Conner Westenburg has signed a free-agent contract with San Diego. (Kirk Meche/Special to the American Press)

All Conner Westenburg ever wanted was a chance.

The former McNeese State outfielder will get just that and more.

After a solid career with the Cowboys, Westenburg signed a free-agent deal with the San Diego Padres on Thursday as his dream continues.

“I’m super excited to continue my career,” said Westenburg. “I had a couple of offers during the draft, but my advisor suggested that we pass. I’m going in with the mindset of competing and playing as hard as I can and to just have fun playing the game I love.”

Westenburg is coming off a very good senior season in the spring, slashing .328/.429/.561 with seven home runs, 33 RBIs, nine doubles, and led the Southland Conference with nine triples and 27 stolen bases.

The four-year McNeese letterwinner and two-year starter holds the school record for most leadoff home runs. He will report to the Padres’ training complex in Peoria, Arizona Sunday.

Westenburg was named just the second McNeese State player to earn a spot on the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Gold Glove team. He joined Carson Maxwell, who was named to the 2019 team as a third baseman.

“I would go look at his glove and say to myself, I wanted one of those all the time,” said Westenburg. “I feel very honored to have been named to the team. It is a great honor and was a goal of mine.”  

While Westenburg had a good offensive season and was selected to the Southland Conference’s first team, it was his defense that became his calling card. Westenburg joined Vanderbilt’s RJ Austin and UConn’s Caleb Shpur in the outfield. He is just the fifth Gold Glove winner in Southland Conference history.  

He was also picked to the SLC all-defensive team.

“Conner is one of the best centerfielders I’ve ever seen, and I have had the pleasure to see it every day,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. “He is so deserving of this, and I’m so happy for him to be recognized as the best in the country.”

Westenburg knows his defense is the key to his future.

“I have always been a good defender, but I have always worked really hard at it,” said Westenburg. “I take a lot of pride in playing defense. 

 “Even if you are having a bad day at the plate, you can still help your team win with big defensive plays and saving runs.”  

With 134 chances on the year, Westenburg recorded 123 put-outs with only two errors as he compiled a .985 fielding percentage. He also ran down balls in both gaps.  

“If it was hit near me, I wanted to do everything I could to make the catch,” said Westenburg. “Defense is all about work and effort. You can’t control hitting all the time, but you can control defense.”

Westenburg becomes the seventh former McNeese player currently playing professionally.