Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, has always been revered for their baseball, and I wouldn’t expect that success to stop in the future. On November 17, 2015, Vanderbilt received a commitment from Ethan Hankins, one of the most promising prospects in the Class of 2018. “It’s my dream school and I’ve always wanted to go there. I really just felt like that was the place. I was happy with all of the coaches. It’s a great town, around Nashville. I couldn’t pass it up.” said Hankins on his decision to commit to Vanderbilt.

 

Standing at 6’6”, 195 lbs, Ethan Hankins was born to be a great athlete. He started playing baseball at the age of five, and since then, he has evolved into one of the most unhittable pitchers, not only in his class but in high school baseball in general. Even with his skill on the mound, Hankins is also a talented player all over the field, playing first and third base. “It gives me something else to do, other than just pitching. I love hitting and I love playing the field. Just being a pitcher is boring to me. I like to contribute to the team in more than one way,” Hankins explained. Although he plays several positions in high school, expect that to change when he joins Vanderbilt in 2018, as he humbly says, “I think that when I get to Vanderbilt, I will primarily be just a pitcher because all the position players are just incredible and I don’t think that my skill in the field or at the plate is anything to match that.”

 

Hankins chose Vanderbilt over schools such as Clemson, Georgia, Auburn, among others.It is clear that although he committed very early in his high school career, he believes that he made the right decision: “It was very stressful because I just think, ‘What if I made the wrong decision in choosing a college?’ or ‘What if I would’ve gone to this college?’, but I’m really happy with my choice,” he said. Despite his commitment to Vanderbilt, many believe that Hankins will skip college altogether and enter the MLB draft. In response Hankins said, “Well, it would take a lot for me to overpass college, because college is a great experience and I wouldn’t want to miss out on it, but it will be something that I will have to consider. I would take a lot.” As a Sophomore in high school, Hankins still has plenty of time to decide what he will do once he graduates high school.

 

Hankins’ desire to go to get a college education all boils down to his aspiration for a college degree. With two and a half years until he graduates from Forsyth Central High School (Cumming, GA), Hankins has a long way to go until college, but that doesn’t stop him from entertaining the idea of getting a degree. “Getting a college degree is my main focus right now and if the future holds something beyond that, then that would great, but I’m just really focusing on college right now and if I made it to the major leagues, it would be a dream come true.” said the high school Sophomore.

Hankins’ dream of making it to the major leagues is definitely something that can be made into reality, as many recruiting websites have him ranked as a top ten player in the Class of 2018, including Perfectgame.com, who ranks him as being the #4 overall player in his class. Hankins doesn’t let the rankings get to him, however, saying, “I don’t even think about it. I just handle myself as a normal kid trying to fulfill a dream that has been with me since I was a little kid.”

 

As Ethan Hankins continues through high school, dominating opposing batters, there is no doubt that he will be able to fulfill that dream in the future. With a few years left in high school and three baseball seasons remaining in his high school career, Hankins is destined for success. While he is undoubtedly a player to look out for in the 2018 class, Ethan Hankins does all this for one reason: “To give back to my family for all that they’ve done for me because they’ve done a lot. That’s my main goal and that’s what keeps me going.” Ethan Hankins is definitely Pitching to Win.