By Raymond Linex

Since his freshman season, when he committed to Texas A&M as a 15-year-old, Easton Autrey has been somewhat of a big deal in Corsicana. Now set to begin his senior season as a Texas Longhorns commit and Major League Baseball prospect, he’s a household name.

Everywhere. In the world of baseball.

Anyone in Easton’s position must put up insane numbers, and he has. Everyone knows that.

But what they may not know about is his dedication to a sport, while remaining grounded, that leaves everyone in awe. His youthful exuberance that outweighs his muscles. And his heart, a kid’s heart, at that, that makes everyone he meets a fan.

“In Easton’s world, people come first,” said Bart Hammock, coach of Easton’s wood bat summer team last year, the Midland Redskins, part of a national program based in Cincinnati. “Baseball is just a distant second.”

No one can tell the story of Easton Autrey better than those who know him best.

Here are their short stories, witness accounts, and anecdotes:

Work & Drive

Brad Hawpe, 10-year MLB career, Navarro College Hall of Fame, national champion at LSU: He drives two hours to get to my house to hit with me and my son, Drake, almost every week here in Argyle. We put in a lot of work and those two boys are gifted and blessed but work their tails off.

Greg Olsen, local businessman whose son Cooper takes batting practice (or BP) with Easton: Easton is the best player when he steps on almost any field. However, he is the hardest working kid I have ever seen. People see his success, but they don’t see him working every day to be the best version of himself that he can be.

Hammock: I can confidently say he has one of the best eyes as an amateur that I've seen in person since 2009. … The combination of elite plate discipline and extreme pop at an early age against top pitching is rare.

Judah Ota, senior at Iolani HS in Hawaii and an Arkansas commit on batting practice at the Perfect Game practices: The next thing I know I hear him tell some coach in his country accent, “All right baby, here we go.” Then he punched himself in the face five times and goes on to hit six home runs at Chase Field. The level of intensity he can just turn on and off amazed me. And then, of course, when he was done hitting he came back over and cracked some sort of joke.

Jeremy Booth, CEO/President of Baseball Operations for the New Balance Future Stars Series: When Easton came from USA Baseball to the Future Stars Series National Combine, something important happened. Heath did not handle it. I did not handle it. Easton did. He owned the schedule. He coordinated flights. He made sure players coming from Cary did not miss opportunities because of overlapping events. He helped guys who were unsure how to navigate that level of responsibility.

Gilbert Medrano, Corsicana High School baseball assistant coach: Any time a scout or cross-checker shows up and watches him take a round of BP, he leaves them speechless. They simply cannot believe what they just witnessed, and I know exactly what’s coming next. Without fail, he walks over to me and asks, “How’d I do, coach? You think that was all right?” I laugh every single time and give him the same answer. “Easton, I don’t know whether to be elated or depressed. That was the most impressive thing I’ve ever watched, but I also know I could coach another hundred years and never see anything like it again.”

Terri Mitchell, grandmother: He works hard mowing yards and giving batting lessons to earn extra money, yet he’s just as disciplined about spending hours perfecting his skills on the field.

Hammock: He put in significant work in left field this summer to ensure he can stick out there.

Humble Giant

Courtney Anderson, Corsicana High School Girls Athletic Coordinator, Softball Coach, and teacher:

You could talk about how he's here early in the morning, hitting, lifting, and running, but he is so much more than that.

Hammock on teammates breaking his new wooden bats in a BP session last summer: In a sport often obsessed with exit velocities and the latest gear, Easton reminded everyone at the Midland Redskins indoor facility this summer that the best part of baseball isn't the equipment - it’s the teammates. … Most players would have been devastated, or at least frustrated, to see premium equipment destroyed before they even got their own full set of reps. But Easton didn't flinch. Instead of looking at the splintered wood, he looked at his teammates. "Oh well," he said with a genuine grin. "Did you guys even like them at all?"

Olsen: Easton exhibits the great baseball lessons that make for a successful person: Obsessed with getting better, hyper focus, attention to the little things, confidence, and being a great teammate. My son would much rather see Easton live these traits than hear me talk to him about them. I am thankful for the life lessons Easton has taught Cooper through baseball.

Hammock: He handles failure well. Going through slumps never affected his role as a teammate, and he never let an at-bat carry over to the field.

Booth on what happened after a home run at Globe Life Field, lefty vs. lefty, facing 95 mph: What mattered was not the home run. When you have a tool, you check the box and trust it. What mattered was the environment, the matchup, the moment, and his ability to rise to it. True Easton Autrey form. He dropped the bat, trotted, took it in stride. The moment came. The moment passed. On to the next one.

