Ethan Hearn Turns Season Around in Second Half

August 23, 2022 by Sam Weiderhaft

Being a catcher comes with many responsibilities. From being the team captain, to calling pitches, to throwing out runners trying to steal, many aspects are looked at when evaluating a team’s backstop. Hitting can often be overlooked with catchers because the defensive duties take precedence. In the second half of 2022, Ethan Hearn has brought his bat to the forefront as one of the Pelicans' top hitters.

Hearn was the Pelicans' main catcher in the 2021 season, playing 62 games with 51 of those being behind the plate. He hit .176 with six home runs while leading the league with 27 runners caught stealing.

The Mobile, Alabama native came back to Myrtle Beach for 2022 and had a highlight moment in just his fourth game of the season. He hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth against the Augusta GreenJackets on April 14th to give the Pelicans a 3-2 win.

“That was something I’ve always wanted to do,” Hearn said.

Hearn struggled at the plate throughout the first few months of the season. Prior to July, Hearn hit .188 in the first three months of the year, while keeping up his impressive defense. On May 1st against the Columbia Fireflies, Hearn caught the third nine-inning no-hitter in Pelicans history and first of his career.

“I’ve been chasing that no-hitter since I got in pro-ball,” Hearn said.

He would catch another no-hitter on July 17th against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in the final game before the four-day All-Star break for the Minors.

As the Pelicans moved through the break, Hearn’s bat started to come alive. He hit a double in the first game back in Charleston on July 22nd and hit a solo home run against Augusta a few days later. In the Augusta series, Hearn smashed a pair of homers with seven RBI in five games.

That would be the lead-up for a pair of great offensive performances just a few days apart. On August 5th against Lynchburg in Myrtle Beach, Hearn collected a three-hit game for the first time in his career. He hit a double while driving in a pair of runs. Two games later, he matched that hit total with another three-hit performance, including another double, this time against Columbia.

In the 19 games he’s played post-All-Star break, Hearn has hit .254 with three home runs, two triples, five doubles, and 14 RBI while maintaining his catching skills. His 31 runners caught stealing ranks third in the Carolina League while catching 632 innings, the most for a catcher in the league.

In the beginning of the year, Hearn had mentioned that he was trying to simplify his swing from last year.

“I was just throwing everything at it and seeing what would stick,” Hearn said. “I’ve got juice, I’ve got the power and don’t really have to create it.”

That juice is showing now as the Pelicans gear up for the playoff push in September. Hearn’s leadership behind the plate and power at the plate will be counted on as the Pelicans try and add their fifth Carolina League title.