Charlie Condon's versatility paying off for the Bulldogs
Northern Kentucky at Georgia
WHERE: Foley Field
WHEN: Friday 2 p.m., Saturday DH 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.
RECORDS: Georgia 12-1, Northern Colorado 0-12
STARTING PITCHERS: Friday: Charlie Goldstein (2-0, 2:00); Saturday: Game 1 Leighton Finley (1-0, 3.72), Game 2 TBA; Sunday: Jarvis Evans (1-0, 1.82)
TV/RADIO: SEC Network+ (Kaleb Frady and Jason Jacobs); Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Jeff Dantzler and David Johnston)
There’s a reason Charlie Condon is a potential No. 1 pick in July’s Major League Draft.
After a breakout redshirt freshman season when he set the SEC on notice by hitting .386 with 25 homers and 67 RBI, the Marietta native is off to an even better start this spring.
In 49 at-bats, Condon is batting .531 with 26 hits, nine of which have gone for home runs That has helped him accrue a mind-boggling slugging percentage of 1,224.
However, for as dangerous as the 6-foot-6 right-handed hitter has become, his versatility in the field has also opened some eyes.
In Georgia’s 13 games, Condon has posted starts at first base, third base, and has played all three outfield positions, including starts in left and center field.
“I’ve told everybody and told you guys a lot that it’s underrated how good of an athlete he is,” head coach Wes Johnson said. “You look at it now, he’s played first, he’s played third, he’s played all three outfield spots now at a high level.”
Condon has played each exceptionally well, posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage across the five positions.
From ESPN’s No. 4 Play of the Day for a catch he made while falling over the railing in left against UNC-Asheville, to last week’s backhanded play behind third base against Northern Kentucky, to a diving catch he made in center against Stetson, Condon’s looked at home wherever he’s been asked to play.
“I haven’t had a ton of reps, at least in a game, I did have some intrasquad's this fall, but getting out there it’s a little different when it’s a real game,” Condon said after Georgia’s 11-4 victory over the Hatters. “It’s just being comfortable with my reads and that starts with being disciplined during BP, just seeing how the ball is flying on that particular day, trusting in your reads, and going for it.”
It’s no accident that Condon is receiving the opportunities he is after originally arriving at Georgia as a walk-on two years ago.
Shortly after Johnson was named Georgia’s new head coach, one of the initial conversations he had was with Condon about the possibility of playing more than one position.
“I’m like, look man. Everybody knows you can hit. But when we were here last year when I was with LSU, I was like wow, this kid is a good athlete,” Johnson said. “I didn’t realize that because all we do is watch video of a guy’s swing, breaking it down, so the first thing I talked about with him when I got here was, 'Charlie, we’re going to showcase you and drive your stock to show just what kind of a great athlete you are, and it’s going to help our team as well.' He was like yeah, I want to play everywhere, and it keeps you fresh and keeps the energy with him.”
Condon’s versatility benefits the Bulldogs (12-1) in other ways.
Because he can play so many different positions, Johnson has been able to utilize his entire roster of hitters. Seventeen different position players have received at-bats for the Bulldogs, largely because of Condon’s versatility and ability to play other spots.
“It’s good as far as building lineups for different days,” Condon said. “One of the biggest advantages we have with this group is the depth we have in the lineup and if that requires some guys moving around and bouncing around to get guys in on certain days, I love it. It keeps me on my toes, it tests me defensively. I enjoy bouncing around out there.”
Shortstop Kolby Branch is a first-year Bulldog having transferred from Baylor.
Although he’s been a teammate of Condon for less than a year, and in that short amount of time has come to marvel at Condon's talents like everyone else.
“It’s unreal. The other day, he had a great game at third. He was diving all over the place. You can put him in left, right, now center … first,” Branch said. “You can put him all over the place and that just allows our lineup to flex at so many spots. I don’t know how many hitters we’ve got, 16 or so, can all get in the game at any time. We’ve got scary depth, so having Charlie able to do that and move around is super helpful.”
Condon’s calm approach at the plate carries over to his play on the field.
“I don’t let bad at-bats carry to the field; sometimes that’s easier said than done, but I try not to, and I don’t let bad defensive plays carry over the plate,” Condon said. “I always try to separate and channel my best for each one.”
If there are holes in Condon’s swing, opposing pitchers are still looking.
Wednesday night’s home run registered 454 feet with an exit velocity of 112 mph. A double earlier this year registered 118 mph.
It’s those sorts of metrics that could help Condon break both Georgia’s single-season and career home run mark. Former shortstop and first-round pick Gordon Beckham - the hitter Condon is most often compared to - holds both records at 28 and 53, respectively. Condon’s 34 career home runs currently tie him for eighth with former Bulldogs Parks Harber and Michael Curry.
“He’s one of the most humble guys I’ve ever met. He’s doing so well, and everybody is happy for him,” Branch said. “He’s always here, he’s always level. That’s rare in a guy so I appreciate that every second.”