Heath Autrey, Easton’s father and Corsicana High School baseball coach on his youngest son’s first deer: When he was 7 he shot his first buck up in Northwest Texas. I sat with all five of our boys as they shot their first deer. Any father who hunts knows what that moment feels like. It's an intense few minutes where your heart feels like it's going to jump out of your chest. I asked him if he was ready and clicked his rifle off safety, he said, "Yes sir.” Before he pulled the trigger, he started to laugh out loud. Really loud. “BOOOM.” The deer is down right in his tracks, 125 yards away. He just acted like it was no big deal. Calm as he could be. At that moment, I knew he was built a little differently.

Tiffany Boortz, Collins Intermediate School Principal: He has always been so humble and kind. … He has been such a great role model for the young kids in town. My daughter has looked up to him for years, maybe a slight crush. He has always gone out of his way and made time to speak to her and be nice to her. He even made sure she got a picture with him when he signed his letter of intent to play at UT.

Olsen: Cooper is a bigger (Texas A&M) Aggie fan than I am, so I am pretty sure Easton is the only person he would give the Hook ’Em sign for.

Ota: He’s an all around great person and someone I would call one of my best friends.

Alaina Gruver, Easton’s step-sister and a freshman cheerleader at Navarro College: People see my brother as this unreal, insane athlete, but to me, he’ll always be my little brother. … I had always wanted to be someone’s older sister, someone’s protector, even though, truthfully, he protects me more than I protect him. When we were younger, people used to call us twins and assume we were biologically related. In reality, we’re step-siblings, but that has never mattered to me.

Hawpe: My wife started asking Easton about Corsicana. She went to Navarro just like I did, and he began to tell her about his favorite audio books about Corsicana that he has listened to. He listens to audio books every week he drives here and back. So my wife Kim started listening to his recommendations! He’s more than just a big old country kid that can hit a ball a long ways. He’s a genuinely kind kid with a big heart, and with a strong work ethic, and a curious mind to discover more about his hometown, the world, his swing, and everything in between.

Whittney Autrey, step-mother: Easton is our gentle giant, the youngest of our six, yet the biggest. And even with his stature, there’s definitely a telltale sign that he's the baby. But even with that, he’s also as much a protector as the oldest. He stands firm for his family and adores his siblings. He’s loyal, kind, soft hearted, funny. He’s laid back and goes with the flow. He’s most at peace when everyone around him is happy and at peace.

Shiloh Callaway, travel ball teammate and current freshman at Paris Junior College: I lived with Easton for the whole summer and I got to know him very well. He is a great baseball player and an even better person. … Easton and I were playing in the yard with our host families nieces and nephews, when a group of about 15 kids asked us to go play wiffle ball with them. Easton did not hesitate, and after they saw him swing they asked where he was going and how they could swing like him. He didn’t act too good for them. Instead, he helped them out and answered all of their questions.

Corbin Hall, Corsicana High School assistant baseball coach: My favorite thing has to be me throwing batting practice to him every day. The joy I have watching him take BP from the time he was probably 6 to now is something that I always think about. Yes, he hits the ball hard. Yes, he hits the ball far. But it’s the simple, “Hey coach, I love your BP. Can you throw?,” to after we’re done, “I appreciate it coach. Thank you.” … It’s easy to not say thank you, but he’s respectful caring and just a good dude that he always says thank you.

Mahailey Oliver, Corsicana High School Honors English teach, UIL academic coordinator and coach: One thing that stands out in my memory is that Easton was a student that other students - especially male athletes in the period - looked up to and respected. He had the ability to control the energy in the room, and if ever he noticed that the energy was a bit too chaotic, he acted as a mellowing agent and charismatically calmed the energy. I'll always be thankful for that.

Whittney Autrey: Some of my proudest moments are witnessing him share his wins with others and his heart for others. Playing at (McLennan Community College) last year, we just won an intense game that advanced us in the playoffs but ended it for the other team. While everyone was celebrating, Easton noticed one opponent crying and went to comfort him before joining his teammates.

Heath Autrey: I am a very proud dad, whether he hits any more homers or breaks more records or not. He is a good person.

The Kid

Russ Pratt, summer league coach, mentor, and family friend: In the summer, whenever there are little kids around, Easton will always end up playing wiffle ball with them. Always. It does not matter what else is going on. You’ll look over and there’s a 6’5” kid letting kids crowd the plate, arguing about whether something was a home run or a foul like it’s Game 7. What’s funny is how seriously he doesn’t take himself. He’s fully invested in the game, but he’s also laughing, messing around, and clearly having just as much fun as the kids. He celebrates their hits like they just did something unbelievable, and he absolutely never lets them win.

