Charlie Condon joins Spokane Indians roster in time for stretch run, playoff push

Over the past 10 years, the quality of college players – especially hitters – selected at the top of the MLB draft has risen dramatically. Every season, sluggers seem more prepared to jump right into the professional ranks and keep raking.

This year was no exception, with high draft picks Travis Bazzana (Cleveland Guardians), Jac Caglianone (Kansas City Royals), Christian Moore (Los Angeles Angels) and JJ Wetherholt (St. Louis Cardinals) already deployed to an affiliated minor league team to begin their pursuit of the big leagues.

On Tuesday, Charlie Condon joined those ranks.

Condon, 21, was the Colorado Rockies’ first-round pick, No. 3 overall, in this year’s draft. He was assigned to the Spokane Indians and promptly inserted into the third spot in manager Robinson Cancel’s batting order. Though his debut was a bit rocky – 0 for 4 with three strikeouts against the Tri-City Dust Devils in a notoriously tough hitters park in Pasco – the prodigious slugger and his manager were both exited the parent club put him on the Indians’ roster for the stretch run and Northwest League playoffs.

“It was good to get out here, get my feet wet, you know. Get to know the guys,” Condon said. “I’m playing with a good group of guys and looking forward to making a good postseason run with this group.”

Cancel wasn’t surprised when he got the news that Condon would join the club for the rest of the season.

“You know, he’s an older guy out of college. Coming in at this level, I think that’s pretty good for him. I think that should be a good fit for him right now.”

Condon, a 6-foot-6 right-handed hitter, played first, third and outfield for University of Georgia this year. He hit .433/.556/1.009 with 37 home runs and 78 RBIs in 304 plate appearances in 60 games for the Bulldogs. He won the Golden Spikes Award (NCAA Division I player of the year) and SEC Player of the Year accolades while leading the nation in batting average, slugging, on-base plus slugging, homers, extra-base hits and total bases.

Condon becomes the highest draft pick of the Rockies era to play for the Indians and ties Dick Schofield (1982) as the highest in franchise history.

“It’s something new for him,” Cancel said before Condon’s first game. “Hopefully, he’ll start out on the right foot. You know, it’s a little transition between college and pro ball. The tools are there, so hopefully, he’ll get locked in right away.

“He’s a good spirit, excited about it, and I think he’ll fit right in this clubhouse.”

Condon will play mostly left field for Spokane down the stretch. The position was vacated by Juan Guerrero, one of the Indians’ top hitters this season, who was promoted to Double-A Hartford on Tuesday.

The minor leagues can be a transient business – players are promoted, demoted and released constantly. The Indians have seen several players in addition to Guerrero who contributed to the first-half league title move up, but it seems like every reinforcement added to the roster – through promotion, trade or the draft – has stepped right in and contributed to the second half .

Entering play on Wednesday, the Indians held a three-game lead over second-place Vancouver and eight over third-place Hillsboro. They have qualified to host the deciding games of the league championship series in September by virtue of their first-half title.

“We have a nice core of the guys that are still here,” Cancel said. “It’s been an outstanding clubhouse all year long. And when the guys move out, there’s always some guys coming in here to help out. And I think when Charlie comes in I’m pretty positive he’s gonna be the same way. The way it’s been all year long.”

It helps when the new players step into a playoff atmosphere.

“It’s a winning group,” Condon said. “They’ve been doing a lot of things right this year, and I’m excited to be part of it.”

Neither Cancel or Condon had specific goals in mind for the slugger’s stay in Spokane, other than to get acclimated to the pro game.

“Just get better every day,” Condon said. “You know, just stick to my process, make myself better and the people around me better.”

“Hopefully, he’s on a quick pace to the big leagues,” Cancel said. “I think from what I’ve seen he has the tools looks, the makeup is pretty good. Hopefully, it doesn’t take him long to get to the show.”