Newberry’s Tavis Honeycutt Born to Play Ball

NEWBERRY — On the whiteboard of Tavis Honeycutt’s hospital delivery room his uncle TJ Spina wrote, “The next Derek Jeter, #2.” From that moment on, baseball was instilled in his future.

Honeycutt was holding a bat as soon as he could stand. When he was two, his baseball abilities had already begun to show when he was playing around with a little plastic ball at his aunt’s house.

“We threw it, he swung at it and he hit it. It broke the window in the kitchen,” Tavis’ dad, Shedrick Honeycutt, said. “I looked up, and I looked at her [Michele Honeycutt], and the next day I was getting him out on the field.”

Baseball in Tavis’ DNA

Shedrick Honeycutt was drafted out of high school and was with the Montreal Expos organization from 2000 to 2002. He played on the Montreal Expos rookie-level affiliate, the Gulf Coast Expos, from 2001 to 2002. 

Tavis’ other uncle, Mike Spina, played in college at the University of Cincinnati. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins after his junior year and then opted to go back to Cincinnati for a senior year. He was drafted by the Oakland A’s the following year and played in the system from 2009-2011. 

Tavis’ mom, Michele Honeycutt, played softball at Florida State University and his uncle, TJ, played Division I baseball at UNC Greensboro. 

Talent runs deep in his roots and on the field and family has always been a major part of Tavis’ career.

Mike Spina and Shedrick coach Tavis in travel ball at Florida Elite, a program Mike started about 14 years ago. Mike is also his coach at Newberry High School, Mike’s alma mater. 

Mike is no stranger to coaching his family. He coached his other nephew, Makai Johnson, at Newberry on the team that won the school’s first state championship in 2021. 

“I don’t treat my nephews any differently than I treat all the other kids,” Mike said. “We kind of have a bond here that all of these kids are my sons, and I treat them all like that.”

To Tavis, his main focus is his performance, no matter who’s coaching him.

“I always grew up with them [his family] being around. So, whoever’s there, just do your best and play your game,” Tavis said.

He carries a humble demeanor and proves himself on the field. 

“His baseball IQ is off the charts,” Mike said. “It’s very difficult for opponents to get him out the same way they got him out the first time.”

High School Dominance

Tavis just understands the game. His knowledge — and size (6-foot-4, 260 pounds) — make him a power hitter. Just this season he holds a .590 batting average and has 10 home runs in 16 games to lead the nation this season. He has played third base, shortstop and pitched for the Panthers (11-5).

“I want to finish the season out with 10 plus bombs,” Tavis said two weeks ago when he was sitting at six home runs. Well — he’s already in that “plus” range. 

He mirrors his uncle at the plate. Mike owns the single-season home run record at the University of Cincinnati. 

Tavis’ hitting ability made him stand out when it came to college recruiting. He visited Vanderbilt and had an offer from Florida State. But from the beginning, his heart lay just 14 miles east of Newberry — at the University of Florida. 

“He’s always wanted to put the blue and orange on and compete at a high level,” Mike said. 

Florida is his dream school. Travel ball limited his ability to attend games at UF growing up. Throughout his high school years, his family has made it out to Condron Family Ballpark more frequently. 

Tavis received his first call from Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan in the middle of the summer going into his junior year. 

“He called me, told me to lose some weight,” Tavis said. 

He had everything else Florida wanted in a recruit. His weight was the only thing holding him back. Tavis worked with personal trainer Kyle Pratt at Muscle Farm to reach his goal weight.

“He would wake up at four-thirty, five o’clock in the morning for about three months, he was so committed. He only ate what he was supposed to eat. He never cheated. He worked really, really hard,” Michele said.

A few months after the first call, O’Sullivan dialed that same number, and this time it was with an offer. Tavis committed to Florida on his official visit in October.

“All of the emotions you could possibly feel, we all felt,” Michele said. “We’re super proud of him.”

Tavis admires the way O’Sullivan competes. 

“He’ll go out there and put the best nine guys on the field that you have, and I want to be a part of that,” Tavis said.

He fell in love with the campus at UF and the perk of it being so close to his family. The short distance is appreciated by his family.

 “I want to be there to watch the games,” Michele said.

Baseball was always going to be a part of Tavis’ life, given his family’s legacy. But, he chose his own path and is shaping his own future. 

With a season and a half still left at Newberry, Tavis has already made his mark at the school. Soon, he will play on the next stage.

“He’s definitely a better player than I was at that age,” Mike said. “I want him to achieve everything that he wants to achieve, and I’ll be here to help him and support him.”

Category: Baseball, College Baseball, High School Sports, MLB, Newberry High School