Connor Narron

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on August 17, 2010 1:46 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Bus rides or new teammates?

Classes, exams and dorms or the family business?

Connor Narron is keeping it in the family.

The Charles B. Aycock graduate and University of North Carolina recruit signed a contract with the Baltimore Orioles last Friday. The Orioles selected Narron in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball Amateur draft in June.

Narron inked a $650,000 deal, according to the Baltimore Sun.

A four-year starter at Aycock, Narron committed to UNC before his junior season. Rather than taking his talents to the Atlantic Coast Conference, he opted to follow his father's footsteps. Jerry Narron played and managed in the Major Leagues.

"Going to Carolina would have been great," said Connor. "I'm not a big fan of school. Baltimore is a great franchise and they paid pretty well. Pro baseball is always what I've wanted to do.

"My family and everybody's who been in baseball in the past helped me make this decision. It's sort of the family business and I just feel like they've supported me."

Narron was part of the Golden Falcons' state championship squad as a freshman in 2007. He helped Aycock compile a 90-23 record during his prep career in Pikeville. Narron batted .317 this past season with 30 RBI and seven home runs in 60 at-bats. He drew 42 walks.

Adapting to the speed of the game and live pitching have been the biggest adjustments for Narron since making his minor league debut on Aug. 13 with the Gulf Coast Orioles. Narron had not played a game since suiting up for Wayne County Post 11 in June.

Narron struck out in all three of his at-bats in his debut, but has recorded a hit in each of his past two games. He went 1 for 3 with an RBI on Monday.

"In the first game I was a little nervous," said Narron. "It's definitely a faster game than high school. After I just got my first hit I was able to calm down."

Officials in the Baltimore organization have discussed promoting Narron to the Class A short-season Aberdeen IronBirds of the New York-Penn League at the conclusion of the Gulf Coast League season.

"Just knowing that I've got the opportunity to play baseball and move up in the organization, that's ultimately how you want it," said Narron. "I want to win. That's all I want to do is ultimately just win the World Series. I would rather win than have a losing season and hit .300."

Narron is the fifth player to get drafted during head coach Charles Davis' tenure with Aycock. Michael Wiggs, a Mount Olive College graduate, was the first in 1993. Brian Grant was signed by Toronto in 2002. Rob Wooten and Dustin Sasser were selected by Milwaukee and Chicago, respectively, in 2008.

"It's every coach's dream to have the opportunity to coach a kid the caliber of Connor," said Davis. "He has really put the forth the work and not so much at practice, but away from practice and on weekends and it's something he deserves."