Rece Hinds easily remembers one of the moments that changed the course of his life.
“I remember one day, when I was little, dragging a heavy metal bat into the front yard and asking my stepdad if he would teach me how to play this game,” the Chattanooga Lookouts slugger said. “From there I have loved going outside and playing baseball. I never was really a big fan of any team or player, I just enjoyed being outside and hitting the ball.”
The 22-year-old Hinds, a native of Niceville, Florida, near the Gulf Coast, has certainly delivered memorable moments with his bat of late as he helped the Lookouts clinch a spot in this fall’s Southern League playoffs by winning the North Division first-half title with an overall record of 38-30.
From June 11-17, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound outfielder tied the 2023 minor league baseball season record of six straight games with a home run. He and Los Angeles Angels prospect Jo Adell are the only players to accomplish the feat so far this year. During the six-game stretch, Hinds went 12-of-21 with seven home runs and 13 RBIs, and he struck out in only two of those games.
One of his home runs during the prolific run was a mammoth 446-foot walk-off shot in a 4-3 win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas. After connecting, Hinds threw his bat toward the home dugout and threw off his helmet, and he later celebrated with the third base coach with a leaping high-five.