Stephenson To Join Older Brother At UConn

MANSFIELD, Ma. - When spring season was cancelled, Sean Stephenson missed out on a chance to play high school baseball with his older brother. But the siblings will have that opportunity in the future after the Bishop Feehan sophomore committed to Connecticut, where older brother Zach will be attending in another year.

“Last summer after my brother committed I checked out the school,” explained the top-ranked 2023 New England third baseman. “It was one of the top schools I wanted to be recruited by. The campus is great and the coaches are amazing.”

The left-handed power hitter got his wish this summer when UConn took an interest.

“My coach sent videos to them of me working out,” the 5-11 180-pounder noted. “They said they liked my bat speed and how long my bat path was in the zone.”

But the opportunity to watch Stephenson in games was limited, not only due to the cancellation of the spring season but also because of a setback in the summer.

“One of the kids on my summer team got covid so we were out for two weeks,” Stephenson said. “When I went to the Future Games it was the first chance they had to really see me play.”

Stephenson impressed immediately with three hits in the first game of the tournament.

“I loved it,” Stephenson said of the PBR event the first week of August. “It was great competition and the best pitching I saw all summer. Coach (Jeff) Hourigan (the associate head coach) said he liked me a lot more after seeing me play there. The Future Games was a big step up for them getting interested. I played in a couple more tournaments and they made me an offer.”

Hard work during the quarantine played a part in Stephenson accentuating his game once able to play in the summer.

“I got a lot bigger and kept myself healthy to be ready to go this summer,” Stephenson noted. “I started hitting more outside pitches and driving the ball. Now I want to focus more on driving the ball further and hitting the ball a lot harder.”

Power is a big part of what the 20th-rated 2023 in New England believes he can provide the program at Connecticut which has been in the NCAA Tournament six times since 2010.

“I think I can bring someone who gets a lot of RBIs, a lot of hard hit balls and gives us a chance to score runs,” Stephenson said.

Development in the last year made a believer out of Stephenson.

“Last winter when I was working out I saw that I had a chance to compete at the next level with how far I could hit the ball,” Stephenson reflected. “I began to change a lot and grow as a player. After that I saw myself playing in college.”

Being part of a sports program at the next level is nothing new for the Stephenson family.

“My grandpa played D-I basketball at URI and my dad D-I baseball at Vermont,” Stephenson related. “My dad helped coach me and they both came to all my games. I love seeing them there and giving me support.”

James Madison was among other schools that showed an interest in Stephenson before a commitment was made to the Big East Conference school in Storrs, two-and-a-half hours from his Massachusetts home in Mansfield.

“With the deadline for coaches to see our games pushed back, they couldn’t come see me play so it was hard to get my name out there,” Stephenson pointed out. “I sent film all over but it was difficult because they couldn’t see you in person.

“To have the recruiting process over and know where I’m going feels great. Now I’m focused on getting better and improving.”

There is also a matter of looking ahead at a chance to play ball with his older brother, first this coming spring at Bishop Feehan when Zach is a senior and then down the road at UConn.

“He taught me to be aggressive and swing early in the count,” Stephenson said of the influence his brother has had on his game. “Be yourself and you’ll love it.”

As in most families, the competition is often stiff.

“I worked out at the same place as him and hit at the same place as him over the winter,” noted Stephenson, who carries a 3.2 GPA and is looking at a major in business finance or economics. “I’m always competing with him. Competition in the family is great.”

And something even better when it is on the same team.

“This is amazing to go to the same college as him,” Stephenson said. “He’s one of my best friends and this is going to be fun.”