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Published May 20, 2024
Charlie Condon voted the SEC Player of the Year
Anthony Dasher  •  UGASports
Editor

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)

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