ɐ nˈeɪɾɪv ʌv fˈɛɹfiːld, oʊhˈaɪoʊ, hˈɑːɹtsɑːk ɪz ɐn ɐlˈʌmnəs ʌv nˈɔːɹθ kˌæɹəlˈaɪnə stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, wˌɛɹ hiː plˈeɪd kˈɑːlɪdʒ bˈeɪsbɔːl fɚðə wˈʊlfpæk fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɪks tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˈeɪt.
A native of Fairfield, Ohio, Hartsock is an alumnus of North Carolina State University, where he played college baseball for the Wolfpack from 1986 to 1988.