Morgan City's Hutchinson signs with Huntingdon College

Morgan City standout Philip Hutchinson’s baseball odyssey has taken him from the corners to the outfield and finally behind the plate.
Hutchinson signed a national letter of intent to play college baseball at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, Friday at Morgan City High School.
“This is great,” Hutchinson said. “I can’t put this into words. I’ve always dreamed of playing baseball in college. It’s been a lot of hard work and dedication to the game. I was an outfielder as a freshman, and I bounced around as a sophomore. I played second base, catcher and all the outfield positions in my junior year, I also started pitching and I played shortstop, but this year, I played catcher all of the games except the one I started as a pitcher.”
Hutchinson’s scenic route to catcher has become one of his biggest assets.
“His work ethic and knowledge of the game are outstanding,” Morgan City baseball coach Barret Rey said. “He doesn’t pass the eye test, but he can really catch, throw and swing a good bat. He bounced around before I got here, but I knew the only position he could play in college was catcher. He has good hands, a really strong arm and he’s a good hitter.”
Hutchinson finished his senior year with a .427 batting average with five doubles and 15 RBIs. He had an on-base percentage of .557 and a slugging percentage of .502.
Behind the plate, he threw out 31 runners.
On the mound, he recorded one save.
Hutchinson also played summer baseball with Houma’s South Louisiana Select.
“He’s a good ball player, and he’s a hard worker, so I think he will go in there, keep his head down and help that club win,” South Louisiana Select coach Lance Crochet said. “(It’s) great to see a guy like Philip, who worked so hard, get rewarded.”
Huntingdon, a Division III program, won twice Sunday to capture its first USA South Athletic Conference championship. It is the first conference title for the Hawks (24-17) since their final season in the Great South Athletic Conference in 2012.
“For me, it’s all team, so I just want to go work hard and help out anyway I can,” Hutchinson said. “This is a dream come true.”