, I feel another yr he is No. 1. Hagen Smith at Arkansas, too. I imply, there’s 5 or 6 guys that actually stand out on this draft and I feel all of them could possibly be primary, however I am definitely rooting for Charlie.”

A part of why Stricklin feels that means is Condon’s angle, calling him the highest-level character participant he is had in 26 years of teaching. 

In some methods, he nonetheless carries himself like a walk-on.

Stricklin remembers standing across the batting cage late in Condon’s breakout yr — in any case the house runs, every seemingly proving somebody within the school baseball world incorrect for overlooking him. Stricklin stated he elbowed Condon and requested, “Hey, man, did you see this coming.”

Condon laughed and stated, “No. No, I did not.”

“That is simply who he’s,” Stricklin stated. “He is not a pound-his-chest man. He is not a look-at-me man. He’s probably the most humble child you’ve got ever met. I am unable to consider a extra deserving child I’ve ever been round, what he is getting proper now.”

MORE: Condon is well one of the best hitting prospect within the Athens regional. Will he face its prime pitching prospect?