Connor Evans Preparing to Embark on D1 Baseball Journey

It took Hermitage native Connor Evans little time to get acclimated to college baseball. After a breakout freshman campaign at Chestnut Hill College, a Division II program in Philadelphia, he’s now ready to take on the Division I game at Kennesaw State University.

(Photos submitted by Connor Evans)

A graduate of Hickory High School in Mercer County, Evans was a standout on the diamond and the basketball court for the Hornets during his high school days. His accolades in baseball include a District 10 title in 2021, a D10 runner-up finish in 2019, region titles in 2019 and 2021, being named All- Region Second-Team in 2018 at second-base, and Second-Team All-Region and District 10 selections at third-base in 2021.

On the hardwood, he was a four-time District 10 champion, a three-time region champion, being named Second-Team All-Region, Second-Team All-District, and Second-Team All-State as a senior, and helped his team to the state title game. His senior year concluded by being named the WYTV Student Athlete of the Year award.

Success did not go far as he moved east to the City of Brotherly Love. The former Hickory star quickly gelled in his spot at shortstop and became one of the top players in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). Evans hit .440 on the season with 66 hits, 32 runs scored, 31 runs batted in, and 21 swiped bags. The stats he produced helped him earn three CACC Rookie of the Week Awards, three Honorable Mention for CACC Player of the Week, the CACC Rookie of the Year award, and a Second-Team All-CACC award.

While Chestnut Hill will always be a part of his journey, being a Division I player was something he’s hoped to realize since he was eight-years old. With the season he had after proving some scouts wrong that he was a raw Division I arm talent, Kennesaw State and others were ready to give him that chance. But, there’s nothing but love for the college he called home for the first nine months of his collegiate athletic career.

“Chestnut Hill College was great for me coming out of high school. They gave me an opportunity to play every game this year right away from the jump. To trust a freshman shortstop in my very first game in the fall is a huge deal to me and I’ll always be appreciative of that.”

To get ready for college baseball, Evan’s invested a great deal of time to be ready and successfully make the jump. He said this about preparing for college season number one.

“The season I had is a huge testament to hard work pays off. My senior summer before I left for school, I was really anticipating a huge skill gap in between HS pitchers and D2 pitchers and just really focused on trying to perfect my swing. I went early and stayed late to every practice, whether it was just myself or a couple buddies and was just hungry. I set the bar high and was able to accomplish goals I’ve been dreaming of.”

When he hit the transfer portal, Kennesaw State became a program that quickly impressed him with their proven track record among various other factors.

“When I went down there I fell in love instantly,” he said. “Being close, but secluded from the city is awesome because it gives both campus and city life options. The facilities are top of the line and do not get much better. Finally, the coaches all have insane amounts of MLB connections because they were/still are MLB scouts. They know the game and know how to develop dudes into pros. I think they are going to be able to do that with me!”

Baseball is a game that’s already taken him all over the country both at the college level with teams like the Pittsburgh Diamond Dawgs and at Chestnut Hill, but Hermitage will always remain home. Evans made sure to mention what the community support has meant to him both at Hickory and across Hermitage.

“Hickory and Hermitage is everything to me. It meant everything to me to wear it in highschool, and now it just means even more now than ever as I try to put a smaller city on the map. I will always bleed the red and black and the amount of support and love the community has given me will be something I’ll forever cherish. When you look back at it, my senior year we had a D2 first baseman, D1 shortstop, a D1 third baseman, a D1 athlete, and a D3 pitcher. It’s crazy to think such a small town can produce people like us. I think it’s credit to the work everyone puts in.”

Working hard and being around sports is something he’s seen from his parents growing up. His passion for baseball and basketball started with them, with his father being a college basketball official today. “I just want to say thank you to my parents, without them I’d be nobody. They shaped me into the man I am today and without them, I don’t even know if I would have played sports.”

As Evans changes schools, his major in business remains the same. He hopes being a realtor could be in his future one day, but playing baseball for many years to come remains a goal of his. Realizing it won’t be easy, Evans is aware it will take more sacrifice and the right people in his life to continue on a path towards professional baseball.

“Just work hard and put your head down,” he said about advising future college athletes. “You’re going to make decisions in life that may cost you to lose friends, but ultimately if it’s helping you achieve your dream, they aren’t really your friends.”

Luckily for him, the time he’s dedicated has paid off as he makes the jump to the highest level of college baseball. Best of luck as you get ready to take on Kennesaw State, Connor! Thank you for the chance to highlight your success so far ⚾️