Lumberton Native Tashaun Stocks commits to RCC’s inaugural baseball team

Lumberton native Tashaun Stocks has committed to RCC’s inaugural baseball team. Stocks is a graduate of Lumberton High School and is a current student at Robeson Community College.

Stocks, 18, graduated from Lumberton High School in 2024. While a student there, he played on the baseball team and was a catcher.

“I thought my baseball career was over,” Stocks said. “I wasn’t interested in going to college, I was going to go to work at Smithfield in Tar Heel.”

Stocks currently works part-time for the City of Lumberton through its Parks and Recreation division and was looking for a new direction in his life. That’s when he saw that RCC was starting a baseball program.

“It definitely caught my attention,” Stocks said. “I felt that RCC was a good fit being it was close to home, and I liked the environment.”

Despite not wanting to go to college, Stocks enrolled at Robeson Community College this past December, declaring a major in Early Childhood Education with hopes of one day becoming a PE teacher and head baseball coach.

“I had a lot of coaches growing up that made a big impact on my life, and so I always thought, if I’m not playing baseball, I want to be somewhere helping kids and coaching baseball,” Stocks said. “Going into early childhood education is something that you should do if you are into helping kids, making someone smile, and making someone’s day better.”

Since starting at RCC, Stocks says that RCC has been really good, welcoming, and helpful.

“I’m taking math, English, Intro to College,” Stocks said. “I will be taking Intro to Early Childhood this March.”

One day as he was scrolling through his college email, he saw the flyer for the Baseball Showcase at Lumberton High that took place this past weekend.

“I got the email and read that it was for juniors and seniors,” Stocks said, a bit disappointed. “So I sent a text to Coach Jiggy to make sure that I could still attend, and he said that I could… so I started getting back in the baseball mode and started working out again. I was just so happy to get an opportunity again.”

During the showcase, Stocks caught the attention of the coaches and the administration.

“He did an awesome job, we offered him a position and he accepted on the spot,” stated Eric Freeman, the executive vice president. “This kid graduated from Lumberton High School last year and is a current RCC student… This is what it’s all about… this is a great story.”

“It’s a dream come true,” Tashaun Stocks said. “This showed me that people still believe in me and that I still had a chance…I will be a pitcher and a DH [designated hitter.]”

With baseball being one of his true loves, Stocks says that getting this offer has meant the world to him and believes it will be life changing.

“This has been a complete turnaround from my senior year to now,” Stocks said. “It’s a surreal feeling like it’s almost not true. It feels really good knowing I got the opportunity, and I took advantage of it.”

“It is life changing, I will get to meet new people and have new experiences,” Stocks said. “I’ve played baseball my whole life, it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

Stocks says his parents are also excited for him.

“Growing up, they always told me that I could go play anywhere, they are so excited for me” Stocks said. “It makes me feel good to know I’ve made them proud.”

“I’m thankful to all the coaches who helped me get to this point, and I thank Coach Jiggy for this opportunity,” Stocks stated. “You have to believe in yourself, don’t let someone tell you what you can do. Everyone is good at something; you just have to keep going and find it… I hope to be playing baseball for a long time.”

Stocks will join Brett Kutner of Raleigh, Mynkoda Smith and Nemo Chavis, both from Fairmont, Andrew Corney of Hope Milles, and Chase Young from Oak Ridge, John Carre from West End, Gage Griffiths of Archdale, Mason Barnes from Fayetteville, three players from Clayton – Noah Hince, Ty Lee, and Will Hicks, two players from Temple, Texas — Anthony Ramos and Lezlie Jackson, Thomasville native Ayden Wall, one player from Spring Hill, Tennessee – Davin Roush, and Pleasant Garden’s Matthew Moser.