Pride of Palos: Charlie Szykowny’s path from the suburbs of Chicago to Eugene. 

EUGENE, OR — Charlie Szykowny always makes contact.

It started the summer before his Freshman year in college at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. His 5’9’ 160-pound frame transformed into the 6’4’ 225-pound behemoth that roams the infield at PK Park.

“At first, I was like a baby deer,” Szykowny said. “At first I had a huge leg kick, trying to find as much power as I could. ”

Syzkowny quickly broke out, hitting .398 his Senior year and earning a scholarship to Division I University of Illinois-Chicago.

“I started to swing like a big man and use my hands more,”Szykowny said.

But no, that isn’t why Szykowny always makes contact. Despite his recent surge through the Giants’ minor-league system after being drafted in the ninth round in 2023, the Emeralds’ infielder is prone to mistakes and misses at the plate.

The reason that Charlie Szykowny always makes contact is he hits himself in the head with his bat as a part of his on-deck circle routine.

“Just a little wakeup,” he said with a laugh.

While he’s a mellow, laid-back presence off the field — “all of my teammates are probably like what the heck.”

Szykowny’s competitive fire belies the quiet, small-town setting he grew up in.

A bedroom community of around 11,000, nestled into the lush rolling hills of South Cook County, the city of Palos Heights is partially a distant Chicago suburb, a good hour out of downtown.

It’s the kind of place known for its charming stores and old-folk homes, full of quaint single-family homes in neighborhoods framed by towering trees.

And to Szykowny parents, Brad and Suzanne, suburban Chicago natives who were looking for good schools and an intimate Midwestern community feel, it represented the perfect place to raise Charlie.

“It’s nothing crazy,” Charlie said. “Just like any other small town.”

The one thing Palos Heights lacked, however, was any real lineage of professional talent.

In Shepherd High School’s near 50-year history, it’d had only one previous MLB player (a soft-tossing left-handed reliever from nearby Crestwood, Ron Mahay, who spent most of his 14-year career in the early 2000’s with the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs.

During Charlie’s time there, he made the most of what he had — doing his best to make a name for himself despite Illinois being far from a baseball pipeline.

“There wasn’t much,” Szykowny said. “But I did my best to make the most of it.”

“I’ve always played hard… there’s little things I would do when I was a scrappier player that still translate now.”

Now in Eugene, his physical tools made him an instant standout. His easy swing has hinted at a future few of his peers could ever dream of. But first, he’ll need to replicate the success he’s always had.

One knock on the head at a time.