Despite latent potential and regular impressive offseasons, Hokies outfielder Sam Tackett had never been able to put it together at the plate.
But this season, relieved of the pressure he’s burdened himself with across four years at Virginia Tech, Tackett has been one of the best players in the country. His .525/.529/.875 slashing line tops the ACC and is top 10 nationally. He’s gathered 21 hits, four home runs and 18 RBI through 13 games.
He’s moved around the outfield (mostly right) and proved reliable at every spot — take a sprint-and-dive catch at center field against ECU last Sunday. To anyone who saw his subpar 2024, the redshirt senior looks like an entirely new player.
“You’re looking at five years of growth there,” said John Szefc, Tackett’s head coach for all five years of his Tech career. “The guy’s been around for a long time. He’s worked on a lot of things over five years. Just a lot of tread on those tires.
“He’s an easy guy to root for, and he’s the kind of guy that you hope has good things happen to him, and it’s starting to happen to him. If you’re going to have a special kind of year, you need to have a guy like him at the head of the whole thing.”
That last sentence — it’s the kind of praise coaches reserve for their superstars. Certainly not something Szefc imagined he’d be saying about Tackett before this season.
Ranked the No. 9 incoming freshman and No. 5 shortstop from Kentucky by Perfect Game in 2020, Tackett was smothered in expectations before even stepping foot in Blacksburg. He redshirted his freshman year, declared unready while fellow rookies and future Hokies staples — Carson DeMartini, Christian Martin, Drue Hackenberg — got to play. It was another heavy dose of pressure — and much of it was put on Tackett by himself.
It didn’t help that his position began to move around the infield in 2022 and he eventually became more of a utility player. Not a particularly bad thing, but indicative of Tackett’s struggle to find an identity within the team. He hit .237 in 25 games (11 starts) his first year, then jumped to .308 in three less games in 2023.
And then came 2024, his senior year and perhaps his last chance to carve out a season-wide role. His coaches and teammates touted his offseason like never before, and a solid, yet limited 2023 was proof that finally, his year was on the horizon.
But that was only a heavier weight on his shoulders, and it showed in his swing. Tackett made 25 starts last season, slashing .189/.342/.289 — all career lows. As pressure built, his struggles did too. That was the story of Tackett’s Tech career to that point, which Szefc thought was about to end.
With a slew of outfield transfers and 2024 ACC batting champion Ben Watson shockingly not receiving an MLB Draft bid, outfield competition was intense entering Tackett’s fifth year — so much so that Szefc figured he would go elsewhere with his last year of eligibility. But Tackett had let go of playing up to once-towering expectations. Staying in Blacksburg to help lead the future of Hokies baseball while upkeeping his role as “glue guy” was more than enough for him.
Tackett accepted that on a summer drive back to Tech with his dad, David.
“I told him, ‘This is probably it for me, dad,’” Tackett said. “I just want to go out there and have fun, make good memories with the guys.
“I knew I wanted to come back here,” he added. “I’ve made too many memories here. I love all the coaches here, and they’ve all been the same since I got here my freshman year. That’s really unheard of in college baseball. I really wanted to come back here and get a good degree and play baseball, even if it’s the last time.”
The grind of a new season came about once again, but this time, Tackett looked at it in a different light. The preseason was still for progress and preparation, but it was also a chance to connect with new and old teammates. Tackett now prefers the team celebration that follows a 500-foot home run — like the one he hit on Feb. 16 against Bucknell — to the bomb itself. Any stat pales in comparison to the nights spent messing around on the bus or in hotels with his “boys,” as he puts it.
“It’s not so much the memories on the field,” Tackett said. “I look back to the ‘22 team [when Tech hosted a super regional]. I remember a lot of stuff off the field and relationships built, whether that’s on the golf course or even at my house. I’m just trying to soak in everything that comes my way.
“It’s the little stuff. I’m trying to appreciate my position a lot more.”
Rather than approaching at-bats like anxiety-filled trials to prove himself, he’s grateful for each one — that’s what’s helped him post numbers he once thought unattainable. An interesting part of his new approach, though, is that he hasn’t actually seen those numbers. Before hearing about his batting average following Tech’s 15-5 win against Norfolk State on Wednesday, Tackett had no idea that he was — on paper — the best hitter in the ACC.
“My number one goal going into the season, besides going to Omaha, was to not check any of my stats or do anything like that,” Tackett said. “I didn’t even know. It’s hard not to look at them, but I’m trying to just stay present in the moment.”
Tackett has maintained his usual role as an affable, bridge-building presence in the Hokies’ locker room. As the only fifth-year player on the roster, he’s also made strides as a leader.
“What sticks out to me about him is his leadership as a person, on and off the field,” said Florida SouthWestern transfer and Tech second baseman Jared Davis. “He’s a great person. He’s a funny guy, always laughing a lot and playing around. I really enjoy being around him.”
“Just trying to take some of the young guys under my wing, and even some of the transfer guys, like people that don't know the program,” Tackett said. “I’ve been here five years, so I know all the ins and outs of the program. … It’s definitely been good for me to get out of my comfort zone a little bit. I think it’s helped the team out a lot.”
Tackett’s efforts have facilitated a tight-knit bond in the dugout, one that he said reminds him of the fabled 2022 Hokies. To Tackett, that will be why this year’s squad goes far.
“We’re all together,” Tackett said. “Just like the ’22 team, we’re really tight. There are no cliques or anything like that. It’s the same kind of feel this year. We’re doing stuff together, whether that’s on or off the field. I think that camaraderie has really helped us communicate and have more trust in each other on the field.”
That will be crucial heading into the dawn of ACC play against Georgia Tech this Friday (4 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra). Tackett hopes to maintain his hot streak as he faces tougher competition, but most of all, he’s excited for one last ride. However it ends, he’s just happy to have experienced it.
“This year, probably being my last year of baseball, I’m just trying to go out there and have fun,” Tackett said.
“That’s it. That’s all. Have fun.”