Who is Brady House?
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Brady House went No. 11 overall to the Nationals in the 2021 MLB Draft. But who is Brady House? Here's what to know about the hard-hitting and hard-throwing infield prospect:
FAST FACTS
Primary position: SS
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 210 lbs.
Bats/throws: Right/right
Birthdate: June 4, 2003 (Age 18 on Draft Day)
High school: Winder-Barrow (Ga.)
Hometown: Winder, Ga.
College commitment: Tennessee
He¡¯s got parking garage power
When folks hear the phrase ¡°light-tower power¡± their minds might immediately jump to Roy Hobbs in The Natural or more recently Eloy Jimenez in the Carolina League.
For House, the more accurate phrase would be parking garage power. Playing for Team USA in the 2018 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup, House hit a ball clear out of the stadium and watched it bounce atop a nearby parking garage while he trotted around the bases.
He throws gas
One of the traits that separates House from the trio of other high school shortstops in this year¡¯s Draft class is his 60-grade arm. Thanks in part to his big league body, House¡¯s fastball has been clocked at 96 mph off the mound and 95 mph across the infield. If for some reason he was to not sign with a Major League team this summer, he is expected to remain a two-way player at the University of Tennessee.
He¡¯s been waiting for this moment
House has been a staple on the showcase circuit since his baby teeth had barely finished falling out. Between playing national tournaments at historic venues such as Wrigley Field, across the globe representing USA Baseball or as a member of his high school team, he has already faced some of the globe's best baseball talent.
With that much experience, it¡¯s only natural that House has had thoughts about turning pro. But his sights are set on more than just that. As his high school head coach Brian Smith told _Baseball America_:
¡°At the beginning of our season, everyone in the program writes down on an index card what their goal is for baseball. What they want to get out of playing. This is something you could maybe hear from someone who¡¯s cocky and kind of a different person than what you would expect from Brady.
¡°But I get the index card back from Brady and his goal was not to make it to the Major Leagues, not to be a first-round Draft pick. He wrote down -- and this is a very humble kid to write this down, it was 100% sincere -- he wants to be a Hall of Famer.¡±
His player comps include...
Off the strength of tools alone some scouts have compared House to former MVP Kris Bryant, who almost a decade ago transitioned from high school shortstop to Major League third baseman before branching out into the outfield. The folks at MLB Pipeline offer a comparison to Joey Gallo -- a 3B/RHP in high school -- and St. Louis Cardinals 2018 first rounder Nolan Gorman, who is currently playing both third base and second base in their Minor League system.
He¡¯s a ¡°Diamond Dogg¡±
That¡¯s not a typo, his high school in Georgia (Winder-Barrow) has been known as the "Bulldoggs¡± in order to stand out from the pack since 1985. Also helping the school gain notoriety is its recent crop of athletic talent including former first-round picks Travis Demeritte (No. 30 overall in 2013) and Max Pentecost (No. 11 overall in 2014).