Trevians’ Tilson keeping options open

Updated: April 29, 2011 1:59PM

Shortly after helping New Trier win two games Monday, Charlie Tilson hopped on the CTA Red Line and rode to the Addison station, where he got off to watch a Cubs game.

One day, if everything falls into place, the Trevians senior might be playing at Wrigley Field instead of sitting in the stands.

Pro scouts have populated New Trier this spring to chart Tilson’s every move. Soon the left-handed outfielder likely will have a decision to make between playing baseball at Illinois or turning professional.

“Throughout high school, I didn’t see myself in this position,” said Tilson, who also pitches. “I take everything with a grain of salt. I am keeping my attention on my team and trying to help them win games. I can’t let everything else get to me.

“But it’s a good situation to be in. It’s good to have options.”

Tilson committed to the Illini early in his junior year, but it was the summer before his senior year that he caught the eyes of major-league organizations. An August trip to the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif., established him as a pro prospect.

“Probably the best week of baseball of my life,” he said. “I then knew going into this year I might get some attention.”

New Trier coach Mike Napoleon spotted Tilson’s talent at a camp before his freshman year. As a sophomore, Tilson started on the 2009 state-championship team.

‘‘He has good actions,’’ Napoleon said. ‘‘That means he gets a good jump on balls, knows how to handle the bat and has a good throwing
motion. Kids either have it or they don’t. We saw that early on from him.”

Tilson ended Monday batting .488 with 17 stolen bases in 17 attempts. He also had scored 21 runs.

“It’s a dream for every kid who plays [to play professionally], and you want to take advantage of the opportunity,” Napoleon said. “But you can never get back the college experience, and the con is baseball becomes a job.”

Tilson knows the situation, and that he can’t go wrong making Champaign his home for at least three years.

“It’s going to take a certain amount of money that makes me pass up my education,” he said. “They do provide you with a scholarship, but it’s not easy to go back to school. Right now, I haven’t narrowed down a number or round, but I will be weighing my options.”

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