‘His heart was bigger than his bat’ 

It’s one thing for a high school student-athlete to have a positive impact on the field, court, mat, or in the pool. But when you make an even greater impact with the way you conduct yourself away from competition, it speaks volumes. 

The death of Oak Park and River Forest High School baseball alum Andrew Hagins (class of 2006) in December 2023 came as a shock to his family, friends, teammates, and coaches — not just for what Hagins accomplished on the field, but because of the character he displayed on and off. 

Hagins was a very talented player for the OPRF baseball team. In his senior season, he batted .465 with 13 doubles, five home runs, and 40 RBI. He was named the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Most Valuable Player and earned All-Area and All-State honors. He also excelled in the classroom, making the honor roll all four years. 

After his Huskies’ career ended, Hagins was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now simply called the Rays) in the 28^th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft. At the time, he had a full scholarship offer for the University of St. Francis, but had he enrolled, he wouldn’t have been draft-eligible again until after his junior season. With that in mind, he decided to attend Oakton Community College in Des Plaines to improve his game against high-quality competition. 

It paid off, as he enjoyed two terrific seasons with the Owls. In 2007, he had a batting average of .314 and drove in 52 runs, second on the team, earning First Team Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference honors and runner-up for the ISCC Player of the Year. In 2008, he hit .366 with six home runs, eight stolen bases, and 38 RBI. 

Following Oakton, Hagins went to Western Illinois University to finish his career. In 2009, he batted .292 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI for the Leathernecks. Upon graduation, he worked 11 years as a resource development manager for Solution Partners Inc. 

Hagins’ baseball accomplishments, while impressive, are not what he is being remembered for. Instead, Toni Hagins (a longtime OPRF employee), his baseball varsity assistant coach Matt Maloney, and his friends and OPRF teammates Gil Claudio, Tim Dennehy, and Bobby Fratto all marveled at his humble personality. 

Wednesday Journal recently interviewed all for their recollections. 

Toni Hagins, Andrew’s mother: 

“Andrew was unbelievable. He was genuine, kind and loving, and just loved the game of baseball. He never left for anywhere without saying ‘I love you’ to us. He enjoyed his friends. He had a successful baseball career but was never in your face about it; you would not even know unless you saw him play. 

“Andrew was a team player who loved his teammates and the game. I think that he was the kind of person people wanted to know, and once you met him, you would want to know him more. One of his teammates told me at the wake that he wanted to be like Andrew; he just looked up to him.” 

Matt Maloney, former OPRF varsity baseball assistant coach: 

“Here’s what I’ll say about Andrew: His heart was bigger than his bat, which is hard to do when you have such a big bat as he had. He was one of the best power hitters to ever go through the program, at least since I was playing at OPRF. There was never a day that he did not put the program, team, and coaches above himself. He was a lead-by-example guy and it was impossible not to follow because he not only lived and breathed baseball, he lived and breathed OPRF baseball. Andrew became the guy younger kids wanted to become. 

“From an underdeveloped sophomore to becoming an All-State outfielder as a senior because of his defense and bat, his game grew. But more importantly, he aspired to make others better. For me, Andrew was one of the best Huskie outfielders I ever saw, and that’s a long, prestigious list. He never missed a moment to thank people who helped him in his journey, and in turn, he impacted those he helped more than they helped him. That was such a special attribute he had.” 

Bobby Fratto, Hagins’ friend and teammate: 

“Andrew was my best friend, like a brother. He was the most selfless person I’ve ever known, and he wanted people around him to feel welcome in anything we were doing. He wanted everybody to succeed, and most of all, he just wanted everyone to be happy. 

“He was the most humble person I’ve ever met. He was the most talented baseball player I’ve ever been around, but he never bragged about anything. If he did anything special, you would have to brag for him; he wouldn’t come out and say how good of a game he had. If he had a good game, you’d never know it by the look on his face, but if anyone else did, he’d be smiling from ear to ear and would be so happy to see his teammates succeed. That speaks volumes about the type of person he was.” 

Gil Claudio, friend and teammate: 

“To sum it all up, Andrew was the glue of the team. Everyone was successful because of him. Everybody followed his lead.” 

Tim Dennehy, friend and teammate: 

“It was an honor to be Andrew’s teammate, but more importantly, his friend. He had a joy for the game, and exemplified what it means to be a part of the OPRF baseball program and community. He represented us to the fullest and was a big part of the culture that was cultivated. Andrew always had your back.” 

This Saturday, April 20, OPRF hosts Hinsdale South at 11 a.m. Before the game, the Huskies will honor Hagins with a special event. Also, Toni Hagins said she is establishing a college scholarship in Andrew’s name to be awarded to a senior baseball player who, according to Toni, “exemplifies the qualities that Andrew showed not only as a player but as a person.”