NIL Opportunities

Career Highs

• Hits: 3, 6x, last: at Minnesota, April 6, 2024
• Doubles: 2, at #8 Tennessee, March 8, 2024
• Home runs: 2, 2x, last: vs. #24 Indiana State, April 30, 2024
• Total bases: 8, 2x, last: vs. #24 Indiana State, April 30, 2024
• RBI: 7, at Southern Miss, Feb. 25, 2023
• Runs scored: 4, 2x, last: vs. Michigan State, March 3, 2024
• Walks: 3, 3x, last: vs. Western Illinois, April 23, 2024
• Hit by pitch: 2, 2x, last: vs. Northwestern, April 21, 2024
• Sac flies: 1, 7x, last: at #18 Southern Miss, Feb. 25, 2023
• Sac bunts: 2, vs. Iowa, May 12, 2024
• At bats: 6, 2x, last: vs. Missouri, March 26, 2024
• Stolen bases: 2, 2x, last: at Maryland, April 26, 2024
• Field chances: 12, at Maryland, April 27, 2024
• Putouts: 5, 2x, last - vs. Indiana, May 23, 2023
• Assists: 8, at Maryland, April 26, 2024

Senior - 2024

• ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Finalist - Shortstop
• Started all 56 games for the Illini at shortstop...slashed .272/.413/.396 to go along with eight doubles, two triples, five home runs and 32 RBI.
• Committed just three errors in 271 total chances...good for a .989 fielding percentage.
• Set career-best marks offensively in average, runs (56), hits (59), triples, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS (.809) and walks (37).
• His 56 runs ranked fifth among Big Ten players.
• Had a career-long 37-game on-base streak from March 15 - May 23.
• Had season-long 12-game hitting streak from March 16 - April 6...went 20-for-52 (.385) during that span...had four three-hit games during that run including three-straight from March 30 - April 6.
• Season-high four RBI on April 14 vs. Northern Illinois.
• Posted the second two-home run game of his career on April 30 vs. #24 Indiana State...homered on the first pitch the Illini saw in the ballgame.

Junior - 2023

• Slashed .228/.325/.353/.678 in 51 games/starts.
• Had a total of 12 two-hit games on the season.
• Had first-career two-home run game on Feb. 25 at #18 Southern Miss...slugged a pair of three-run home runs...one game-tying and one go-ahead shot...also collected a career-high seven RBI in the contest and scored a career-high four runs.
• Had season-high seven-game hitting streak from April 7-15.
• Had at least one RBI in four-straight games from May 6-13.

Sophomore - 2022

• Started 51 games. One of six players to start at least 50 games
• Slashed .222/.349/.278/.627 to go along with six doubles, one home run and 20 RBI
• Ranked third on the team with 29 walks
• Went 4-for-5 in stolen base attempts
• Had season-long seven-game hitting streak from April 17 to April 29, going 8-for-20 (.400)
• Posted a career-high seven assists on May 19 at Penn State

Freshman - 2021

• Appeared in 26 games with 17 starts at second base
• .208/.290/.283, 9 RBIs, 7 BB
• First career HR vs. Penn State 5/21/21
• Hit safely in all three of his appearances at Michigan/vs. Michigan State 3/19/21-3/21/21

High School

• No. 6 shortstop in Illinois by Perfect Game and No. 9 by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 22 recruit in Illinois by Perfect Game and No. 33 by Prep Baseball Report
• Top 500 recruit in the nation by Perfect Game
• Three-year letterwinner
• Played for head coach Joe Giarrante at Oswego
• 2019 All-Southwest Prairie Conference
• 2019 High School Baseball National Championship Team Illinois Selection
• Defensive Specialist Award at the 2019 High School Baseball National Championships
• 2019 PG WWBA 2020 17U National Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2019 WWBA 17U Prospect Meadows National Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2019 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Team
• 2019 Oswego Defensive Player of the Year
• 2019 PG WWBA World Championship All-Tournament Team
• .340, 30 RBIs, 45 R, 20 SB in last two high school seasons
• Panther Award
• Honor Roll
• Also played basketball in high school

Personal

• Born Jan. 24, 2002
• Son of Chad and Karissa Hejza
• One younger brother, Paxson, and one younger sister, Brinkley
• Named after Cal Ripken Jr.
• Plans to major in business
• Played summer ball for the Cangelosi Sparks
• Played with fellow Illini signee Jack Crowder since they were 9-years old
• Committed to Illinois In August 2018
• Chose Illinois over Charlotte, Miami (Ohio), Dayton, and Indiana
• Chose Illinois because, "Illinois offers tremendous education, the coaches, the history of the program, and I want to complete to win a national championship. With the current and future roster, we can compete with anyone."