Jernigan Looking To Make A Difference At William & Mary

Connor Jernigan RHP / 1B / Avon Old Farms, MA / 2025

BROOKLINE, Ma. - It was freshman year of high school when Connor Jernigan began taking the idea of playing baseball at the next level seriously.

“I watched the College World Series,” the Avon Old Farms senior reflected. “I wasn’t really a good player at the time, but I really liked watching sports. Seeing the fans and the cool gear provided to the players there, it seemed so important to them. I thought if I had that opportunity it would be a cool experience. After that I started to take it seriously.

“Academics are a huge part of college and my parents said that comes first, but we thought baseball would open some doors.”

That became a reality and now the ninth-rated 2025 right-handed pitcher in Massachusetts is a William & Mary commit.

“I was talking with one of their old coaches in April, but then I didn’t hear from them and thought they had lost interest,” Jernigan related. “Then I found out about the coaching changes there. In July, the new head coach came to see me and another kid play and I had a decent out and got an offer. It took a few weeks to decide, but I didn’t think I’d have too many more opportunities.”

The 47th-ranked senior in New England, who took visits to schools over spring break including William & Mary, had four offers from colleges in the northeast, but decided on the university located in Williamsburg, Va.

“I really enjoy the opportunity to play at William & Mary year ’round,” Jernigan said. “In New England it’s difficult to do that.”

The 6-5 220-pounder made an impression on the coaches at William & Mary.

“My strong suit on the mound is the movement on my fastball and just being big,” Jernigan explained. “I have a bit lower arm slot than most and it gets on hitters. I get a lot of run on my four-seam and two-seam, which is my best pitch. I have a lot of upside and a lot of room for improvement. The sky’s the limit.”

It was a recruiting process that, admittedly, started slow.

“The last couple of summers before this it was not very eventful,” the 23rd-rated 2025 right-handed pitcher in New England said. “I went to the Future Games last year but I wasn't an eye-popping guy, just tall. But I did get seen by the Dirtbag coach and he invited me to play this year and that got me more exposure playing in front of southern schools.

“At Avon there’s always somebody coming to watch you, not just me,” Jernigan continued. “April was the best part of the recruiting process for me. PBR was there and posted me on Twitter and that really helped. A bunch of coaches reached out after that. Once summer started some schools dropped out and I was talking to just a few.”

Those that saw the 18-year-old witnessed an improved pitcher.

“I started working out more consistently and started getting mechanics help,” the 18th-ranked 2025 in Massachusetts noted. “I was growing into my body and the velo and feel came with it along the way.

“Moving forward now, everything is mechanics-based. Before I’d just gotten by with my size.”

Coaches at Avon Old Farms and Steve McCarthy and Jack McLaughlin with Boston Prime along with his parents, friends and family are credited with helping along the way for Jernigan, who believes he can make an impact in the Colonial Athletic Association program.

“I don’t know if I’ll be a starter or reliever, but regardless I hope to contribute,” Jernigan said. “I’m most comfortable coming in for a couple of innings and getting quick outs. I’m a big ground ball guy with all the sink I get with pitches that are hard to hit.”

Sociology and psychology are fields being considered as a major for Jernigan, who had a 3.6 GPA this past year.

“It’s really, really, really relieving to commit,” Jernigan said. “Last summer before I reclassified was very stressful. I didn’t feel I was going anywhere with baseball. With all the work I put in this summer, being able to choose William & Mary, where I definitely would have not gotten into without baseball, is pretty uplifting. It’s a really rewarding feeling, especially with how last summer went.”

Now Jernigan is excited about what lies ahead.

“I’m looking forward to meeting everybody on the team and making a bunch of friends,” Jernigan concluded. “I’m hoping to get playing time right away, but nothing is a given. You’ve got to work for it. The grind is rewarding if you stick with it.”