CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Former Rossview High baseball player Gage Bradley is just a week away from donning the black and gold when he begins his career as a Commodore on Opening Day.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound freshman will pitch for one of the top college baseball programs in the country, Vanderbilt, this upcoming season.
“I chose Vandy because after I went on my visit here, it just felt like home,” Bradley said. “It was only about 40 minutes away and I knew how I could progress as a pitcher if I were to come here.”
Bradley had no shortage of interest from other schools coming out of high school including Arkansas, Kentucky, Miami, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Austin Peay.
As a sophomore, Bradley originally committed to Vanderbilt and has since never wavered from his decision.
“He really helped on me being able to come here,” Bradley said of his former Rossview baseball coach Parker Holman. “After freshman year, we started a really good relationship that we have today. I’m still texting him every week to see how him and the team are doing.”
The hard-throwing righty helped lead the Hawks to their first-ever state baseball title in 2018.
Bradley earned the win in the championship game after allowing one run on three hits while striking out five in a 11-1 victory over Brentwood.
“That was an incredible experience,” Bradley said of the postseason run. “From us struggling at the beginning of the year to us building together as a team and getting into state, I couldn’t believe we were in it and went 4-0.”
When he looks back on how he got to this point in his student-athlete career, Bradley is most thankful for the support system around him.
“My parents worked for me to be able to travel all over the country to showcases and play with Canes National,” Bradley said. “Also, having an older guy like Elijah Pleasants who has been through the process too and knows what to do has helped me a lot as well.
Vanderbilt head baseball coach Tim Corbin is a living legend in the eyes of many. Bradley shared what his first impressions were of the two-time NCAA championship-winning coach compared to how he views his current skipper today.
“Coming in, I was a little bit intimidated,” Bradley said. “Now I realize he’s just always on you to try and get you better because he knows what’s in you.”
Looking ahead
Many experts and analysts project Bradley’s teammate Kumar Rocker to be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 MLB Draft.
According to Bradley, he has already learned a lot by watching Rocker go about his business day in and day out.
“He’s actually a really cool guy,” Bradley said. “Every day I just learn what he does before games and after he throws. He knows what he’s doing. He walks into the lab and his whole game plan is already set.”
Dealing with the fallout from COVID has been tough for many athletes to endure that have made the jump from high school to college this past year. Bradley too has been negatively affected by the layoff to some degree.
“I wasn’t able to do a whole lot,” Bradley said of the circumstances. “I got to come up to Vanderbilt three times a week and that was about it. I was able to throw almost every day with my teammates from Rossview and do band exercises to keep my arm in shape.”
As he enters his freshman year at one of the most prestigious institutions in the country, Bradley is focused on becoming the best version of himself both in the classroom and on the field.
“Next fall we’ll decide on our major,” Bradley said. “I’m either going to do HOD (Human and Organizational Development) or American Studies.”
Bradley and the rest of the Commodores open up the 2021 season Friday, Feb. 19 at 4:30 p.m. against Wright State at Hawkins Field.
“It’s going to be incredible,” Bradley said. “I’m just ready to get on the field against another team because we’ve been scrimmaging a lot against each other. Being able to see other faces and compete against them is going to be really fun.”