Imagine this. Living most of your life in a small town, with a loving family, going to school every day, and playing varsity sports after school in hopes of continuing this passion throughout college. Dreaming of one day taking your love for sports and making it into the pros. Isn’t that every athletes dream?

Well, for star baseball player Brad Brach from the FTHS class of 2003, this has become reality. From starting to play tee ball at the age of five all the way to making it into the Major Leagues, this has been an exciting and stimulating experience for the twenty-eight-year-old.

This past season, Brad appeared as a relieve pitcher in 46 games for the Baltimore Orioles.  His 3.18 ERA helped lead the Orioles bullpen to a dominant performance throughout the regular season.  Brad recorded his first career win against the Detroit Tigers during a sweep of American League Division Series on October 3rd; the Orioles went on to win that series but were eliminated by the Kansas City Royals in the Championship Series.

Looking back at his triumphant journey, he comments, “To actually achieve this goal (making it into the major leagues for baseball) has been surreal, and to experience all that I have through the game to this point makes me want to continue to experience it for many years to come.”

Not too many people know that Brad wasn’t just a star baseball player in high school, but he also excelled in basketball. He played basketball his entire life decided to give it up in college when he fully pursued baseball due to the endless opportunities it gave him.

His hard work and dedication to the sport has definitely paid off, as he has made numerous appearances on the field pitching in the Major Leagues. From first getting drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 all the way to playing this past season with the American League Eastern Division Champion Baltimore Orioles, this has been a crazy ride for the star pitcher.

One of his favorite parts about baseball is that it’s a team sport. Brad says, “ You have 24 other guys on the team that are basically your family for 8 months out of the year. Those guys instantly become your close friends and to this day some of my best friends from baseball were my fellow bullpen mates.”

He felt this same connection when he played for the Freehold Township varsity basketball team. Brad says that the thing he misses most about high school is the atmosphere the “Bleacher Creatures” created in the gym before a basketball game began.

Around the Freehold Township community, Brad has become an inspiration to all hopeful athletes. His commitment, dedication and hard work prove to aspiring athletes that anything is possible. Dreams can become reality if the proper steps are taken and the love for the sport overrides the fears and the struggles.

One thing Brad learned and wants to share with other high school athletes is to never give up. “There are going to be people that will tell you that you can’t. Don’t listen to them. Believe in yourself and know that you can make your dreams come true. Good things happen to those that go above and beyond of what they are suppose to do.”

Click here to see Brad’s profile on the Baltimore Orioles website.