Skip Johnson, University of Oklahoma baseball coach, former Navarro College coach, family friend on hunting trips with the Autreys: (Heath and I) always wanted (the kids) to carry the gun a certain way. We taught them gun safety, how to take the bullet out, and whatnot, but they couldn't drop the gun because it had a scope on it, right? So we're on a mule and Heath is hauling it back to the cabin … 
Next thing you know, I said, “Heath, Easton just fell out of the buggy.” (Easton)’s probably 8 or 9 years old. 
And he goes, “What?” And I go, “Stop. Stop the mule.” I said, “He just fell out.” (Easton)’s bawling, I mean, he's bawling at the top of his lungs. He's like, “Dad, Daddy, the gun didn't touch the ground, though.”

Medrano: When he was a junior, not long before committing to Texas. a scout asked him what his dream car was. Without hesitation, Easton said, “A Toyota Camry with red leather seats.” Everybody just kind of stared at each other, then erupted in laughter. … While we thought it was hilarious, it was actually perfect. Even when handed the chance to dream big, Easton never strayed from who he truly was. And that, more than anything, is what makes him special.

Booth: Easton has a tremendous BS meter. If you are talking in circles or offering clichés, he tunes you out. To earn his trust, you have to show him character, clarity, and the ability to actually make him better. Once you do, he gives you everything back.

Oliver: It is tradition for the grade levels to have a competition at every pep rally to see who can cheer the loudest. This year, the sophomores performed consistently well, to the seniors' dismay. At a pep rally in October, I noticed a rather tall student in a pink mask standing with the sophomores. We could tell right away that it was Easton, and we asked why he was standing with the sophomores instead of the seniors. He said, "Might as well be on the winning team!" It cracked us up - so very Easton!

Gruver on after his 544-foot home run at an exhibition in the fall of 2024: We got home, he kicked off his turf shoes, and the smell was absolutely putrid. I asked him if he even washed his feet, and without missing a beat he said, “Yeah, I just throw the bar of soap on the floor and rub my feet on it.” … That’s when it hit me, beneath all the hype, he is still just a silly teenage boy. Still just my obnoxious little brother.

Whitney Autrey: This summer, while he was on his most incredible journey to date, earning multiple awards and recognition, he gave most of it away. To strangers, little kids, teammates, and whoever came in contact with him that shared the excitement. He gave away his personal gloves, bats, etc., as well as apparel and other merch that he was given or had won. He shared his success with everyone and was happy to do so. He never became boastful - he just played like a little kid himself and never realized what he truly accomplished.

Anderson: I had the pleasure of having him in my College Prep course this year. He was always the first to offer up a "good thing" in class. It could be anything from the fact that he had something to eat because a friend brought him something, or that there was a home football game this week!

Medrano on Easton's skiing trip with his family: It was Easton’s first time on skis, and like most beginners, he struggled. … Before long, he started to figure it out and was finally comfortable enough to try some of the harder trails. Sean, my son, went down first and waited at the bottom. Easton followed behind him and just before reaching the bottom, he wiped out pretty hard and his skis flew clean off his feet. Right behind him came Seth, my youngest son, who was only 8 years old at the time. Easton was so upset that he was about to be the only one who didn’t finish the trail, he grabbed one of his skis and threw it at Seth. Seth dodged it just in time, but hit a mogul as a result, and crashed anyway landing on his head. We were all stunned for a minute and then we lost it. We laughed so hard we could barely stand, and to this day we still talk about it and laugh just as hard. That was the moment I knew Easton was one of the most competitive people I’d ever been around.

Anderson: Some of my funniest memories of Easton are at the Baseball/Softball Halloween game, a classic that Coach Autrey invited us to be a part of years ago. Easton has had some interesting costumes over the years and always kept it light. He would get up to bat in a silly costume and you're thinking, “This kid has a chance to play pro ball one day and he is just out there having fun like all the other players!” He would then hit a tennis ball harder than anyone I have ever seen.

Johnson: (The Autrey boys) walked around barefooted on a ranch that had rattlesnakes all around it. They would have Oreo cookies in their camper - Hunter did it more than Easton, but I'm sure Easton was involved in it too - everybody had double stuff in their camper trailers. They’d eat the sugar out of it, and then put the cookie back together and put it back in the box.

Pratt: That’s the part that sticks with me. For all the size and all the attention around him, Easton is still a huge little kid at heart. He hasn’t outgrown the fun part of baseball. He still loves the game when it’s silly, loud, and played with a plastic bat in the summer heat.