Ward Running Full Speed Towards A Bright Future
Brian Tom
5/29/2020
When the 2020 baseball season was cancelled due to the CoronaVirus pandemic, it could have marked the end of Braiden Ward's Husky Baseball career. The junior outfielder from Merced, Calif., has made an instant impact at Washington since day one. All his hard work and improvement on the field – plus a speed tool that rates as a 70-80 on the scouting system – has set him up for the possibility of being selected in the first five rounds of the June 10 Major League Baseball Draft. Ward has proven to be disruptive on the base paths, shown significant improvement since transitioning to centerfield and continues to make strides at the plate. Now all he can do is wait to find out what his future holds – whether it's in the professional ranks or a return to campus to continue his college baseball career. Either way, Ward is full-speed ahead and ready to get back on the field.
What has your daily routine been like?
It’s pretty much just trying to figure out something good to do every day, because there is not much. It’s been pretty consistent on a daily basis. I wake up, I eat, I workout, I throw, I hit and then maybe play video games the rest of the day.
How are your staying in baseball shape?
I throw with one of my friends that is a commit to UC Santa Barbara. I throw with him every day. I hit wiffle balls in my backyard and I have a bench press and squat rack at my house, so I just use that.
How have you coped with losing your junior season?
It sucks, but I have bought in. You can’t live in the past; you’ve got to live in the present and look to the future. I’ve never lived in a world of what-ifs. This is the cards we got dealt; this is what we have to deal with now. We’ve just got to take it one step at a time.
What have the Zoom meetings been like?
It’s mostly been talking about different hitting philosophies or what it means to be a good teammate. There has been a lot of stuff focused on team bonding. We’ve had a chance to hear from some Big Leaguers, like Torey Lovullo from the Diamondbacks. We’re just talking about baseball and reminiscing about what baseball used to be like.
What is your mindset as the MLB Draft approaches (June 10)?
I hope I get drafted, but if I don’t, I’ll be fine. I love my teammates. I love everything about being a Husky. I will be bummed out if I don’t get drafted, but I’m keeping a positive mind and think I’m going to get picked. If I get drafted – awesome. If I don’t, I have the best group of the guys to go back to.
If you do have the chance to go pro, what is the state of the team that you are leaving?
The team’s going to be just fine. These guys that we have right now are so awesome. One of things about winning and having success is that you have great team chemistry. You have trust and confidence that everybody is going to be able to do their job. That’s something that we have. With or without me, they’re going to succeed and be better than ever. I expect with or without me, we’re going to make a Regional and go do some damage.
Officially you led the Pac-12 in stolen bases for a third-straight season, becoming the first person to do that in Conference history. Do you have any thoughts on what it means to make history?
I came to UW and did what I was supposed to do – steal bags. To become the first player to do it three-straight seasons; that’s awesome. But to me, the third season doesn’t really count since we got cut short.
You came to UW as an infielder and have transitioned to the outfield. How much have you improved as a centerfielder since coming to campus three years ago?
Basically I was starting as a freshman and I was kind of just thrown out there. I was in shock. I had never really played outfield and then I was the starting centerfielder for Washington in the Pac-12 going against USC, Stanford and all these storied programs, chasing down balls and trying to throw out people left and right. I was ready, but I wasn’t REALLY ready when I first got there. I remember how crazy it was out there. I also remember playing Stanford for the Pac-12 championship during the final weekend and it was then that I finally really felt comfortable out there and that I was meant and deserved to be out there. Ever since then, my mindset really changed and I have become more confident. (My confidence has) made a huge difference.
You still played a little bit in the infield during the fall. How has that helped your diversity as a defensive ballplayer?
I think the coaches know I can play infield. My sophomore year when it seemed like everyone was getting injured, I had to play in the infield. I think this past offseason we were just making sure that there was a back-up plan in case God-forbid anyone else goes down that we have everyone prepared – whether that is second base or centerfield.
How much have you grown as a person since you first arrived on campus three years ago?
I’m completely different. Washington opened me up to so many more cultures and experiences that I never got in the Central Valley. I think I’m more open-minded and more worldly. It really opened me up to everything. Merced is so small and tiny. My world just really opened and it made me a better person.
Talk about some of the friendships you have built in your time at Washington that you will always carry with you?
I still talk to AJ Graffanino all the time. I play video games with him and some of his buddies in the pros almost every night. All the guys from my class, people like Kaiser Weiss, Jonathan Schiffer, Stevie Emanuels, Jack Enger, Brandon Leitgeb – all of them – I love them to death. Even some of the new guys like Preston Viltz and Tommy Williams, those guys, I just love them so much. With every new class that comes in you make new friendships. It’s a completely new team every season. It’s nice. It’s nice to see. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Were you taking on more of a leadership role in your junior season?
