This week is a homecoming for Will Childers in more ways than one.
The Lakeside High School alumnus is returning to SRP Park to pitch in front of his hometown crowd, this time as a professional baseball player.
Childers signed with the Milwaukee Brewers following the Major League Baseball Draft last summer and made his full-season debut with the Low-A Carolina Mudcats last week. As Carolina travels to North Augusta for a six-game series against the Augusta GreenJackets, Childers will get to experience somewhat of a full-circle moment early in his baseball career.
2022-23 awards: Augusta-area high school coaches, players and teams of the year
Last time Childers started a game at SRP on March 8, 2022, he threw just one inning before re-aggravating a shoulder injury that essentially ended his University of Georgia baseball career. Now he’ll return to that same mound just over a year later.
“It feels too perfect, kind of poetic,” he said. “Last time I was in Augusta I ended up re-tearing my arm again and now to get the chance to go back there and pitch in front of my hometown, family and friends is something that I definitely don’t take lightly. I’m looking forward to it.”
Since signing his contract June 1 of last year, he’s been rehabbing and ramping up baseball activities to get to a point where he can stretch out as a starting pitcher again. The Brewers assigned Childers to the Mudcats (located in Zebulon, NC) last week from their spring training complex in Arizona.
Childers made his debut the following day, tossing four innings against Fayetteville. He allowed a pair of earned runs and also recorded his first two strikeouts.
“I was pretty fortunate in Arizona to work myself up to four innings at the spring training facility, so I felt pretty confident to go into games,” he said. “I just tried to carry that momentum over into the games. I was super excited, super nervous, but I’m actually happy I got my first one out of the way before I get back home to Augusta.”
As the former Bulldog continues to stretch his legs in the ranks of affiliated baseball, it was obvious early on that he’d be in good hands. Carolina’s pitching coach is former professional pitcher Michael O’Neal, who has a wide range of experience from his time in the Atlanta Braves’ organization and working with Driveline Baseball.
O’Neal also pitched at Auburn, so the Southeastern Conference rivalry continues.
“He was one of the first coaches to reach out to me once I heard that I was moving up,” Childers said. “There’s been a great line of communication with him and the short time I’ve been with him he’s helped a lot. We’ve had some friendly banter about Auburn and Georgia, so I’ve enjoyed that with him.”
Making it to a full-season affiliate after signing as an undrafted free agent is a major step. When Childers graduated from high school in 2019, he was touted by many scouts as a potential early draft pick. Seen as potentially unsignable after his commitment to Georgia, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Childers in the 30th round (knowing they’d probably lose out on the pick).
There’s never a right answer to the signing out of high school or college debate when it comes to baseball. Childers dealt with a wrath of injuries at Georgia, but with some perseverance he still signed with an MLB organization.
“Going through about three years of rehab, it’s one of those things where I tried not to think too far into the future and get ahead of myself,” he said. “I try to take it day by day, so now that the time is here it’s surreal and still kind of settling in. I’m super blessed and lucky and it’s not the biggest step, but it feels pretty big as of now.”
Now it’s just about getting more innings under his belt.
“It’s one of those things I think that every outing, the better I’m feeling, the sharper I get. Just getting more comfortable again facing hitters as much as I am,” he said. “Arm is feeling great and so far everything is feeling pretty good.”
Childers said unless something changes, he expects to start the series finale Sunday (June 18). First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 pm
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: UGA baseball product Will Childers looks at hometown start