Actions

Flying Squirrels get another Richmond native on the roster

Posted at 3:38 PM, May 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-30 12:52:27-04

An update to our story on Atlee's Connor Overton joining the Flying Squirrels:

Richmond, Va. - Not since his days of pitching for Old Dominion had Connor Overton played at the Diamond. But now that the Flying Squirrels have come off their most recent road trip, Overton, an Atlee High grad, was ready to pitch in front of his hometown crowd.

"It's just a surreal feeling" Overton said during afternoon stretch. "To be able to come back and play at a professional level in front of your hometown. It's not something that people get to do very often. I'm extremely grateful for it and I'm going to take full advantage of living at home."

That means spending time with family and friends, several of whom will be at the Diamond during this short three game homestand. Overton's mother Lisa spent upwards of $200 on tickets for the opening game in which she was not guaranteed to see her relief pitching son even play.

"Coming off Tommy John (surgery), they were building me up as a starter" Overton explained. "The need for starters in this (Giants) organization isn't very high so they figured I'm going to get more work as a bullpen guy. More like a swing or long inning guy that can do spot starts if they need that."

Overton did not appear in Tuesday night's loss to Bowie. As of his return to Richmond, Overton has appeared in two games for the Squirrels, giving up 1 unearned run in 3 1/3 innings and has struck out three.

RICHMOND, Va. - Never has a baseball player been so happy to be sent down a level.

Connor Overton was assigned to the Richmond Flying Squirrels earlier this week. He had been pitching out of the bullpen at the San Francisco Giants AAA affiliate in Sacramento where he pitched 4 1/3 innings in two appearances, but the Giants want to see him get more work.

So the Atlee High School product is now putting on the jersey of the team he watched as a kid.

"When I got that call, it was exciting" Overton said from Binghamton, NY where the Squirrels were playing the Rumble Ponies. "Growing up watching the Squirrels, it was a dream come true to play in front of the home town."

"It's pretty exciting" Overton continued. "It's just cool to represent my hometown. It's just surreal".

Overton was originally signed by the Giants back in August of 2016, but is coming off Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm which caused him to miss all of 2017.

This year, he has thrown 12 1/3 innings in 6 games at the A and AAA level with a combined 2.92 ERA and 13 strikeouts.

"I feel like I'm throwing pretty well right now" Overton explained. "It was more of a mental challenge than it was physically (overcoming surgery). I don't know how to explain it. It's like 'Man, I have to get up and do the same thing over and over again for the next year'. "

"But it's definitely paying off".

Overton and the Squirrels are on the road over the Memorial Day weekend. They return to the Diamond on Tuesday, June 29th. He becomes the second Richmond native to play for the Flying Squirrels following former J.R. Tucker standout Matt Wynn.

CBS6-News-at-4pm-and-Jennifer-Hudson-480x360.jpg

Entertainment

Watch 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' weekdays at 3 p.m. on CBS 6!

📱 Download CBS 6 News App
The app features breaking news alerts, live video, weather radar, traffic incidents, closings and delays and more.