Georgia baseball coach Wes Johnson ran out of different ways to describe Charlie Condon a long time ago.
Considering the year enjoyed so far by the Bulldog sophomore, it’s no wonder.
Monday, Condon received the first of which should be the first of many honors for his remarkable season as he was named the SEC Player of the Year by league coaches.
“It’s something I do know that I’ll see the rest of my career,” Johnson said recently of Condon. “I don’t even know how to describe it. Balls go 115, 100, 108 … Charlie’s just phenomenal.”
Condon beat out Tennessee outfielder Trey Moore, Florida first baseman/pitcher Jac Caglianone, and Arkansas pitcher Hagan Smith for the award.
Other Bulldogs honored were catcher Fernando Gonzalez who was named to the All-Defensive team and Tre Phelps who was named to the All-Freshman squad.
Condon’s numbers speak for themselves.
Entering Tuesday’s game against LSU in the SEC Tournament, Condon leads all of Division I baseball in hitting with an average of .451, home runs (35), and slugging percentage (1.063).
His 75 RBI are tied for ninth, while his 78 runs scored is sixth.
Condon – who has started at five different positions (left field, center field, right field, third base, and first base) – is a candidate to be the top pick in July’s Major League Draft.
“External expectations have definitely changed a little bit, but the way I see it, expectations for myself have always been really high. So, that doesn’t change,” Condon said. “I’m always going to hold myself to a high standard.
Condon is just the second Bulldog to win SEC Player of the Year, joining Gordon Beckham (2008) since the league began the award in 1994. Condon is one of only two players in SEC history to win Player of the Year in his second season after being named the Freshman of the Year.
Opponents who thought Condon would slow down at some point during SEC play are still waiting.
Condon enters the SEC Tournament on a 24-game hitting streak, including Saturday’s loss to Florida which saw the right-handed hitter blast his 35th homer.
“He’s really a one-in-a-million-type guy. (Condon) is the best player on the field no matter who we're playing, and he’s the coolest guy in the locker room,” center fielder Dillon Carter said. “There’s not many out there like him, and it’s good to be around people like that."
More awards are likely on the way.
Condon is also a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award which goes to the top amateur player in college baseball, and the Dick Howser Trophy which goes annually to the college player of the year.
Player of the Year: Charlie Condon, Georgia
Pitcher of the Year: Hagen Smith, Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Drew Beam, Tennessee
Coach of the Year: Nick Mingione, Kentucky
First Team All-SEC
C: Jackson Appel, Texas A&M
1B: Jac Caglianone, Florida
2B: Christian Moore, Tennessee
3B: Charlie Condon, Georgia
SS: Justin Lebron, Alabama*
SS: David Mershon, Mississippi State*
OF: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
OF: Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M
OF: Dylan Dreiling, Tennessee
SP: Hagen Smith, Arkansas
SP: Khal Stephen, Mississippi State
RP: Evan Aschenbeck, Texas A&M
DH/UT: Ike Irish, Auburn*
DH/UT: Nick Lopez, Kentucky*
Second Team All-SEC
C: Cole Messina, South Carolina
1B: Blake Burke, Tennessee
2B: Peyton Stovall, Arkansas
3B: Tommy White, LSU
SS: Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas
OF: Kavares Tears, Tennessee
OF: Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky
OF: Dakota Jordan, Mississippi State
SP: Ryan Prager, Texas A&M
SP: Luke Holman, LSU
RP: Griffin Herring, LSU
DH/UT: Andrew Fischer, Ole Miss
Freshman All-SEC Team
Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M
Gabe Gaeckle, Arkansas
Justin Lebron, Alabama
Dean Curley, Tennessee
Tre Phelps, Georgia
Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M
Zane Adams, Alabama
Steven Milam, LSU
Ashton Larson, LSU
Cade Belyeu, Auburn
Liam Peterson, Florida
Nolan Souza, Arkansas
SEC All-Defensive Team
C: Fernando Gonzalez, Georgia
1B: Blake Burke, Tennessee
2B: Emilien Pitre, Kentucky
3B: Jared Sprague-Lott, Arkansas*
3B: Mitchell Daly, Kentucky*
SS: Justin Lebron, Alabama
OF: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
OF: Kavares Tears, Tennessee
OF: Peyton Holt, Arkansas*
OF: Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M
P: Mason Moore, Kentucky
*Ties (Ties are not broken)