Brian Browning
Brian Browning, IFHometown: East Meadow, NY
BBA debut: April 2, 2051
The scouting report on Brian Browning is short and sweet. “Put him anywhere on the field and he’ll surprise you,” it reads.
Sure, because if you take one look at Browning and his lanky, 6’7” frame, you’d guess he was a first baseman, or possibly a relief pitcher. Guys his size aren’t supposed to play shortstop. But Browning has been rewriting the book on appropriate sizes for infielders since he was drafted out of high school in 2045 by Louisville.
He didn’t sign, and instead went to play college ball, where he continued to develop his defense. College coaches would try to convert him to a position more befitting for his size, but he was determined to stick at shortstop, and worked hard at it. He came back to the draft three years later as the smoothest-fielding shortstop you’ve ever seen.
Browning was drafted by Des Moines in the second round of the 2048 draft. Thanks to his great eye at the plate, he had gotten a reputation as a shortstop who could field and hit, which put him in incredibly high demand. His team leveraged this, and sent him to Twin Cities in 2050 as part of the trade for Thomas Turner.
He graduated through Twin Cities’ minor-league system quickly, and was on a fast track to make The Show. But for some reason, he was not protected in last December’s Rule 5 draft, so Boise scooped him up.
The Spuds felt comfortable giving Browning a roster spot because of his versatility. Not only can he play every position on the field (although when assigned to second base, he still grumbles about being a perfectly capable shortstop), but he can draw walks, steal a few bases, and occasionally hit for power.
His versatility was put to the test when Murad Abdul-Alim hurt his elbow in a series against Jacksonville. While waiting for the diagnosis, the Spuds needed someone to cover center field for the rest of the series. The job naturally went to Browning, despite having no professional experience playing the outfield.
“He’ll figure it out,” said manager Kang Der when asked about the decision. “He’s good at everything, so I’m not worried.”