Ma’Khail Hilliard always knew his father was proud of him over his 4 years at LSU, in part because of the messages he'd receive after every one of his games.
He received a full paragraph from his father after his final pitching performance of the 2021 season in the Super Regional against Tennessee, a message with the theme: The work isn't done yet in Baton Rouge.
Hilliard said his plan at that point was to test the MLB draft waters and potentially start his professional career, but that mindset changed days later with the tragic death of his father in an accident while tubing on the Amite River.
"He really wanted me to spend another year at LSU, graduate and move on and try to get my Masters," Hilliard said Thursday. "And that’s what I plan on doing. And I’ve set my goals very high even though I didn’t go to the draft. I’ve set my goals really high and I plan to come back and fulfill that.”
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It wasn't until the family began to make funeral preparations that the loss really hit Hilliard, he said, including the realization he'd never speak with his father again.
"Just knowing that I won’t be able to continue my path with my dad, it was truly heartbreaking," Hilliard said.
The Baton Rouge native wasn't selected in this week's 20-round draft. He noted that he was looking for a deal in a certain range to go pro, but the offers weren't in the range he was seeking. He pointed to the recent NIL changes across the NCAA as something he plans to take advantage of over one more season with the Tigers. But it was conversations with teammate and former roommate Devin Fontenot that really crystalized the plan for he and Fontenot to return for one last shot at college baseball's big prize.
The mission is three-fold, to get to Omaha, increase their pro stock and be an LSU "legend" when they leave the program.
"I told him, I was like, ‘dude, you definitely have to come back. Everybody’s going to be there for you. I’m going to be there for you. And you’ve got to come back,' " Fontenot said. "And I think that our relationship has gotten better over the past couple weeks. We’ve gotten a little closer, and I’m excited to see what he and I can do. We can be the leaders of this team.”
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But before Hilliard can come back and fulfill his father's vision for his college career, he and his family must cope with a mountain of shock, grief and loss. The 22-year-old said he's been able to gather with his admittedly large family, something they haven't been able to do in some time. Through those gatherings, he's been told how much like his father he's become.
"I just keep remembering how great of a man he was and how influential he was for me my whole life," Hilliard said. "I just feel blessed that I was able to spend 22 years with him and grow up in his household."
After the loss truly set in, he was able to decide to rejoin his second family with LSU baseball for a 5th season under new head coach Jay Johnson. He added that his father being able to watch his strong season, which ended with Hilliard's return to the starting rotation and huge performances in critical games, has helped him cope with the loss.
"[Dad] still believed that I wasn’t done yet," Hilliard said. "So I still have a lot to prove when I come back."