Billy Carlson had never been hurt playing baseball before. Not in Little League. Not on his loaded Corona (Calif.) High School team.
So when MLB's No. 57 prospect missed seven weeks with a torn ligament in his left thumb, it put things in perspective.
Now back fully healthy with Single-A Kannapolis, he looks like his old self. Carlson reached base safely 10 times in his first three games back and capped them off with a triple, a double and a pair of walks in Sunday's 10-2 win over Myrtle Beach at Atrium Health Ballpark.
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"It's good to be back," Carlson said. "It was a long time. It felt like forever.
"I just realized how much I missed it and loved the game. You don't realize how much you miss it until it's gone. Realizing that was huge for me, and now I'm just going out there, giving it my all."
The White Sox No. 4 prospect suffered the injury against the very same Pelicans (Cubs) on May 23 when a pitcher accidentally stepped on his hand as Carlson was taking home on a wild pitch. He didn't think it was anything serious, but after leaving the game three innings later, the team estimated he would be out at least six weeks.
Unable to use his left hand, the 2025 first-rounder had to work out on a limited basis. Carlson could do one-hand hitting work with his dominant right hand and play catch -- with a trainer catching the ball and tossing it to him -- plus sprint work, squats, lunges and lifts with his right hand.
"It was definitely weird," Carlson said. "We did a little hitting progression, but it was different. I missed it so much that I was picking up a bat in my apartment and taking dry swings in the mirror and stuff like that. So I got the hang of it pretty quickly."
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The 19-year-old showed as much when he one-hopped the right-center fence for a stand-up triple in the first inning Sunday. His second time up, he lined a ball in the same gap, hitting the base of the wall on a bounce for a stand-up double.
That extra-base pop was also a welcome sight after his first three hits of the series, all on Friday, were singles, and he went 2-for-11 with one double in three rehab games in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League. Just 13 of his 45 hits this year have gone for extra bases, and he's still looking for his first professional homer.
Although Carlson does not qualify for Carolina League leaderboards because he's missed too much time, he ranks 10th on the circuit with a .408 on-base percentage among hitters with at least as many plate appearances. He's reached base multiple times in 24 of his 45 games at Kannapolis.
The California native is hoping there's a silver lining with the injury. He's wearing a sliding glove on his left hand now -- he didn't wear one prior to getting hurt -- which has enabled him to play freely without worry of aggravating his thumb. Carlson has put it to good use as well with three stolen bases over the weekend.
Even with one strong weekend in the books after his return from injury, he's keeping a steady head with his newfound love for the sport.
"Hitting is just so tough," Carlson said. "There are so many ups and downs, right? I'm just trying not to ride the wave too much and just stay where my feet are and just enjoy the time with my teammates."