CanuckBaseballPlus

Welcome to Canuck Baseball Plus! This prospect profile addition features Shortstop Jaden Brown.

Jaden Brown

Graduating Class: 2019

Primary Position: SS

Team: Ontario Blue Jays

Height: 6-1

Weight: 180 LBS

Bat: Right

Throw: Right

Jaden Brown, a talented shortstop out of Mississauga, Ontario, has had an extraordinary ride so far in his baseball career. The 16-year-old kid loves the game and is as hardworking as it gets. Just a few years ago he wasn’t even playing for the first squad Mississauga North team, and this past season he was apart of the Canadian Junior National team. He’s just leapfrogging through the ranks, and don’t expect him to stop.

His rapid progression is a reflection of his character traits; he’s a hard worker, he’s passionate and fearless. Brown continually trains with his father, (A track and field athlete who tried out for the Olympics) his dad has been a huge reason for his success. “He’s played a big part of my career. We grinned together, worked together from the time we first started training outside every day.” When asked about the possibility of playing in the Major Leagues, he said “MLB IS THE ONLY GOAL, I’m not afraid of roadblocks and detours” Brown’s confidence is off the charts.

“Swingman Brown,” a nickname given to him by friends, experienced a dream-like moment this October when he officially committed to the University of Kentucky. Brown, has been wearing a Kentucky Wildcats sweatshirt since his Grade 8 year when he wasn’t even imagining the possibility of playing for the ballclub. “My grandfather who is extremely close to me gave it to me as a gift.”

The 6-1 shortstop can’t be any more excited about playing for the Wildcats, “They are ranked 8th across the board. The choice is a no-brainer. I simply just loved the energy and the vibe Coach Minge (Nick Mingione) who is the new head coach at UK gave me as soon as I met him. And he is impacting the entire team and coaching staff, full of energy and positivity.”

I couldn’t help but ask if he had a chance to catch up with fellow Mississauga, Ont. native and current Kentucky Wildcat Tristan Pompey. They have caught up with each other and spoke for a while, “I had spoken to Tristan Pompey, and he spoke about the journey he had at UK and what else could you ask for he’s an SEC All-American. And a potential high-rounder so I mean so far they have good experiences with Canadian athletes.” Indeed they have had success with Canadian athletes, Canuck pitchers Andrew Albers and James Paxton both were drafted out of the program, they’ve gone on to have success in the MLB.

Brown is a gifted athlete with tremendous bat speed and quick feet. Per Perfect Game US, he ran a 6.87 60 yard dash at their showcase and threw 86 MPH across the diamond. The current Ontario Blue Jay is an excellent infielder with a quick transfer and tons of range. For a kid his size he can really muscle up a ball. This summer during Tournament 12 hosted at the Rogers Centre, Swingman Brown showcased his power hitting a ground rule double over the 400-foot sign, to straightaway center field.

Being a good teammate and impacting others is essential for the youngster, “As a ballplayer, I would say I’m very passionate about the game, and I play the game with all I got. And that impact’s my teammates and makes everyone play with the same passion that I have.” He continued to say “Baseball is a sport that builds character I want to be the best person/teammate I can be.”

I asked Brown’s T12 teammate Owen Diodati about his friend’s character, Owen only had great things to say. “He loves the game, and he’s always striving to get better. He’s the kind of guy I like to surround myself with because we both have the same end goal; to be future big leaguers.” Time will only tell what Brown’s future has in-store, but one thing is for sure, this kid will never give up.

Remember the name: Jaden Brown.