Hunter Renfrow played baseball and soccer at Socastee High School in Myrtle Beach, SC, and for a time notion, his destiny might lie in the former.

“Going into my junior year, I notion I became going to play baseball,” Renfrow stated. “I notion my body kind would possibly suit baseball better, I may want to have a higher career with baseball, I loved it. But my senior 12 months, I knew soccer changed into my old flame.”

New Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow draws on baseball past 1

So some distance, it’s running out. After on foot at Clemson as an undersized receiver, Renfrow received a pair of national championships in university. The final month turned into decided on using the Raiders inside the fifth spherical of the NFL draft.

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Renfrow reported to Alameda the remaining week for Raiders rookie minicamp. Friday, he changed into 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 bases and interceptions. He coached football at Socastee, wherein Hunter becomes an alternative quarterback and also performed middle subject for the baseball team. According to his Clemson bio, Hunter Renfrow turned into rated the No. 6 outfielders 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 because 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 out it, 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 may trap a bit tennis ball, you may seize a massive football. It teaches you that if you run at the heels of your toes, it’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 couple of months ago, he went returned to Socastee and took a batting exercise.

“I had caution-track electricity,” said Renfrow, who’s 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, and he was 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 some other baseball connection. He shares a common name with Hunter Renfroe, the San Diego Padres outfielder. Renfrow stated the 2 have talked formerly, and he may exit to Oracle Park next month whilst 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.”