By David Rogers. WEST JEFFERSON, N.C. — A sigh of relief and “super excited to have the opportunity” is the way Hogan Windish described the moment he was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft this past July. He spoke with High Country Sports on Jan. 20, after being recognized at halftime of the Ashe County-Watauga men’s basketball game for his accomplishments on and off the field.
A graduate of Ashe County High School and University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Windish was introduced to the halftime crowd by ACHS athletic director Brian Hampton who said, “While a student at Ashe County, Hogan was a 4-time letter winner, a 3-time first team All-Conference player and, as a senior, earned All-State recognition. As a student, he was a member of the Honor Roll all four years at Ashe County and he achieved membership in the National Beta Club and the National Technical Honor Society.”
Hampton added that Windish earned a baseball scholarship to UNCG and over four years started 169 games. His college statistics included a career batting average of .308, with 34 home runs and 145 runs batted in.
“As a senior at UNCG,” said Hampton, “Hogan was voted as the Southern Conference ‘Player of the Year’ and was just the fifth (UNCG) Spartan in program history to be named to the All-American team… Hogan is a true example of hard work and dedication paying off. We are so proud of everything he has accomplished.”
In speaking with High Country Sports, Windish was quick to credit his father, Mike Windish (currently head baseball coach at Watauga High School), as a major influence on his life and career.
“My father was my coach all the way up through high school,” said Windish. “Really, since T-Ball and travel ball. He was always there and taught me almost everything I know. I wouldn’t be as good as I am without him constantly pushing me to test my boundaries.”
Windish thrives as a second baseman.
“I grew up as an infielder,” said Windish. “I played some shortstop in high school and then went I went to college I moved to second base. I love hitting.”
Upon being drafted, Windish was initially assigned by the Seattle Mariners to the Arizona Complex Mariners, a team primarily comprised of players in their first year of professional baseball either as draftees or non-drafted free agents. He played just three games for the ACL Mariners before being promoted to the Modesto Nuts, a low-A affiliate of the Mariners in the San Joaquin Valley of California. For the 2022 season, according to MILB.com (the Minor League Baseball website), Windish played in 30 games for the Nuts and had 119 at-bats. He had 43 hits, scored 31 runs, including 13 doubles, one triple, and two home runs. He also recorded four stolen bases. His batting average was .336, had an on base percentage of .438, and a slugging percentage of .496.
“This next season I think I will either be in Modesto or possibly in Everett, Washington, with the High A team,” Windish said.
