By Jerry Shank
Maryland Director of Scouting

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Georgetown Prep senior Chandler Redmond committed to Gardner-Webb University (NC) in 2014. The left-handed hitter was kind enough to take time out for PBR Maryland and let us all get to know him better. 

Why did you choose Gardner-Webb?

-- I chose this school as it was always my dream to play Division one baseball and if I couldn't be in the ACC or SEC like every young baseball player dreams of, I knew that the Big South Conference was the next best thing on the east coast. When I went on my official visit I felt that the coaches were very genuine and were truthful and direct which is unlike a lot of coaches. They told me that I have a chance to come in and play early which is a big factor as if you go to a school and don't play then what's the point? Another factor was the location, I have always dreamed of playing college baseball somewhere down south and with Gardner-Webb being in North Carolina it was perfect. Lastly, the school is Christian affiliated and that is very important to my family and I since we are Baptist. All of those things add up to having Gardner-Webb being a great fit for me.

What other schools were you considering?

-- When making my decision I was looking at was Dartmouth, University of Richmond, Brown, Yale and of course Gardner-Webb.

Now that your commitment is over, what are your goals for your senior year?

-- My goals this year are very high, I want to achieve a .500 or higher batting average, seven or more home runs, run a 7.1 60 yard dash, win the IAC, be the best teammate I can be, and to get into the best shape possible before the season.

What would you like to get accomplished before you step on campus at Gardner-Webb?

--I want to get into the best shape possible before I walk onto campus in august, I would like to be able to improve my best long toss to 125 yards, and lastly I would like to gain 20 pounds on my one rep max for bench press to get to 300 pounds before I walk onto campus and improve my one rep squat max to 375.

What are you looking forward to the most about Gardner-Webb?

-- I am most looking forward to the outstanding schedule that Gardner-Webb has to offer. Every year they get to play great competition in the Big South with Coastal Carolina, Liberty, High Point, Winthrop, Radford and Campbell. Gardner-Webb always schedules tough non-conference schools to play against such as: North Carolina, Clemson, and South Carolina. Getting to play against this great competition is great for professional scouts to get a chance to watch me play and playing in the MLB has always been my biggest dream.

Who did you play for over the summer and what was your most memorable experience?

--I played for the Richmond Braves 17u National team and my most memorable experience actually occurred in the fall with them. We went to Jupiter, FL playing against some of the top seniors and juniors in the country and we were playing the Florida Burn. They were throwing the number one ranked player in the 2016 class and he was throwing 93-95 mph. That was the first time I had seen anything over 91. Hundreds of scouts lined up behind the back stop and along the foul lines and it was unreal. My second time up the count went to 3-2 and I hit a double over the center fielders head that two hopped the 400 sign. My last time up they changed pitchers and they threw a guy committed to Clemson throwing 90-92. There were two outs in the bottom of the seventh and we were down by one. I ended up walking and then our five hitter hit a walk off two run homerun and we won the game and made it to the playoffs in the biggest tournament in the country. It was just an unreal experience and one that I will never forget. 

Who has been the most influential person over your baseball career and why?

-- The most influential person in my baseball career has been my dad by far. He is the man that introduced me to baseball and how to play the game. Every ounce of baseball knowledge I have is because of him and he has taught me the things that go unseen to an average baseball fan. He has been my coach all the way up until I turned 16. He drove me to every practice and every game and was always there with me, helping me along the way. When I was little he would take me to the local little league field and throw me hours of batting practice and hit me thousands of ground balls trying to make me the best I can. We started playing baseball when I was two and he would take me out to the front yard and throw me whiffle balls and I would hit them with my plastic bat and we even have a video of me hitting on the roof of my two story house and those memories are something I will never forget with him. Some of the best memories I have are playing baseball with him, having him coach me, and those long drives to the games.

Who is your favorite MLB player and why?

-- My favorite baseball player was Chipper Jones. He played for my favorite team the Atlanta Braves and was always a class act and always gave his team the best he could. He played the game the right way, was very good at it, and stayed humble. He has one of the smoothest swings and I always loved seeing him hit left handed as that is the way I swing and it was always just so flawless. I just loved how he played the game and also what kind of man he was too.

What are you going to bring to Gardner-Webb as a freshman?

-- I am going to bring a work ethic that is going to not only push myself to the fullest but is also going to push my teammates to be the best they can be as well whether it be on the field, in the gym, or in the classroom. I am going to bring a very good baseball player who I think will have a big impact on the field as a freshman. I am also going to be someone that people can rely on and I will be there for everyone if they need me.

What is your goal by the end of your freshman year?  By the end of your college career?

-- My goal by the end of my freshman year is to be in the starting lineup and bat over .300. I would also like to be able to run a 7.0 or below in the 60. At the end of my college career I would like to have a career batting average over .300, run a sub 7.0 60 yard dash and get drafted. By the end of my college career I would like to squat over 400 and bench 340 for a one rep max in both.

Random question:  What is your favorite movie and favorite follow on twitter?              

--My favorite movie is the Shawshank Redemption. My favorite follow on Twitter is the account called Cockroach.