The Wolfpacker

64 ■ THE WOLFPACKER nically a first-round pick, taken by the San Diego Padres in the compensation round between the first and second rounds as the 54th overall selection. Austin turned down a sizable bonus of- fer from the Padres to come to NC State, a decision many questioned at the time, but one he has never once second-guessed, and not just because of his on-field success, but also because of what college and NC State have given to him. "Coming to college has been a once- in-a-lifetime experience for me," Austin said. "The money, that would have been nice, but coming to college, you can't put a price on that. And I needed to grow up and mature, mentally and physically, on and off the field. "You look at the big picture, in the big scheme of things, it's been the best deci- sion I've ever made in my life." Austin's junior season has not gone ac- cording to Hoyle. Picked in the national top 10 in the preseason, NC State has struggled, posting a 24-19 record through April 27, losing 17 of 27 games since March 14. In the midst of all that, Austin has turned in his best season offensively, batting .317 with nine doubles, four triples and a home run. He's driven in only 18 runs, but is second on the team with 30 runs scored, thanks in large part to batting in the leadoff spot in the batting order 25 times in 42 games. All the while, he's once again been behind the plate every day. The personal stats take a back seat to team accomplishments for Austin, however, and with time running out on the 2014 sea- son, his mind is focused entirely on getting the Wolfpack to the postseason and hope- fully making another run deep into June. "To actually get to the College World Series last year was big for us, big for NC State, and we're just trying to get back there now," Austin said. "Obviously, the game of baseball's pretty tough. Things just aren't going our way right now, but we've got games left and hopefully something clicks and we can get back on that track." In early June, some Major League Base- ball team will call Austin's name during the annual MLB First-Year Player Draft. Austin may not go 54th overall again, but he should go high enough that the deci- sion to sign won't be as difficult this time around. He's grown up now, physically and mentally mature, and should be ready for pro ball. And as was the case three years ago, switch-hitting catchers don't grow on trees. He offers significant value and upside for whomever selects him. Asked about the draft, though, Austin found himself almost at a loss for words. "Our thoughts right now are just on try- ing to win games," Austin said after pon- dering the question several seconds. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, our backs are up against the wall just trying to make the postseason, and that's the only thing on our minds. "I think I speak for Trea and Carlos both when I say that right now playing pro ball is the farthest thing from our mind. We're just trying to get to the postseason so we can make a run. It's pretty cool to even be considered to play professional baseball, but we've just got to take it day by day and try to win some ballgames." ■ "I always try to have fun when I'm playing. The game's hard enough. If you beat yourself up, it only gets harder, so even if you're not playing well, have fun. Maybe something good will come out of it by you having fun. It's something I like to do. I like to smile on the field." ■ Brett Austin Austin, who served as the Pack's leadoff hitter in 25 of his first 42 games played this year, was hitting .317 with 30 runs scored, nine doubles, four triples, a home run and 18 RBI through April 27. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP 62-64.Baseball's Brett Austin.indd 64 4/29/14 12:34 PM

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