Brayden Broome looking forward to playing at Samford

Senior Brayden Broome added his name to a long list of college baseball signees from Ringgold High School when he signed his name on a letter of intent with Birmingham, Alabama’s Samford University in front of a large contingent of family, friends, teammates and coaches in the school’s Score Room last Tuesday.

“It’s a great day for me, a great day for my family, a great day for my teammates and the whole community really,” said Broome, who has been playing baseball since before kindergarten. “It just felt really good when I went down (to Samford) to visit. It’s close to home. My family loved it and I loved it. The coaches are great and the campus is beautiful. It’s also a great educational school and everything just felt really good about it.”

Broome assumed the starting shortstop position for the Tigers last spring and went on to earn first team All-Region honors in 6-AAA as he hit .371 with two homers and 25 RBIs for the Blue-andWhite, who earned a fifth consecutive region championship. Broome went on to be named honorable mention on the All-State team.

Broome’s current head coach spoke in glowing terms about the soon-to-be Bulldog.

“He has tremendous character and work ethic,” said Drew Walker. “They’re getting the best one we have in all aspects. He’s a great teammate and I think that’s the greatest thing you can say about anybody in the dugout. Not only is he a great teammate, but he’s a great student. He’s one of the best players in everything that he does.”

“Everything that he does, he gives 110 percent and goes all out,” Walker added. “There’s no one better for Samford University.”

Brent Tucker, who coached Broome at Ringgold the past three seasons, said Broome was simply “a ball player”.

“He’ll work through at-bats and not give up on them,” Tucker began. “He’s going to go out every day and when he puts the uniform on, he’s going to give you 100 percent and he’s going to be ready to play. He’s just a tremendous athlete. He’s one of those kids that understands that you’re going to have bad days, but he’s still going to find a way to help you win a ball game because there’s more than just one facet to his game.

“He’ll just grind and somewhere (in a game), whether it’s offense, defense, baserunning or leadership, he’s going to help you find a way to win.”

Broome, a two-sport standout who is being recruited as a shortstop, believes he will bring a lot to the Samford program.

“I think I have great character and I’m a great teammate and hard worker,” he said. “I’m just someone who wants to help the team win and hopefully get us another Southern Conference championship.”

Samford went 41-19 last season and won the school’s first-ever SoCon regular season title. They were the SoCon conference tournament champions in 2018.

Broome said he plans to study physical therapy.