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07/29/2022 01:36 PMBrady Fritz has a thirst for competition running through his veins whenever he’s on the baseball field. A recent Morgan graduate who’s competing for the Clinton Huskies 19-U team this summer, Brady is a devoted baseball player who loves everything about the game. Brady feels that baseball is beautiful sport, and his leadership and consistency in every situation make him an extraordinary competitor.
Brady’s passion for the diamond has flourished while growing up in a baseball family. Brady’s dad Willie has coached him for most of his career, while his two older brothers, Will and AJ, also play the game. Willie Fritz, who is currently coaching Brady in the Clinton Huskies’ program, admires how his son always puts the team ahead of himself.
“He’s the kind of guy that wants to set by example. That’s the way he is, and that’s the way he’s always been,” says Coach Fritz of Brady. “He’s a guy that will do whatever we need to get the job done.”
Brady developed his character on the ballfield during his early years as a member of the Morgan baseball squad. A center fielder, Brady worked his way up the team’s roster and truly showcased his skills as a senior this spring. Brady was named one of Morgan’s captains prior to his senior season. It was a humbling feeling for Brady as he took on the responsibilities of holding a captain’s role.
“I think it was a good experience for me to have, just being a leader. It’s a lot different when you’re just playing on a team as opposed to when you’re the captain,” Brady. “When you’re the captain, even if you’re having a bad game, you’ve got to stay in it, because you want to lead the team.”
In addition to leading his team as a captain, Brady also served as the president of his senior class at Morgan this year. Brady continues to be a leader while playing for the Clinton Huskies’ AAU program in the summer season. The best part for Brady is that he gets to take the field alongside a group of ballplayers who he’s been competing alongside throughout his life.
“It’s not a traditional AAU team where you got guys from all over. We all know each other, we’re all friends, and we all live around here,” says Brady. “I think it creates a much bigger bond between us, and I think that’s why we’ve had success in the past. We like playing baseball together and, when you’re having fun, it’s a lot easier to win games.”
Brady helped the Clinton Huskies pick up a couple of recent wins against the City Angels. In the first matchup on July 7, Brady came through with a game-changing RBI that guided the Huskies to a 2-1 victory.
While the wins haven’t come easily this year, Brady is enjoying his farewell campaign as a member of program. Brady has been inspired by the Huskies’ flexibility on the field, along with their mentality to do whatever it takes to help the team be successful.
“We’ve had some games where we didn’t really have all of our team. We won a couple of those games, and I think those are the biggest things,” Brady says. “That’s what I like about our team. Everyone’s an athlete, and you can really put them anywhere. We just know how to go out and put a good ballgame together no matter who we have there that day.”
Brady’s dedication to his team is complemented nicely by the versatility that he brings to the field. Brady is willing to play any position where he’s needed in order to fill in the gaps. This summer, Brady has played center field, catcher, and even done some pitching for the Huskies. However, Brady takes the most pride in his ability to consistently string together strong performances when he steps into the batter’s box.
“I never really hit for power or anything, but when I hit, I want it to be in a position where any pitch near the strike zone, I’m able to hit it,” says Brady. “When I go to the plate, I’m confident that if I have a chance to hit it, I’m going to be able to make contact. When I get in those zones, I’m usually at my best.”
Brady embraces all aspects of being a baseball player. Brady fell in love with the game at a young age and, while he’s also played basketball for Morgan, Brady gets no greater satisfaction than putting on his baseball jersey and jogging on to the diamond.
“I know some people might find baseball boring, but I really think it’s a beautiful game. You’ve got to play as a team. You can’t win baseball with just one guy,” Brady says. “To be able to put a full game together and have all of your team play as one group of people, I just think it’s a beautiful thing to watch and be a part of.”
After he wraps up his final summer with the Huskies’ 19-U ballclub, Brady will be heading to UMass Dartmouth to study mechanical engineering. Brady chose the school mostly for academics, but will consider working for a spot on the baseball team’s roster if the opportunity arises. One thing for certain is that Brady’s final chapter as a baseball player has yet to be written.
“Every time I’m out there, I just have to enjoy it and not stress too much over the little things. When I look back and I can’t play baseball anymore, I want people to remember me having fun when I was playing and not stressing over the little things and the mistakes,” says Brady. “No matter what, I’m going to find a way to play baseball somewhere, because I’m not quite ready to give it up yet.”