When he entered the transfer portal last June, Aaron Walton was playing summer ball for the Ocean State Waves of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The Waves’ staff knew ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ assistants Kevin Vance and John DeRouin, both of whom had coached in Rhode Island. Ocean State plays in the town of Wakefield.
“They said, ‘Hey, you need to get on this guy,’†UA coach Chip Hale recalled. “‘He will be your starting center fielder if you can get him.’â€
It just so happened that three of Walton’s summer-ball teammates were on the UA roster: pitchers Owen Kramkowski and Bryce McKnight, and first baseman Zach Plasschaert. They spoke glowingly of their experience as ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥.
About 10 days later, Walton became one himself. And just as the Ocean State coaches predicted, he became ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s starting center fielder.
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Walton hasn’t just started for the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, who visit BYU for a three-game series beginning Thursday; he has starred.
Walton leads the team in runs scored (44), doubles (12), walks drawn (25) and stolen bases (12) while posting a .351/.488/.595 slash line. He’s been an anchor in center field while the other outfield spots have been in flux because of injuries.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ batter Aaron Walton reacts after taking a pitch past his nose in the sixth inning against San Diego on Feb. 21, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
“He’s like the Tony Pluta of the position players,†Hale said, referencing ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s standout closer. “Straight-A student, doesn’t ever do anything wrong, never complains. He’s just a stud. That’s what they’re supposed to look like.â€
Walton, who played his first two collegiate seasons at Samford, is listed at 6-foot-3, 218 pounds. Tall and muscular, he looks like a football player. He was a coveted tight end at Brentwood High School in Brentwood, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville.
Walton had offers to play football from 12 schools, including Air Force, Arkansas State, Army, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Memphis and Tulane. But football presented a couple of challenges for Walton: (1) He “didn’t really understand defenses that much;†and (2) he didn’t like blocking. So baseball it was.
Walton performed well at Samford. He improved across the board as a sophomore, hitting nine home runs, stealing 15 bases without being caught and slashing .286/.396/.492. But Walton wanted more.
“I wanted to win a national championship,†he said.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s Aaron Walton, right, and second base ump Ramon Armendariz agree he’s safe at second after beating the tag from Oklahoma State second baseman Brock Thompson for a double in the fourth inning of their Big 12 game April 11, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
After his summer-ball teammates talked up ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, Walton spoke to Hale and his staff. He found them to be “genuine.â€
“I was looking for guys that would care about me and care about my future — as a person more than anything,†Walton said. “ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ fit all those needs.â€
Walton has provided on-base ability, power and speed while mostly batting first or second in the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™ lineup. He also has provided stability in the outfield while Brendan Summerhill (hand) and Easton Breyfogle (quadriceps) have missed time.
Walton had a three-RBI double and made a diving catch in left-center during ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s 14-4 run-rule victory over Grand Canyon on Tuesday night at Hi Corbett Field.
“My experience has been awesome,†Walton said afterward. “It’s been everything I could have asked for and a lot more.â€
The only thing that hasn’t quite clicked is Walton’s newfound nickname. A fan dubbed him “Big Country,†and it stuck.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s Aaron Walton rounds first after nailing a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth to tie Oklahoma St. 2-2 in their Big 12 game April 11, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
“I’ve never been called that in my life before,†Walton said with a laugh. “I don’t know where that came from.â€
Walton considers himself a city kid. Brentwood is part of the Nashville metro area, and Samford is located in Homewood, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham.
Walton does have a bit of a drawl, though. And his walk-up song is “Jesus And Wranglers†.
“I think Tennessee gets the stereotype, maybe the country-music walk-up song,†Walton said. “But hey, whatever works.â€
Summerhill update
Summerhill is getting close to returning to the lineup.
Summerhill, who fractured his right hand at West Virginia on March 23, has been hitting off pitching machines. He was expected to make the trip to BYU to continue rehabbing with the team.
The junior, , could play as soon as Wednesday vs. UT Arlington. If not, he could be back for the Texas Tech series that starts April 25 in Lubbock.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ right fielder Brendan Summerhill chases down a drive along the line by Cincinnati batter Charlie Niehaus for the last Bearcat out in the fifth inning of their Big 12 game March 14, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
Summerhill hadn’t thrown a ball as of Tuesday night.
“So hopefully this week he throws a little bit,†Hale said. “The hitting was supposed to come first, then the throwing. So maybe it’s a weekend of DHing.â€
Despite missing 13 games, Summerhill leads the team and is tied for third nationally with six triples. He’s the only Wildcat who ranks ahead of Walton in batting average (.409), on-base percentage (.500) and slugging percentage (.656).
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ has gone 8-5 without Summerhill. The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ (26-10, 10-5 Big 12) have had Summerhill and Breyfogle for only 16 of 36 games. They’re 12-4 with both players in the lineup.
Breyfogle left Tuesday’s game vs. GCU after the first inning when he felt something was awry in his troublesome quad.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily tweaked,†Hale said. “I think he just got nervous. And we were very conservative because of the weekend (to) see if we can get him ready for Thursday.â€
Hale said the forecast in Provo — which calls for rain, possibly snow and temperatures ranging from 26 to 53 degrees — will make it “very tough†for Breyfogle to play vs. the Cougars.
Inside pitch
– Hale on snapping a four-game losing streak vs. GCU: “This has become a really good rivalry. ... They have elite players. They have guys who are playing in the big leagues right now that we played against a couple years ago. So they’re a very good program, and they run it really well. They play a great schedule. I've joked around like, ‘Man, should we play these guys? Does it help?’ It does help, because their RPI is good and they have good players. It makes us a better team.â€
– ²Ñ²¹²õ´Ç²ÔÌýWhite (3 for 5), Maddox Mihalakis (3 for 4), Adonys Guzman (2 for 5) and Andrew Cain (2 for 2) had multiple hits vs. the Antelopes. Starter Raul Garayzar allowed zero hits and one unearned run in 3â…“ innings. Relievers Matthew MartinezÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýJulian Tonghini combined for 2â…“ scoreless frames.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ batter Mason White fights off a pitch to earn an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the first inning against Oklahoma State in their Big 12 game April 11 at Hi Corbett Field.
– Hale served as the third base coach vs. GCU. Usual third base coach Toby DeMello’s wife is seven months pregnant, “so at some point here he's going to miss some games,†Hale said. “And I need some practice.†Hale also wanted DeMello to get some experience making in-game decisions, including bunts and steals.
– The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ landed in a host position in . D1 has ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ as the No. 15 overall seed with Oklahoma, USC and Utah Valley coming to Tucson.  has ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ as a 2-seed in the Los Angeles Regional hosted by No. 14 overall seed UCLA.
– BYU (18-18, 5-10) ranks next-to-last in the Big 12 in ERA (6.87), WHIIP (1.74), walks allowed (172) and strikeouts (237).
– ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ is scheduled to start its usual right-handed trio of Collin McKinney (0-1, 2.25), Kramkowski (5-3, 4.86) and Smith Bailey (1-1, 3.46). BYU counters with lefty Justis Reiser (3-0, 5.00) and righties Jaden Harris (1-3, 8.24) and Garrison Sumner (3-1, 7.36).
Contact sports reporter/columnist Michael Lev at mlev@tucson.com. On X (Twitter): @michaeljlev. On Bluesky: @michaeljlev.bsky.social
Michael Lev
Sports Reporter/Columnist
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