Diamond Hogs 2020 Signee Spotlight: Cabot OF Clayton Gray

Going into his senior year, Clayton Gray wanted to show people he was more than just a baseball player, so he took a page out of Troy Bolton’s playbook.

Much like the fictional character in the 2006 Disney movie High School Musical, the Arkansas baseball signee turned to theater to do just that.

Gray not only participated in Cabot High’s production of Camp Rock, but he landed the lead singing role in the play.

“Well, it was difficult, I can tell you that,” Gray said. “Whether people think it was good or not, I couldn’t care less because it was really hard to do it. I was really happy I did it. I worked hard.”

When asked how the nerves that come with performing on stage compared to being in the batter’s box with the game on the line in the bottom of the ninth, Gray laughed and admitted it was “definitely” more nerve-wracking to sing in front of a crowd.

On the surface, baseball and theater don’t seem to have overlapping skillsets, but the future Arkansas outfielder said he learned a lot from the experience.

“If you’re going to do something in front of people, you have to do it with confidence or you’re not going to look good,” Gray said. “It showed me I have to be confident in myself no matter what stage I’m put on or who I’m put in front of.”

Baum-Walker Stadium at Arkansas is one of the grandest stages in all of college baseball, so that should especially benefit Gray when he begins his collegiate career.

Before making the three-hour trip to Fayetteville, though, he had hoped to make another run at a Class 6A state title at Cabot. The Panthers had 10 players already committed to play college ball and were ranked No. 1 in the state by MaxPreps when the season ended after just four games because of the coronavirus pandemic.