Link to Article on The Red & Black
By Olivia Sayer
Georgia redshirt sophomore Charlie Condon (24) in action during the first round of the 2024 SEC Baseball Tournament between LSU and Georgia at the Hoover Met Stadium in Hoover, Alabama, on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Georgia lost 9-1. (Photo/Mady Mertens; MadyMertensPhotography)
Charlie Condon became Georgia baseball’s highest draftee when the Rockies selected him with the third-overall pick. The former Bulldog recently spoke on his Georgia career and looked ahead to life with the Rockies. He discussed Georgia head coach Wes Johnson, where he projects to play for Colorado, how he spent (or didn’t spend) his contract and other topics.
The past
The well-known story of Charlie Condon is one that will be etched in Georgia lore forever. After growing up a fan of Atlanta stars Freddie Freeman and Chipper Jones, the Marietta-native received a walk-on offer to Georgia. He eagerly accepted his only Division I offer and after redshirting, turned into arguably the Bulldogs’ most-prolific player on the diamond.
“It was a no-brainer that that’s where I was headed,” Condon said. “And so just really having faith to bet on myself and know that I don’t want to go to a place where I can go and be an immediate contributor. I want to go and play against the best of the best and earn my keep and know that if I have success, it’s against the best talent there is.”
Despite the results, Condon does not feel he was overlooked. He said he was not a finished product and truthfully, not “ready to be recruited” out of high school.
“I like to use the analogy that you got to get the house ready to sell before you put it on the market,” Condon said. “I just wasn’t ready, and I think that’s a good thing. I don’t want to be the best version of myself when I’m 16 years old. I want to continue to develop.”
The present
Condon, along with the Rockies’ other draftees, was in Scottsdale, Arizona this week for mini camp. He arrived last Friday to complete obligatory medical procedures before all 21 picks signed together Sunday.
Condon spent the remainder of the week partaking in meetings, individual defensive work and batting practice. From there, Condon said it is “up in the air” as to at what level he will begin his professional career at.
The Rockies have seven minor league affiliates with three in the rookie classification. Condon will likely start out with the Single-A team in Fresno, California and progress through High, Double and Triple-A.
For now, the Golden Spikes Award Winner is enjoying getting to know his draft class that includes multiple former opponents.
“It’s a really good group of players and human beings,” Condon said. “So it feels like home.”
The future
Condon’s biggest improvement in 2024 was his defensive versatility. He played five positions for the Bulldogs, with starts at first, third, left, center and right field. Condon said his personal preference is to play “wherever I’m needed the most,” for the Rockies organization, but he would “love to continue to bounce around.”
“Starting in five different spots throughout the year was something I really took pride in [and] is something I plan on continuing to develop,” Condon said. “And I think that’s going to be the plan for me here is to continue to be versatile and be a moving piece throughout lineups.”
When Condon makes his big league debut, he will likely play alongside Kris Bryant, who Colorado signed to a seven-year, $182 million deal after the 2022 lockout. Condon and Bryant have similar games and collegiate accomplishments. Both won the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy before becoming top-three picks in the MLB Draft.
Bryant quickly arose as a comparison for Condon due to the former Georgia slugger’s physical makeup and hitting style. Both possess pretty swings with raw power that plays well at the Rockies’ home ballpark.
“That’s a big name,” Condon said of the comparisons to Bryant. “That’s something that I’m very honored to be considered with. Kris has a beautiful swing, [and] he’s obviously one of the most sound hitters in the game. He’s a big, tall athletic guy, but can handle the bat for a guy that’s tall.”
Coors Field sits about 5,200 feet above sea level, allowing baseballs to travel quicker and farther than most ballparks. According to a report on the Rockies’ website, a home run hit 400 feet in sea-level Yankee Stadium would travel about 440 feet at Coors Field. Former Braves’ World Series MVP Jorge Soler evidenced this with an MLB-leading 478-foot blast prior in the week.
The dimensions play well for a slugger like Condon, whose 37 long balls broke the BBCOR-era home run record.
“It’s definitely something exciting to look forward to,” Condon, who has not experienced Denver outside of its airport, said. “Obviously the altitude plays to the hitters’ advantage for sure.”
Being the third-overall pick in any professional league brings massive pressure. However, high expectations are not new to Condon, who entered Georgia’s 2024 season as one of the best collegiate ball players.
The experience, along with the high standard Condon holds himself to, helps limit the outside noise.
“External expectations seem to change as you continue to have success or not have success,” Condon said. “What people around the game of baseball are going to think about me is going to continue to change, but I will always expect a very much higher standard of myself than anyone else will expect from me.”
Becoming a top-three draft pick also comes with a hefty signing bonus. Condon’s $9.25 million tied No. 2 overall pick Chase Burns for the biggest draft bonus in MLB history. The finance major said he will pocket the money and “try not to touch it for as long as I can.”
“I’m not really focused on the monetary side of things,” Condon said. “I’m here because I love baseball. I’m here because I love getting better. I’m here because [of] the relationships that this game has brought me.”
Although his Georgia career is over, Condon has not lost contact with his head coach. The SEC Player of the Year said he spoke to Wes Johnson the day before speaking with the media and was “lucky” to get to play for him.
“He’s a great baseball coach,” Condon said of his former skipper. “He’s a big time mentor, and he knows the ins and outs of baseball better than anybody else, just with his track record and where he’s been in the SEC and throughout Major League Baseball.”
“But the biggest thing that he rubbed off on me, and I think a lot of other guys at UGA, was just how to be a professional in everything you do,” Condon continued. “He’s a guy that’s going to treat everybody like an adult until you give him a reason not to. And so he’s just very calm, cool and collected 24/7. He’s the guy that doesn’t press the panic button. He’s got a good head on his shoulders all the time, makes objective decisions and also creates really good relationships with his guys. He’s an easy guy to play for.”
Condon will also continue to keep a close eye on the Bulldogs and how they build upon the foundation the 2024 team set. He said he is excited to watch how his former teammates, such as Tre Phelps, continue to develop.
“The University of Georgia is an institution that I will always be indebted to,” Condon said. “I’m just really proud of that group and proud of the people that we had to be able to make that big of a jump. I can’t wait to watch guys continue to thrive and have success in the red and black.”
Condon now joins an organization with former Georgia two-way star Aaron Schunk, who made his MLB debut in June. Schunk was Colorado’s second-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft and is one of seven former Bulldogs to appear in the big leagues this season.
“I’m looking forward to catching up with another UGA alum,” Condon said. “And having some familiar faces around here is awesome.”