Richmond Braves player named College World Series MVP Jackie Bradley, Jr. shines on college baseball's biggest stage.
Congratulations are in order to former Richmond Braves National '08 star Jackie Bradley Jr. who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2010 CWS and to the South Carolina Gamecocks for winning this year's College World Series, their first national championship during the last year of Rosenblatt Stadium. Here is a round up of what people are saying about one of the Braves all time greats: Jackie Bradley, Jr.
From PerfectGame.org By Patrick Ebert
Jackie Bradley, Jr. quietly opened the year as one of the top prospects eligible for next year's draft, coming off of a strong campaign playing for Hyannis in the Cape Cod League, in which Allan Simpson rated him the 23rd best prospect in the circuit coming off of his freshman year in college.
He is a potential five-tool athlete that has good, not great speed and a very strong throwing arm. He has very good bat speed and budding power potential, swatting two home runs in Omaha and 13 overall on the season, tied for the most on the Gamecocks. He also led South Carolina in hitting (.368), on-base percentage (.473), RBI (60) and walks (41). Those walks are a good indication of how well he manages the strike zone, and also continued to show that ability to get on base in the College World Series.
In Omaha he hit .280/.400/.440, but was hitting .350 prior to the final game when he went 0-5. He hit a home run in each of South Carolina's first two CWS games, the second of which was a key three-run shot in the second against Arizona State as the Gamecocks sent the top-seeded Sun Devils home.
He also scored the winning run in a 12-inning elimination game against Oklahoma, also contributing with an RBI single to get on base during that final frame. Overall he scored five runs and drove in nine during the seven games South Carolina played in Omaha, of which they lost their first game and won their next six to take home the championship.
Bradley certainly has put his name in the conversation for the first half of the first round in next year's draft. He could hit anywhere first through third in a big-league lineup, although he doesn't possess prototypical game-changing speed to leadoff. His ability to get on base could make up for that and then some, and his knack for the big hit will serve him well wherever he hits.
News 19 interview with Jackie Bradley, Jr. following 2010 CWS Gamecocks Online video Baseball Beginnings Scouting Video (Nov. 2009) |