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 right-handed third baseman baseball player with the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball.

The Brewers brought Braun, their top offensive prospect, to spring training in 2007.[1] The Brewers expected their regular third baseman Corey Koskie, who is suffering from post concussion syndrome, to miss spring training, and were looking at other options at third base. While the most likely scenario will be a platoon between Craig Counsell and Tony Graffanino to start the season, they also gave Braun an extensive look during spring training.[2]

The Brewers may move Braun to left field to eventually get Braun's bat into the lineup, perhaps to bring him up to the majors in 2007.[3]

Contents

[edit] High school

Braun was a 4-year letterman on the Granada Hills High School baseball team, and 3-year team captain and MVP. He pitched in addition to playing shortstop, but stopped pitching after his sophomore year. As a sophomore in 2000 he recorded the highest batting average of his prep career (.456), while posting a .654 on base percentage. As a junior he hit .421 with a .668 OBP. As a senior he batted .451 with OBP of .675. He broke the school record for home runs in a career, with 25.

He was 2-time all-area selection by the Los Angeles Times and a 3-time choice by the Los Angeles Daily News. He was rated the 6th-best shortstop prospect in the country by Team One Baseball, and rated among the top 100 overall prospects by Baseball America.

He graduated in 2002, but went undrafted.[4]

[edit] College

Offered scholarships to Stanford University and UC-Berkeley, he instead attended the University of Miami, where he was named a 1st-team "Freshman All-American," as well as "National Freshman of the Year" by Baseball America in 2003. He clinched the awards by batting .374 with 74 RBIs 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. He was 9th in NCAA Division I in slugging, and 10th in RBIs, and was named to Baseball America's 2005 College All-American Team as the DH.

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] Minor league career

The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Braun in the 1st round (5th overall) in the 2005 Amateur Baseball draft as a third baseman, and Braun signed for $2,450,000. 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. The team's plan is for Braun to eventually join the Brewers infield with teammates Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and J.J. Hardy.

Assigned to the Helena Brewers in 2005, Braun batted .341/.383/.585 in 10 games, then found himself up with the West Virginia Power, where he hit .355/.396/.645. Braun was rated the 5th-best prospect, in the South Atlantic League.

Braun began 2006 in Single-A Brevard County (Florida) as a member of the Manatees, and earned a spot in the Florida State League All-Star game. He was rated the top third base prospect in the FSL. On June 21, 2006, Braun was promoted to Class AA Huntsville Stars (Alabama) of the Southern League. Collectively between Class A and Class AA, Braun finished with a .289 average, 22 home runs, 77 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases.

Braun played in the 2006 All-Star Futures Game in Pittsburgh.

On September 23, 2006, Braun received the Robin Yount Performance Award as the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League player of the year award.[5]

In 2006 in the Arizona Fall League he hit .326/.396/.641 in 92 at-bats. Braun played was rated as one of the top three prospects.[1]

Baseball America rated Braun the Brewers # 2 prospect for 2007.

In his first game of the 2007 Major League spring training, Braun went 4-5 with a grand slam, a 3-run home run, a double, a single, and a stolen base, to go along with 7 RBI, a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. In his second game he went 2-5 (including a 3rd home run) with a walk.[1] In 11 games he batted .353 with a .912 slugging percentage, leading the major leagues in home runs (5) with Barry Bonds, and 2nd in RBIs (15), despite having missed 7 games.[2] He also comitted 4 throwing errors. He was sent to minor league camp on March 20th, with Brewers manager Ned Yost saying: “He's really done a nice job offensively, but he still needs to polish some of his defense. He knows what he needs to do. He's really, really close.”[3]

[edit] Major league career

[edit] Milwaukee Brewers

In 2005, Braun was given 6 at bats in the Brewers major league spring training camp, and batted .500.

[edit] Tools

[edit] Hitting

Braun has the ability to hit for average and significant power. His swing is compact and short, and he is a pull hitter with tremendous bat speed and strong wrists. He stays back on offspeed pitches, and uses the entire field. He drives the ball no matter where it is in the strike zone.[6] "There is something about the way the ball jumps off his bat," Ash said. "You can hear it."[7]

[edit] Speed

In addition, his speed garnered him comparisons to New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

During Scout Day at the University of Miami in 2004, Braun ran the 60 yard dash in 6.2 seconds.

In spring training in 2007, he ran the second-fastest 60-yard dash (behind Corey Hart) when the Brewers timed their players.[4]

[edit] Defense

Braun is noted for his athleticism. He has a cannon for an arm, and great speed.[6] However, Brewers officials are not sure about Braun's defense, which has been inconsistent. Braun was charged with 34 errors last season, the majority on throws. "It's a matter of proper footwork," assistant general manager Gord Ash said. "Most of his problems come because he relies on his arm, which is very strong."[7]

[edit] Miscellaneous

  • "Braun" was the family name of Sandy Koufax, until his mother remarried and he took his step-father's name.
  • Braun was considered by some to be the best Jewish minor league baseball prospect in 2006.[8]
  • His favorite college class was in Philosophy.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Brewers GM: 'We feel we are a much better ballclub this year', Green Bay Press-Gazette, January 25, 2007
  2. ^ Corey Koskie: Not Ready for Spring Training, accessed February 20, 2007
  3. ^ How Will Brewers' Outfield Play Out?, Huntsville Stars, January 26, 2007
  4. ^ Ryan Braun player profile, Miami Hurricanes, accessed February 20, 2007
  5. ^ Notes: Braun, Gallardo class of Minors, Milwaukee Brewers, September 19, 2006
  6. ^ a b Profile: Ryan Braun, Project Prospect, December 27, 2006
  7. ^ a b Brewers: Waiting for word on third, Wisconsin State Journal, January 17, 2007
  8. ^ Minor League's top Jewish prospects, May 10, 2006
  9. ^ Meet Ryan Braun, Miami Hurricanes, February 10, 2004

[edit] External links

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