STARKVILLE — It was a crisp February afternoon when Mississippi State baseball assistant Jake Gautreau approached sophomore Bryce Chance and delivered news many in the fanbase didn’t expect but plenty on the team weren’t shocked to hear.

At the ballpark he dreamed of playing as a 7-year-old, Chance was informed he was the starting designated hitter.

No preseason lineup projections saw the walk-on getting the nod in Game 1 – if at all this season. Even Chance admitted postgame he was optimistic the opportunity to prove his worth would come, but not necessarily on opening day.

However, he left coach Chris Lemonis no choice.

Chance redshirted his freshman year and honed in on the flaws in his game away from the spotlight. He showed strides in the fall. He was a force in the preseason scrimmages. Behind the scenes, he was an obvious starter.

More than a month into the season, Chance is a stalwart in the top half of the lineup and owns the team’s best batting average (.354).

“It’s a real fun story with him,” Lemonis said, “because he puts his heart and soul into it.”

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Chance and Hines: Close Friends turned teammates

Chance wasn’t a young phenom, so his hopes of earning a spot on a collegiate baseball team relied on a strong junior season at Madison-Ridgeland Academy. However, COVID-19 shut down the season in 2020 just as it began. It didn’t hinder Chance’s optimism.

The morning after most operations shut down, current MSU teammate and Madison native Hunter Hines showed up at the Chance household. The longtime friends converted Chance’s garage into a weight room.

They worked out every morning then would find a field to take batting practice – with Hines’ dad Richey throwing and Chance's father Chris shagging. Hines was looking to lose weight, so he’d run afterward. Chance was looking to add weight, so he’d go eat.

“(They) have worked out together and hit together for so many hours,” Chris Chance said. “There’s no way for you to (count).”

How Bryce Chance went viral

Chane’s work resulted in continued strong play his senior season, but most of his attention at the next level came from junior colleges. Chance committed to Hinds Community College, but a six-second video helped shift his career path.

A perfectly placed camera saw Chance turn on a pitch during live batting practice for a beautiful home run in the eyes of baseball lovers. The clip went viral, with people such as baseball writer Jared Carrabis sharing it. A few weeks later, Chance was driving to the coast for a tournament when he got a call from Gautreau.

“Man, God is good,” Chance said when he got off the phone. His dad, sitting next to him, asked what prompted that response.

“I got an offer to play baseball at Mississippi State,” Chance told him.

Gautreau admits the video was eye-catching, but MSU had been following Chance for, "quite a while." The staff was close with those around Chance, and all the reviews were promising.

"Yes, that video was impressive, but it was the simple fact of what Bryce was about and what he would bring to our team," Gautreau said. "Everyone close to him ranted about his work ethic, his baseball IQ and the gritty, play hard, tough type of ball player that shows up to the yard to beat you every single day."

Bryce Chance is 'living his dream'

When Chance was a sophomore at MRA, coach Allen Pavatte had players break into positional groups during practice. Having played outfield, infield and catcher growing up, Chance wasn’t sure which group he fit into.

Needing a backup catcher, Pavatte sent Chance that way. However, with a veteran ahead of him, Chance’s playing time was limited. Having to serve as the bullpen catcher, he often couldn’t even watch games. Catcher was his third position and it was keeping him off the field, which created some frustration.

“It’s about your process and you continuing to be ready for when that opportunity presents itself,” Chris Chance told his son.

Chance took advantage of occasional starts and pinch hit opportunities and eventually became a fixture in the lineup. By embracing whatever position was open, Chance started building a career – a similar approach to what he endured last season.

It was the first year Chance wasn’t playing baseball since he was 5 years old, his dad estimates.

“Last year was probably the toughest year I’ve had baseball-wise,” Chance said. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

By leaning on his faith and previous experiences, Chance kept hope of an opportunity. He told himself he’d be an opening day starter even if others didn’t believe it.

As he stepped off the diamond at Dudy Noble Field after that first start – with three RBIs and a home run to show for it − there were few doubters left.

“He’s living his dream,” Chris Chance said. “Even on the bad nights, he’s living his dream.”

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: How Bryce Chance became a stalwart for Mississippi State baseball