Charlie Condon ties all-time BBCOR record with 33rd home run Sunday vs. Vanderbilt
Another day, another Charlie Condon home run. In Georgia’s matchup against Vanderbilt on Sunday afternoon, Condon crushed a home run for the seventh-straight game.
It’s the 33rd home run for Condon this season, tying the single-season record since NCAA Baseball implement the BBCOR (bat-ball coefficient restitution) Era in 2011. Florida’s Jac Caglianone set the record last season in the Men’s College World Series finals.
In other words, Condon is ahead of schedule. The 6-foot-6 first baseman leads the nation in taters, with Caglianone nipping at his heels. While this is only Condon’s second season playing for the Bulldogs, he already owns the program’s career home run record.
Nonetheless, Condon has a long way to go before shattering the NCAA’s all-time record, which Oklahoma State’s Pete Incaviglia set with 48 home runs through 75 games in 1985. However, he is within reach of the SEC record of 40 home runs in a season, which was set by LSU’s Brandon Larson in 1997.
Only four players have ever hit 40 or more home runs in a single season. Condon not only boasts power, but accuracy. The Georgia native has a .456 batting average season, the best in the country. Georgia head coach Wes Johnson has also praised Condon for his ability in the field.
“It’s underrated how good of an athlete he really is,” Johnson said. “That was one of the first things we talked about. I just said, ‘Charlie, everybody knows you can hit,’ but when we were in here last year when I was at LSU, I was like, wow this kid is a good athlete.
“I didn’t realize because all we do is watch video on swings, breaking down and so the first thing I talked to him about is, ‘Charlie, we’re going to help you drive your stock and showcase how good of an athlete you are and it’s going to help our team as well.’”
Charlie Condon boosts his draft stock
Johnson isn’t the only one taking note of Condon’s all-around prowess. MLB.com lists Condon as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 MLB Draft class.
“Condon should surpass Jeff Pyburn (No. 5 overall in 1980) as the highest-drafted player in Bulldogs history because he has a huge offensive ceiling,” the outlet wrote. “He has top-of-the-scale raw power that plays from foul pole to foul pole and his combination of bat speed, strength and leverage in his 6-foot-6 frame allows him to mishit balls yet still drive them out of the park.
“Despite his long arms, he keeps his right-handed swing relatively compact and controls the strike zone while repeatedly making loud contact against all types of pitching.”