Locals call experience ‘surreal’
Bradfield Jr., Manning recount time with All-Stars, pros in Cleveland
American Heritage outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. got hitting advice from Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, while Cardinal Gibbons pitcher Timmy Manning got pick-off tips from former New York Yankees star and fellow lefthander Andy Pettitte.
The two Broward County standouts got a taste of what life could be like in the big leagues, as they were both selected by Major League Baseball and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline League to play in the first High School AllStar Game at Cleveland’s Progressive Field on Saturday.
“It’s a better feeling than even I can describe in words,” Bradfield said. “Just hitting the ball in batting practice and seeing the scenery, the background. It’s almost like you’re in a video game. It was surreal.”
Bradfield and Manning’s journey began closer to home. Both of them were among the 80 high-school players invited to compete in MLB’s Prospect Development Pipeline League at IMG Academy in Bradenton, which ran from midJune to early July.
While at IMG, Bradfield, a Vanderbilt commit, and Manning, a Florida commit, played and trained with some of the other top players in the nation while receiving instruction from former Major League players.
“We had Chipper Jones, we had Derek Jeter, Ryan Howard, Barry Larkin, Andy Pettitte — the list goes on and on,” said Manning, who was a Sun Sentinel AllCounty first-team pick. “It was honestly just surreal, talking to all these guys because these were guys I grew up watching.”
As the Prospect DevelBradfield, opment Pipeline League came to an end, MLB held a banquet for all the players who participated. During the banquet, they announced the 40 players who would get to play in Cleveland in the High School All-Star Game.
“I was one of the last names called, and I was stressing,” Manning said. “It was one of the best feelings when my name did get called.”
MLB flew the players to Cleveland on Friday, and when they went to Progressive Field on Saturday, they were treated like Major Leaguers.
“They had breakfast for us, like if we were the Cleveland Indians,” Bradfield said. “I was on the American (League) side, so I was in the actual Indians locker room. My locker was Carlo Santana’s locker, and that was just pretty cool, being able to experience what those guys do daily.”
Both Bradfield and Manning got their chances to shine during the game, which streamed live on MLB.com.
Manning, who led Broward County with 107 strikeouts as a junior, pitched one inning and recorded a strikeout while surrendering an unearned run.
“The field was beautiful,” Manning said. “When I walked out, I was like, ‘Wow.’ It just goes to show that I’m almost there. I’ve just got to work hard and I can make it.”
who missed a large part of the 2019 season with a back injury but returned to hit .524 in 24 atbats, got his chance early and recorded the first-ever hit in the High School AllStar Game.
“In my first at-bat, the first pitch that I saw from Mick Abel, I was able to hit it and got a base hit through the hole between first and second base,” Bradfield said. “It was pretty cool. I had the first hit in High School AllStar history to my name.”