Ryan Braun
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- This article is about the Milwaukee Brewers minor league third baseman. For the Kansas City Royals pitcher see Ryan Braun (Pitcher).
Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983 in Granada Hills, California) is an American baseball player with the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball.
[edit] High school and college
Braun graduated from Granada Hills High School in 2002 but went undrafted at the time.
He continued his amateur career at the University of Miami, where he was named a first team "Freshman All-American" as well as "National Freshman of the Year" by Baseball America. He clinched the awards by batting .374 with 74 RBI and 17 home runs. During his junior year, his final and most successful at Miami, Braun batted .396 with 18 home runs, 75 RBI and 26 stolen bases. These stats eventually earned Braun a spot as one of the finalists for the "Golden Spikes Award", the most prestigious individual award in college baseball.
[edit] Professional career
The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Braun 5th overall in the 2005 Amateur Baseball draft as a third baseman. The team's plan is for Braun to eventually join the Brewers infield with teammates Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and J.J. Hardy. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Braun's game is his power at the plate despite not having the physically imposing build of most major league power hitters.
In addition, Braun's display of speed during his final season at Miami has garnered him comparisons to New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. The consensus among pro scouts was that Braun was the most gifted athlete in the 2005 draft and perhaps the most polished player overall; he is a five-tool player.
Braun is one of the highest-drafted Jewish-American athletes in the history of professional baseball. The New York Yankees made Ron Blomberg the number one pick in the 1967 draft.
Braun began the 2006 campaign in Single-A Brevard County (Florida) as a member of the Manatees. In 59 games, he compiled a .274 batting average to go with 7 home runs, 37 RBI, and 14 stolen bases, stats that earned him a spot in the Florida State League All-Star game.
On June 21, 2006, Braun was promoted to Class-AA Huntsville Stars (Alabama) of the Southern League, where he finished the 2006 season with a .303 average, 15 home runs, 40 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Collectively between Class-A and Class-AA, Braun finished with a .289 average, 22 home runs, 77 RBI, and 26 stolen bases. On the evening of September 23rd, Braun received the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League player of the year award.
Braun was selected to take part in the 2006 All-Star Futures Game in Pittsburgh. He struck out in his lone at-bat.
