After a decorated career at BHS, Kevin Watson Jr. is working his way up through the Arizona Diamondbacks minor league baseball program. In late August, Kevin was promoted to the Hillsboro Hops, the club’s Single-A Short-Season affiliate. Days later, he was suiting up to play in front of his friends and family.

During his Beaverton days, Kevin was known for his work ethic, devotion, and natural talent. Throughout his senior season, he lit up the 6A state leaderboards in nearly every category. He finished second in batting average, on-base percentage, home runs, and runs. He also collected an incredible 40 stolen bases to lead the state.

Following his graduation from Beaverton High School in 2017, Kevin was selected in the 18th round of the MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He decided to forego a career at Oregon State University and signed with the D-Backs. He was assigned to the Rookie-level AZL Diamondbacks, where he played during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In 47 games this summer he produced 38 hits and 25 RBI.

To the excitement of local baseball fans, Kevin was reassigned to the Hillsboro Hops on August 29th. The Hops seemed happy to have him as well, stating in a Tweet: “The local boy made good…Welcome Home Kevin!”

On September 1st, Kevin made his debut at Ron Tonkin Field, a mere 20-minute drive from BHS. Facing the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, Kevin started in left field and batted 2nd. He put on a show for his hometown fans when he crushed a triple and then came in to score, giving the Hops a 1-0 lead.

The Hops season has come to a close, but make sure to follow Kevin this coming season as he continues his professional baseball career. Hopefully, he stays in Hillsboro long enough for us to catch a game next season.