Utah Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 | Baseball’s C.J. Cron

Utah Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 | Baseball’s C.J. Cron

[Applause] Before launching a decadel long career in Major League Baseball, CJ Cone was already making a name for himself on the diamond. Raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Cone attended Mountain High School, where his talent and power at the plate earned him attention for Major League Baseball scouts and selection in the 44th round of the 2008 MLB draft. He chose instead to pursue college baseball, enrolling at the University of Utah. From 2009 to 2011, Cone became one of the most decorated players in Utah baseball history. A two-time Mountain West Conference player of the year. He earned first team all-America honors in both 2010 and 2011 and was a semi- finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howouser Trophy. As a freshman, he helped lead the youths to a Mountain West Conference Championship and an appearance in the NCAA regionals. His collegiate success culminated in being selected 17th overall in the first round of the 2011 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Angels, the highest draft pick ever for a Utah baseball player. Cone made his Major League Baseball debut on May 5th, 2014 and went on to play for five teams over 10 seasons. The Angels, the Rays, the Twins, the Tigers, and the Rockies. Known for his consistent offensive production, he hit 187 career home runs and recorded 604 RBI. He was part of two division winning teams, the 2014 ALS champion Angels and the 2019 AL Central Champion Twins, and earned the National League Player of the Month honors in August 2021. In 2022, he was named a Major League Baseball All-Star, a career highlight, and reflected his steady rise and impact in the league. Among his most memorable moments was a 504 ft home run, the second longest ever recorded in the Statcast era, showcasing the raw power that defined his game. Off the field, Cone comes from a family deeply rooted in baseball. His father Chris played professionally and now serves as the hitting coach for the A’s. His brother Kevin and cousin Chad Mohler also played in the majors, continuing the legacy of excellence in the sport. CJ Cron’s career is a testament to talent, perseverance, and a lifelong dedication to baseball. From his early days in Phoenix to his record- setting years at Utah and a successful Major League Baseball career, CJ Cone left a lasting mark on the game and continues to inspire future generations of athletes. To be inducted in the University of Utah Athletics Hall of Fame is truly an honor for me. I’m uh I’m humbled to to be recognized alongside the other great inductees and congratulations to you guys as well. I know it’s uh super cool um to make the Hall of Fame here. Firstly, I want to thank my friends and family for coming out and showing support this weekend. I’m super excited you guys are all here together at the same time for the first time to be able to show you around this great university. I had a lot of great memories of my time at Utah, whether it was my freshman year uh winning the Mountain West Conference and taking Utah baseball to their first regional since 1960 or when I played for the Bees and got called up in the same locker room that I spent all those college days at. So, Utah’s got a special place in my life. And yeah, I it’s it’s a huge part of everything. I want to thank my parents obviously for um all the support growing up allowing me to kind of chase my dream and obviously I wouldn’t be here without them. So I love you guys. I also want to thank Coach Kenberg um for showing me support when I was here. It’s a long baseball season. There’s a lot of ups and downs and um he was always by my side and and supported me and um he was a great mentor. So thank you. And uh and lastly, I just want to encourage everyone to support the Utah baseball team as they move into their new onampus stadium. I think the camaraderie with all the sports is what makes this athletic program great. So, show them support. We’ll do the same for all the other sports and go youths. [Music] [Applause]