The Chicago White Sox selected Hawkins in the first round,with the 13th overall selection,of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.[3][4][5] Hawkins started his career with the rookie-level Bristol White Sox of the Appalachian League. In 38 games he hit .272/.314/.401 with three home runs and 16 runs batted in. On August 12,2012,he was promoted to the Low-A Kannapolis Intimidators of the South Atlantic League.[6] He hit .308/.352/.631 with four home runs and 15 runs batted in 16 games. He ended the season with the High-A Winston-Salem Dash after he was promoted on August 29,2012.[7][8] Overall,he finished his first season hitting .284/.324/.480 with eight home runs and 33 runs batted in 59 games. Hawkins was ranked the White Sox #1 prospect at the start of the 2013 season.[9] He was also ranked as the #55 ranked prospect in baseball according to Baseball America and #68 by MLB.com. Hawkins spent the whole 2013 season with High-AWinston-Salem Dash. He struggled in his first full season,batting .178 with 19 home runs and 160 strikeouts in 383 at-bats.[10]
Hawkins returned to Winston-Salem in 2014,[11] batting .249 with 19 home runs and 84 RBIs. He spent 2015 with the Double-A Birmingham Barons,batting .243 with nine home runs and 41 RBIs,and 2016 with Birmingham,posting a .203 average with 12 home runs and 60 RBIs. In 2017,he played for Kannapolis,Winston-Salem and Birmingham,posting a combined .205 average with 12 home runs and 33 RBIs in 91 total games between both teams.[12] Hawkins was released from the organization on April 18,2018.[13]
On August 10,2018,Hawkins' contract was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds.[15] Hawkins spent the remainder of the year with the High-A Daytona Tortugas,hitting .246/.310/.354 with 2 home runs,4 RBI,and 3 stolen bases in 17 games.
In 2019,he played in 3 games for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts before being promoted to Triple-A. However,he struggled to find his footing in 16 games for the Louisville Bats,hitting .167/.196/.352 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI.[16] He was released by the Reds organization on May 3,2019.
On May 14,2019,Hawkins's contract was purchased by the San Francisco Giants and he was assigned to the Triple-ASacramento River Cats. Despite the assignment,he spent the year with the High-A San Jose Giants. In an August 26 game against the Stockton Ports,Hawkins tied San Jose records for hits (5) and home runs (3) in a game,tallying on 6 RBI as well.[18] In 88 games for the team,Hawkins hit .256/.314/.497 with 21 home runs and 59 RBI. He became a free agent following the season on November 4.[19]
In July 2020,Hawkins signed on to play for the Skeeters of the Constellation Energy League,a makeshift four-team independent league created as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,for the 2020 season. He was named to the league's all-star team.[20]
Lexington Legends
On May 4,2021,Hawkins signed with the Lexington Legends of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[21] In Game 4 of the Atlantic League's championship series,Hawkins hit three home runs in the Legends 13–2 victory over the Long Island Ducks,clinching the franchise's first league championship.[22] Hawkins was named the most valuable player of the series.[23]
In 2022,Hawkins played in 127 games for Lexington,batting .298/.399/.655 with 48 home runs,125 RBI,and 6 stolen bases. Following the regular season,he was named an Atlantic League All-Star,[24] and the Atlantic League Player of the Year.[25] In addition,Hawkins was named the 2022 Independent Player Of The Year by Baseball America.[26]
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
On December 21,2022,Hawkins signed with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball.[27] In three games for the Hawks in 2023,Hawkins went 0–for–9 with one RBI. On December 4,SoftBank announced that Hawkins would not return to the team,making him a free agent.[28][29]
Pericos de Puebla
On April 22,2024,Hawkins signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League.[30] In seven games for Puebla,he went 4–for–25 (.160) with one RBI. On May 10,Hawkins was released by Puebla.[31]
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