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- Liberty University baseball is set to begin the 2022 on February 18th.
- When it does, its catcher will take the field wearing a number that is a direct reflection of his name.
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Break out the peanuts and Cracker Jacks, college baseball season is right around the corner. As the MLB remains in a lockout with no end in sight, there is no better year to get into the collegiate level of America’s favorite pastime.
The bats may be different, but the product is the same— baseball is baseball. However, on the collegiate level, there is more fun.
Take Virginia Tech’s ‘Home Run Hammer’ prop or Ole Miss’ senior captain hitting multiple home runs on a torn ACL for example. The bat flips are bigger, the coaching tirades are just as epic and it’s a delight to watch MLB prospects like Jack Lieter carve up opposing lineups.
In addition to the passion that comes with the college game, there are also unique, eye-catching storylines. That’s where Liberty’s sophomore catcher comes in.
The 5-foot-8, 180-pound lefty batter has a literal number for a name— Three Hillier. It’s not a nickname, it’s not a middle name, it doesn’t stand for him being the third. His name is Three.
And, as you might expect, he wears the number three.
Hillier was a freshman in 2021 and saw action in five games with one start. In high school, he was a three-time all-conference player and was named 2020 Western Carolina Male Athlete of the Year. He will look to improve upon his first year with the Flames this spring.
Three wearing the number three is only right. But it begs the question—
When Hillier was looking at schools during the recruiting process, did he ask about the number? Was it something that he needed guaranteed?
Three wearing five, or 27, or literally any other number just wouldn’t work.