Former Mason pitchers Eaton, Lyons inch closer to the Major Leagues

By David Driver, Special Correspondent

Former George Mason lefty pitcher Konnor Eaton has been at the professional level for less than three years in the Colorado Rockies' farm system.

And while he has work to do to reach the majors, Eaton feels confident in one under-appreciated aspect of the game – preparation on the days leading up to starting assignment.

"One hundred percent, I think that is one of my best things, that I feel comfortable with what I do" in between starts, the product of Prince George High near Richmond said in a telephone interview. "I write down my schedule, and I am really big on mobility exercises."

Drafted out of George Mason by the Rockies in the sixth round in 2024, Eaton was promoted to Double-A New Haven at the end of last season. He began this season as one of the top 30 prospects in the Colorado system, per mlb.com, and he has been in the starting rotation for New Haven in 2026 – and two levels below the Major Leagues.

Eaton, 23, is bidding to become the fourth ex-Patriot to pitch in The Show, following Mike Draper, who saw action for the New York Mets in 1993; current head coach Shawn Camp, who pitched for several clubs from 2004-14 as a reliever; and Chris O'Grady, who appeared in 21 games with six starts with the Marlins in 2017-18.

In his first 16 outings this season for New Haven, Eaton was 4-1 with an ERA of 4.21 in 72.2 innings of work. In early August, he moved up to No. 14 on the Colorado prospect list.

Eaton, though, has company on the road to the big leagues – he was not the only former Mason pitcher to see action in Spring Training for his Major League affiliate.

PHONE CALL AWAY

A generation or two ago, it was rare for a player to bypass Triple-A and go straight from Double-A to the majors.

Not anymore. Many times, some of the top prospects, including pitchers, are at the Double-A level and may be summoned to the big leagues if there is an injury or a Major Leaguer is not performing up to par.

"At Double-A, they know if you can play there you ready for the big leagues," said former Mason catcher Kyle Hayes, now in the minors with Washington. "At Triple-A, any given moment you could get the call."

Jared Lyons, a former teammate with Eaton, was drafted out of Mason by the Cincinnati Reds in the 14^th round in 2022.

In 2021, Hayes was a catcher for Mason and got to work with Lyons – who had six of the team's 14 wins that year and an ERA of 3.73.

"I knew when I caught Jared, he was going to be very good," Hayes said. "His fastball had some life on it and his secondary pitches were strong."

The right-handed pitcher and West Springfield High graduate has split time this season between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville after appearing in a Spring Training game with the Reds in Arizona.

Lyons, in his first outing at Triple-A this year, went two scoreless innings on June 4.

Ben Shields, 27, part of the Mason rotation with Eaton, began his pro career in the New York Yankees system before he was traded to the Rockies last year. He pitched at the Double-A level in Hartford in 2025, posting a stellar ERA of 2.33 in five starts and then appeared in the Arizona Fall League for top prospects.

A transfer to Mason from UMass, Shields has been on the Injured List this season and has been doing rehab work in Arizona, according to Eaton.

In late July, Eaton made a start for Hartford on the road at the new minor league stadium in Richmond that is home to the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. "I pitched in the old stadium last year and in the new stadium this year. I can take that off my bucket list," said Eaton, who had about 50 family and friends on hand for the game.

He feels good about this season.

"It has been great, it has been a great learning experience," he said. "It is a long season; you know there are going to be ups and downs."

Eaton was not highly recruited out of high school but was pursued by Camp, who was then the pitching coach for the Patriots.

Camp was the pitching coach when Eaton was a freshman and then the head coach for his final two years. "He is a player's coach at the end of the day," said Eaton, noting Camp gave him advice about the draft.

And the Mason coach knows what that is like, as he was chosen in the 16^th round in 1997 by the San Diego Padres after pitching for long-time Patriot coach Billy Brown.

Former Mason pitcher Patrick Halligan, drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of Pensacola State College in Florida in 2021, pitched in a Spring Training game this year for the Boston Red Sox and has been at the Double-A and Triple-A level this year in the Boston system, mainly as a reliever.

ROAD TO RECOVERY

Logan Driscoll, a former GMU catcher, is trying to get back to the majors. He broke in with Tampa Bay in 2024 then missed last season with an injury. He made it back to Triple-A Durham earlier this year.

Other former GMU players who have seen action in the minors this year with affiliated organizations include Brandon Cassedy (Houston); Conner Dykstra (Seattle); Hayes (Washington); Connor Knox (Cubs); Jamie Quinn-Irons (Tampa Bay); and Michael Salina (San Diego), who also played at St. Bonaventure.

After several years in the minors with Kansas City, Hayes was picked up by Washington earlier this year. He was at Double-A Harrisburg before heading to Triple-A Rochester, where he plays for manager and former Nationals' catcher Matt LeCroy.

"It has been awesome. I grew up a Nats' fan. It is a dream come true. I am so grateful that I am here, on a team I grew up rooting for," said Hayes, hoping to be the seventh alum of James Madison High to make the majors. No other Virginia high school has produced more.

Ex-Patriot stars who have played in pro Indy ball in 2026 are Chad Gartland, Carter Kelsey, Sam Lavin Lyle Miller-Green, Zach Mort, Connor O'Hara, Jackson Peters, Jordan Smith and Lucas Terilli.

In addition to Driscoll, three other former Mason position players made it to The Show: outfielder Hylton High grad Mike Colangelo, who appeared in 71 games from 1999 to 2002 with the Angels, San Diego Padres and Oakland A's; catcher Chris Widger, who played in 613 games from 1995-2006 with Seattle, Montreal, the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles; and first baseman Justin Bour, who hit 92 homers from 2014-19 with the Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies and Angels.

Widger played in one game in the 2005 World Series as his White Sox swept the Houston Astros. Since their playing days ended, Colangelo has coached youth baseball, Widger has been a minor league manager and Bour has worked in the front office of the Brewers. Draper has run a training center in Maryland.

Eaton is trying to join them as a Mason big leaguer. He is the cousin of Nate Eaton, who starred in college at VMI and has played this season for the Red Sox.

The former Mason star began this season as the No. 27 prospect in the Colorado system – not something he gets worked up about – and has moved up the rankings. "Prospect means potential at the end of the day," Eaton said.

Editor's note: Harrisonburg native David Driver is the co-author of "From Tidewater to the Shenandoah: Snapshots from Virginia's Rich Baseball Legacy," available on Amazon and at daytondavid.com. Driver covered the Washington Nationals from 2013-22 for various outlets and is the former sports editor of papers in Arlington, Harrisonburg and Baltimore had he worked for papers that covered Springfield, Fairfax and Burke.