I’m more of a silent leader. We have guys like Ramon (Bramasco), Stevie (Emanuels) and (Jack) Enger who are the ones that will say more and are the guys you go turn to in times of needs of a pep talk. I was one of the leaders in the sense that I was an All-Star in the Cape Cod League and I led the Pac-12 in stolen bases. Young guys could look up to me because I had success. It was kind of like when I was a freshman, I looked up to Graf because of what he did on the field. He was a great infielder. He ran the bases well. He was a great hitter. He was just one of those guys you emulated because of his success through hard work leading to results.
Can you reflect on your time at the College World Series as a freshman in 2018?
I still feel like it didn’t happen like it was just a dream. It was unbelievable. To be able to think that my freshman year we went all the way to Omaha; it’s crazy. We didn’t go the next two years, so obviously it’s a very special thing to make it to the College World Series. It’s a special thing. I still look at my ring because it just reminds me of the good times.
Besides the College World Series, what are some of your favorite memories at UW?
Honestly just hanging out with the guys and going out on random adventures around Seattle. We have a great time just finding new eating spots. We have a group chat about finding new places to eat and talk about how we should try them together. Or when it snows, we’ll have a huge snowball fight. There’s just a bunch of random stuff – team trips, going out to eat.
You’ve had two years to work with and learn under the direction of Ronnie Prettyman. What have the last two years been like under Coach Prettyman?
I love RP. Last year when I went on a 25-game slump, I went to him to help me fix it. We really talked about the mental side and being on time for every pitch. That was a huge thing, for him to take me on the side and work on it. That helped me so much. We would just go one-on-one and really work on timing, getting in sync and seeing pitches better. So I thank him for a lot of my success and a lot of the confidence I now have when I come to the plate.
What is it like playing for Coach Meggs and how has he helped make you a better player?
I love Coach Meggs. We have a great relationship. He’s known for being hard-nosed and I love it. I’m one of those guys that can get yelled at and it helps me understand what I did wrong and that I shouldn’t do stuff like that again. It doesn’t bother me as it might some people. I get yelled at all the time and I just wash it off. It’s funny, because he loves and hates that so much. We always have talks on the side. It’s funny and I love it. We have a great relationship together.
What are you looking forward to most when and if you guys all get back together for another run?
Ping pong in the locker room. We talk about how much fun we had playing ping pong on the group chat all the time. Make sure to put it in writing that I’m going to kick Logan’s (Gerling) butt next time I see him. I’m calling him out right now! First day we can go back, I’m playing him.
Some of your teammates were having great seasons when the season got halted. Talk about the comeback Noah Hsue was making.
I still have a vivid memory of me diving for the ball in center at Oregon and coming up just short and throwing the ball into Noah and watching the whole injury go down. Just watching him go down had all of us crying. But to see him battle back and go at it every day, going from the boot to be able to walk and jump, doing all this crazy stuff was inspiring. I remember during the fall being at second base and joking with him about being in the infield. Being able to see him move laterally again and improve, we have got to be there with him every step of the way. I remember we used to joke with him that he had 1 ½ ACLs and he was still hitting better than all of us, so we were just imagining what he would do with two ACLs. He went 4-for-4 in the last game and almost hit a home run. He was looking like he was going to be the next Nick Madrigal.
Next to you in the outfield, Preston Viltz kind of came from nowhere and emerged as the everyday leftfielder. What was it like playing with him and what’s his personality like?
Preston Viltz is by far one of my best friends on the team. I love that guy. I remember joking with him in the fall and talking about how me, him and Texas Tommy (Williams) were the Three Amigos and going to do some damage. He changed his swing a little bit. He’s had a broken back twice and being able to see him laying out in center and giving his all every step of the way was impressive. He’s kind of one of those silent guys that joked in the locker room, but once he stepped onto the field, he was all business.
Can you talk about some of the freshmen waiting in the wings that fans can look forward to seeing next year and beyond?
When Cole Miller is on, it’s exciting to watch. Will Simpson in the fall was looking like the next Nick Kahle. He was just raking in the fall. When he gets his head on right and figures things out, he’s going to be an animal. Dicco (Christian Diccochea) is one of the most confident guys and we just love it. He’s just Dicco. All our guys; they’re typical freshmen. They just need to get their feet wet and get experience. I think next year, they’re going to be something to deal with.
Do you have any parting words for Husky fans in case you do turn pro?
I love Seattle. I consider it home, or at least one of my two homes. I wouldn’t go anywhere else. I love all the people. Go Dawgs and stay safe out there.
