Austin Braddock is a technician when it comes to the game of baseball.
The Heritage Academy senior enjoys spending extra hours in the batting cage fine-tuning his swing so he is ready for anything when he”s in the batter”s box.
Braddock has a new appreciation for that work now that he is finally recovered from an elbow injury that forced him to miss nearly all of his junior season.
The 6-foot-4 pitcher/shortstop is making up for lost time, and, in the process, he playing a key role in one of the best starts in Heritage Academy baseball history.
Last week, Braddock earned the victory in his return to the mound and hit home runs in both games of a doubleheader sweep against Pillow Academy.
For his accomplishments, Braddock is The Dispatch Prep Player of the Week.
“I guess I took it for granted when I was a sophomore,” Braddock said. “You don”t realize how quickly the game can be taken away from you. Once you step back on the field, you don”t want to give it up and you want to play as hard as you can every play.”
Braddock hurt his right elbow in a football game against Jackson Academy and needed Tommy John surgery to repair a ligament in the elbow. He said it took nine to 10 months before he could return to action with his teammates in the summer league and a little more than a year before he could return to the mound. In that time, he said he rode the stationary bike and did situps, leg exercises, and core workouts to maintain his conditioning.
But all of that work made it even tougher for him to wait to get back on the field. Now that he is there, Braddock hopes he can be a part of something special this season. He said the injury was a “reality check” and has helped him “respect the game” a lot more.
“I didn”t look at it like I was done. I just wanted to make myself better than I was before,” Braddock said. “I feel stronger and more accurate when I throw. I feel stronger every time I go out there.”
Heritage Academy coach Bruce Branch, who was an assistant coach with the team last season, thought Braddock “pressed big time” last season when he re-joined the team. He admitted it was a tough spot for the right-handed power hitter to come back to and to be expected to produce in the middle of the lineup.
“He didn”t feel comfortable all year,” Branch said “It was hard for him to get up for a game when he basically was sitting on the bench.”
Still, he feels Braddock played well in the final third of the season despite only being able to be designated hitter.
This season, Branch said Braddock”s presence on the mound and at shortstop has been just one of many key ingredients to an 8-0 start. He said Braddock”s play reflects a healthy and hungry player who is focused on having a solid senior season.
On Thursday, Braddock took another step toward realizing that goal. In his first action on the mound in more than a year, he threw five innings and allowed only three hits in a 12-0 victory against Pillow Academy.
“I felt good,” Braddock said. “I didn”t throw as hard as I could. I was just trying to get the feel for it again, but I feel I pitched pretty good.”
Branch was impressed with the whipping action of Braddock”s arm in his first start of the season.
“His arm looked real live,” Branch said. “He didn”t throw any off-speed pitches. He threw 49 fastballs. I think we”re going to see good things out of him in the next couple of months.”
Braddock admits his hitting is ahead of his pitching at this point, but he will continue to work hard at both areas. He said he doesn”t feel he has anything to prove after the injury to show some of the state”s top programs he is on the road back to being the player who attracted their attention.
Branch said those programs run the risk of not paying attention to Braddock.
“He is a natural when it comes to hitting,” Branch said. “He spends countless hours on his own working on the little things that make him a better hitter.
“His numbers will speak for themselves. If these D I schools want to jump on board and look at him, great. If not, he is going to have a good opportunity somewhere else to prove himself that he could be a Division I baseball player.”
Braddock isn”t thinking about where he might end up. His injury has taught him to live in the moment and to appreciate the opportunity to be on and off the field. He is confident his return to health will help him get back to where he was and to improve as an all-around player.
“I am probably going to take the JUCO route to get a chance t get drafted or to move up to the next level,” Braddock said. “I don”t want to sit the bench at a D I school. I want to play.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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