At a signing ceremony on June 3, Ariton High School senior Aven Cook announced his decision to play college baseball at Chattahoochee Valley Community College (CVCC) in Phenix City. 

Cook will go to CVCC as a preferred walk-on, fulfilling a lifelong dream of being a college baseball player.

“I talked to their coach for a while and he always stayed in contact,” Cook said. “After we got out of the playoffs early this year he stayed in contact with me and he was really one of the coaches that kept me going. He gave me a phone call one night and told me he had a walk-on offer for me. 

“Ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to play (college) baseball, so I just decided to take it. It’s an opportunity I’ve always wanted to have and I’m blessed to have it.”

Cook earned a .390 batting average as a senior with a .533 on-base percentage, three doubles, two triples, two stolen bases, 19 RBIs and 41 runs. He also earned a .938 fielding percentage on defense. He also holds a unique but gritty record as he was hit by a pitch 32 time last season, an AHSAA state record. For his career, Cook was hit by a total of 67 pitches. 

“It started one game (my sophomore year) when we had the bases loaded,” Cook said. “I told myself, I can’t get out of the way (of the pitch). It was two strikes, if it hits me it hits me and we score a run. Ever since then, Coach (Bob) Pickett told me to stand on the chalk and foul it off and be as gritty as possible.

“I started getting hit pitch after pitch after pitch and at the Gulf Shores (tournament) I got hit 8-of-10 at-bats. I just decided I would stay on the line and it worked. I was stealing bases when I got on and was scoring and I was still getting hits, too.”

Evans has a defined goal set for college already.

“I’m going as a walk-on, so I plan to earn a scholarship by the fall and I want to be able to start as a freshman,” he emphasized. “If not, I can redshirt my freshman year and come back out and play again the next year. My plans are to be able to start as soon as possible and just keep getting better.”