Jackie Bradley Jr. will always be remembered as a Gamecock great, but he’s finally making a name for himself in the big leagues.
The 2010 College World Series Most Outstanding Player has had an interesting journey to get to this level. He was drafted 40th overall by the Boston Red Sox in the 2011 MLB Draft, fresh off another College World Series title. He spent two years in their farm system, faster than most players, and made his major league debut on April 1, 2013. This wasn’t his shot, though, as he got sent back down to the minors shortly after.
Bradley started showing his true potential in late 2015, giving fans hope that 2016 would be his year, and he got the start on Opening Day in 2016, continuing to provide offense that kept him up in the majors.
“You knew that the work that you put in in the offseason finally paid off, you were getting the results that you were looking for and things were going well," Bradley said in an interview with The Daily Gamecock. "The team was winning and anything you could possibly do to help the team was always a positive.”
Bradley has been an offensive lift for the Red Sox, giving them some added power toward the bottom of the lineup. He’s hitting .296 with 92 hits, 14 home runs and 55 RBIs.
National recognition didn't pick up until April and May. During that time, he went an impressive 29-game hitting streak, the fourth longest in Boston history.
And because of his hit streak, he created a lot of buzz with media and fans everywhere, yet Bradley tried not to focus on what was happening.
“I wasn’t under any pressure," he said. "I just tried to go in and do what I normally do to prepare for a game, and if I got a hit, I got a hit. If I didn’t, oh well. I still gotta come in the next day and try to perform.”
As the streak came to an end, focus shifted to the All-Star Game. Bradley harvested national attention, and the votes poured in for him to start. He wasn’t concerned with the votes, though, and just kept doing what he could to improve his game.
Bradley was named a 2016 All-Star, becoming the first Gamecock to start an All-Star Game since Brian Roberts in 2005. He traveled to San Diego during the break for the midsummer classic, and it proved to be an especially memorable event. Not only was it his first appearance, but he got to share it with four teammates, including the soon-to-be-retired David Ortiz.
“It was a great experience, something that a lot of people strive to be," Bradley said. "My family was able to attend as well and that’s also something I’m very proud of because they got to enjoy and experience that particular moment that I can always look back on, and you’ll always be known as an All-Star. It being David Ortiz’s last one — I can tell my kids and family that one day that I actually got to not only be a teammate with this hall-of-famer, but play in his last All-Star game.”
Bradley went 2-2 in the game with two singles, and recorded the first out of the night.
This season has been a memorable one for Bradley not only because he was selected to his first All-Star game, but also he played against former Gamecock teammate Whit Merrifield when he made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals on May 18.
“I made his first out," Bradley said. "And it was one of those things where you couldn't write a better story."
Bradley also noted that watching Boston pitcher David Price, who played for Vanderbilt, give up the hit against Merrifield was compelling, saying that the bond the SEC creates is a strong one.
"I was glad that he actually got his first hit," Bradley added. Price "said he was actually glad that Whit was able to get his first career hit off of him; that was pretty cool to hear someone say.”
Bradley played at South Carolina from 2009 to 2011, earning two national championships with the Gamecocks. He explained that playing for South Carolina and in the SEC is something special, and that his time there really helped him make the adjustment getting through the minors.
“Playing in the SEC is a very good conference. The competition that you’re playing at the SEC is very vital," he said. "I definitely give credit to playing at South Carolina for helping me move through the minors so fast.”
Bradley also mentioned that he still keeps up with the Gamecocks and tries to visit the team as often as he can, giving back to the program that brought him to where he is today.
Bradley didn’t have the quickest rise up to the majors, but now that he’s here, he plans to do everything he can to improve and make a difference. The Red Sox are currently second in the American League East, and he doesn’t know what will be thrown at him and his team in the second half of the season, but he is ready to put in the work.
“You can go through some things, and as long as you have that mentality to bounce back, you can do something positive," Bradley said. "People tell you that you can’t, but you have to tell yourself that you can. Believe in yourself and work hard."