After playing just 45 games following his trade from the Dodgers, Dave Roberts helped Boston steal the American League pennant from the New York Yankees with the most significant steal in the history of baseball’s postseason. Roberts was the catalyst for a team that rebounded from an historic 3-0 deficit in the ALCS to bring a World Series title to Boston for the first time in 86 years.
The steadily rising Baltimore Orioles fresh off winning its first AL East division title since 2014, have stockpiled talent in abundance. It’s one thing to have the No.1 ranked prospect (Jackson Holliday) in all of MLB according to MLB Pipeline.
But that’s just the beginning for this club, who also have the speedy Enrique Bradfield Jr., the club’s No.5 ranked prospect in the fold among other talented youngsters working their way up to the majors.
Outside of Holliday, who’s the son of former NL MVP and seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, Bradfield Jr., may possess the biggest upside. Blessed with the type of speed that can change games while giving pitchers and catchers fits, EBJ is a huge piece of the club’s very bright future. As he enters his second season with the High-A Aberdeen Ironbirds of the South Atlantic League, Bradfield Jr. is focused doing what he does best and improving on his weaknesses.
When the Orioles made EBJ the 17th overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft, they saw what everyone else did; a base stealing savant. In his three seasons at college baseball powerhouse Vanderbilt, EBJ stole 130 bases at a 91 percent success rate.
When asked about his speed and style in a recent spring training interview in Sarasota, Florida, EBJ said:
“I would say it was about when I was 10 or 11 that I really recognized that. It’s always been a part of who I am, but I wouldn’t say it’s everything to what I do. I was gifted a beautiful gift from God and at the same time too I have worked very hard to where I am at. And also, there are other factors like a support system with my family, my parents, my sister and countless coaches I could name that all impacted me.”
“There are a lot of people I look at from past years and also some that are playing now that I’d like to model my game after. I’d say when I can watch Kenny Lofton or a guy like Rickey Henderson who had tremendous speed. Another player like that would be Juan Pierre, who I’ve gotten to know and build a relationship with.
“He’s been awesome in our conversations. And I look at a guy playing right now, and I look at Corbin Carroll and I love his style of play. What he brings to the game with his speed, bat and defense, I think it’s very complete. For someone like me, I look at a guy like him and that is kind of what I envision for myself.”
Modeling his game after greats like Henderson and Lofton shows how much Bradfield pays attention. But to include someone like Pierre and then a current player like Corbin proves that Bradfield is definitely a student of the game.
In time spent with Low-A Delmarva and High-A Aberdeen last season, Bradfield only had three extra-base knocks (all doubles) in 110 plate appearances. Despite that he maintained a very respectable .291/.473/.329/.802 slash line with 26 walks to 16 strikeouts. He also went 25 for 27 (92.5 percent) on stolen base attempts, further proving why he’s such a coveted prospect for the Orioles.
As he works to continue to develop power to go along with that elite speed, EBJ will become even more of a force at the plate. With an expected 2026 call up he has plenty of time to get that rectified.
“Okay, if knowledge is the key, then just show me the lock. Got the scrawny legs, but I move just like Lou Brock with speed, I’m agile plus I’m worth Ya while, 100 percent intelligent Black child.” — Q-Tip, ATCQ
The stolen base is back in MLB in 2023 and nobody swiped bags better than Brock, who led the NL in stolen bases eight times and was a two-time World Series champ with over 3000 hits and 938 steals, good for second all-time behind the great Rickey Henderson.
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