MORGANTOWN – Trinity Christian senior Parker Hopkins has been on a steady climb throughout his high school baseball career.
Hopkins was a Class A All-State Honorable Mention selection as a catcher in 2023 as a freshman. In 2024, he earned second-team honors after a solid sophomore season for the Warriors. Last season, as a junior, Hopkins was named a 2025 first-team All-State selection even after an injury-riddled season.
On Tuesday, Hopkins continued his baseball journey with another milestone checked off the list, as he signed to continue his career after high school with WV Wesleyan College next fall.
“I went down to visit multiple times, and the campus is beautiful, and it’s in a small town,” Hopkins said. “The academic programs are also great there. Something that stood out during a camp last summer was how welcoming the entire program was. Players and coaches were involved and engaging, making me feel part of the family. It sort of felt like being here at Trinity.”
Hopkins says his experience attending and playing for a smaller school like Trinity Christian has shaped his game in multiple ways, both on and off the field.
“I’m most excited to build that bond with my teammates and to prove to everybody what I’m capable of,” he said. “I think that’s one of the best parts about being able to continue playing baseball: proving to people who doubted me in the past that they shouldn’t have. Being here at Trinity has taught me that I can’t take anything for granted. You have to work with what you have and use it to the best of your ability. I think that’s what’s helped me get to this point.”
Getting to this point didn’t seem plausible to Parker in the recent past. After a hand injury last season, Hopkins says he thought his baseball career would be over after high school.
“I thought my recruiting journey was done,” he said. “I wasn’t getting any looks at all.”
Hopkins is also the starting goalkeeper for the TCS soccer team and was cleared on August 5 to begin preparing for his senior season on the pitch. However, with his injury being to his hand, he admittedly had his doubts.
“Originally, I was pretty nervous about playing soccer, and I avoided most contact with my right hand at first,” he said. “But once I got some of my strength back and was able to get back into my normal gym routine. Once I just trusted the process, I felt like I took off from there.”
Now, with his senior season ahead of him in the spring, Hopkins says he’s more motivated to improve his game and ensure he’s ready for the next level come Fall ‘26.
“I want to make sure I’m prepared for the different velocities I’ll be facing, both as a hitter and a catcher,” he said. “Also, being the best leader and teammate I can be. Stepping in as a freshman, I want to show the entire team that I’m there to compete and be ready for when my time comes.”
