Hunter Renfrow played baseball and soccer at Socastee High School in Myrtle Beach, SC, and he once thought his destiny might lie in the former.
“Going into my junior year, I thought I would play baseball,” Renfrow stated. “I notion my body kind would suit baseball better; I may want to have a higher career with baseball; I loved it. But in my senior 12 months, I knew soccer had changed into my old flame.”
So, at some distance, it’s running out. After being on foot at Clemson as an undersized receiver, Renfrow received a pair of national championships at university. The final month turned into a decision on using the Raiders inside the fifth spherical of the NFL draft.
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Renfrow reported to Alameda the remaining week for the Raider’s rookie minicamp. Friday, he changed in at the Coliseum – where he’ll play home games next season – to watch batting exercise earlier than the A’s performed the Indians along with his father, Tim.
Tim Renfrow played baseball and football in university at Wofford and set college information for each stolen base and interception. He coached football at Socastee, where Hunter became an alternative quarterback and performed middle subject for the baseball team. According to his Clemson bio, Hunter Renfrow was rated the No. 6 outfielder in South Carolina at one factor by Diamond Prospects.
Even now, Renfrow stated, he likens monitoring passes as a receiver to monitoring fly balls as an outfielder.
“In baseball practice, as quickly as it became hit, I wouldn’t even have a look at the ball. I’d look at it, after which I’d go run to the spot and notice if I may want to sing it before I even checked it out, sincerely,” Renfrow stated on Friday afternoon. “Football, identical aspect. Running a slant-and-pass or hitch-and-go, you want to run your direction, position your head down, run as rapidly as possible, and track the ball past due.
“If I ever war with the ball bouncing up and down in soccer, I’ll move capture tennis balls like an outfielder. If you trap a bit of tennis ball, you may seize a massive football. It teaches you that if you run at the heels of your toes, they’ll be bouncing more. So you can music it higher.”
Renfrow said his roommate at Clemson played baseball, and they regularly played Wiffle ball at the soccer facility. A few months ago, he returned to Socastee and took a batting exercise.
“I had caution-track electricity,” said Renfrow, indexed at 5-foot-10, 184 pounds. “I notion I’d gotten stronger. But I didn’t.”
Friday, Renfrow and his dad stood on the warning track in the back of domestic plate for batting practice. A’s utility participant Chad Pinder came over to talk – Pinder’s brother, Chase, became an outfielder at Clemson – as did bullpen catcher Phil Pohl, who changed into drafted using the A’s out of Clemson in 2012.
Did Pohl mention the Tigers’ latest soccer fulfillment?
“Oh yeah, he walked up, smiling ear-to-ear,” Renfrow stated. “He becomes very excited. So that changed into amusing; it became cool connecting with him.”
Renfrow, who grew up partial to the Braves and Chipper Jones, has another baseball connection. He shares a common name with Hunter Renfroe, the San Diego Padres outfielder. Renfrow stated the two have talked formerly, and he may leave for Oracle Park next month while the Giants host the Padres.
“After (Clemson) performed inside the first countrywide championship in 2015, he hit me up, and we sort of pass backward and forward,” Renfrow stated. “It’s simply cool to have a namesake like that.”
