The right-handed hitting Hondras, who plays outfield and middle infield, joins the team after completing his senior year at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, where he was on the fringe of breaking programs records for games played, hits and at-bats in a career before COVID-19 cancelled his senior season. He’ll join the baseball program at Michigan in the Big Ten Conference following his summer in the Midwest Collegiate League.

Hondras was part of the Jackie Robinson West team that advanced to the championship game of the Little League World Series in 2014. He has also played in the Chicago White Sox Amateur City Elite (ACE) program.

Oilmen manager Chris Cunningham has been Hondras’ hitting coach since the incoming Michigan freshman was 9 years old.

“I think I bring competitiveness and a strong desire to win,” Hondras said. “All of my teammates are here to do one thing, and that’s win the league. Our job is to get better, have fun and win the league this summer. We’re all good players and we’re all going to be out there having fun. It’s summer ball, but we all want to win.”

Hondras, who likely would have been selected in the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft if it weren’t shortened from 40 rounds to five, was longtime teammates with Chicago Cubs first-round draft pick Ed Howard, a 2020 Mount Carmel graduate. Hondras has known Howard since the age of 8 and they’ve played together since age 12.

After Jackie Robinson West’s 2014 Little League World Series run, Hondras and his teammates met the President, were on Good Morning America and attended Game 5 of the World Series between the Royals and Giants in San Francisco.

“The atmosphere of being there was unreal,” Hondras said. “It was a crazy experience; I’ve never seen anything like it. Going on the field to meet guys like Eric Hosmer, Hunter Pence and Madison Bumgarner was an unreal moment.”