Alabama Baseball's Evan Sleight First to Wear Jersey No. 3 in New Tradition
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Toughness, ownership and grit are three of the cornerstones instituted into the Alabama baseball program by new head coach Rob Vaughn, whose first season at the helm gets underway this month. These pillars are crucial in this new era, and one way they're being represented is with the jersey No. 3 being designated for a player who embodies them.
For the Crimson Tide, the player who will don the number in 2024 is graduate outfielder Evan Sleight. Like Vaughn, Sleight is brand new to the Capstone. Both arrived by way of the Big Ten, Vaughn from Maryland and Sleight from Rutgers. Last season, the Scarlet Knights transfer hit .315 in 203 at-bats with 27 extra-base hits (including 12 home runs). He's from Framingham, Mass., the same home state as a recently graduated former Crimson Tide outfielder who was sharp with the bat in his hands.
"Those are the three things that's on the practice plan every day, it's posted all over, we talk about that stuff every day," Vaughn said. "That's gotta be who we are and what we do. If we hang our hat on those three pillars and can show up with the heavyweight matchups and take a punch, we've got a chance to be okay."
A December video package posted to the team's social media accounts announced that the first opportunity to wear the numeral with its newfound significance had been bestowed upon Sleight. "#3- It's about leadership," the caption read. It's been worn before, most recently in 2023 by former Alabama catcher and designated hitter Dominic Tamez.
Sleight wore No. 6 on his uniform tops in the fall, including the exhibition matchups. He hit a home run and scored two runs on Oct. 28 against Florida State.
"It's an extreme honor," Sleight said. "There's been a lot of great players who have worn the number three, and I'm extremely excited to keep that tradition going, but as a whole, it's something we all strive for."
Vaughn has stressed the importance of bringing the best on each given day, an endeavor which is underscored by the pillars. One other thing it represents is the fact that the coach has already putting his mark on the program.
"He's [Vaughn] brought a whole bunch of great things to the table," right-handed starting pitcher Ben Hess said. "Even the number three that Evan wears, he brought that in."
What he's instilled in the program and his players has been done with major goals not far from mind— including a return trip to Omaha, Neb., for what would be Alabama's first appearance at college baseball's pinnacle event of the century.
Vaughn has noticed his team's culture and drive to win, which he cites as key factors in the success of his inaugural Crimson Tide team. There are new faces slated to make an impact, like Sleight, as well as a group of returning players who tasted success in the 2023 postseason and want more. The players, Vaughn said, have lived out commitment to their goals, and the three pillars are an integral part of that.
