Francis Howell sophomore second baseman Brady Tanner has made an immediate impact for the Vikings this season. His efforts at the plate and in the field went a long way towards helping the Vikings to the Class 6 state baseball tournament.
Brady Tanner is what sports pundits call a “glue guy.”
In his first season with the Francis Howell varsity baseball team, Tanner isn’t mashing the ball at a Ruthian pace. He isn’t stealing bases like Rickey Henderson would. He isn’t even driving runs like an RBI machine the caliber of Albert Pujols.
The great thing for the Vikings this season is that in his first year and while not leading the discussion, Tanner is actually finding his way into the conversation of the high school equivalent of EACH of the aforementioned feats and then some.
Tanner isn’t rocketing to the moon in any one category, he’s in the stratosphere in everything he does, according to junior infielder and teammate Mason Bogard.
“Brady has been a spark plug for us, offensively,” Bogard said. “He has kept the energy up all year long.”
Amongst the litany of eye-popping statistics for Tanner this season were a .343 batting average, a .458 on-base percentage, 28 runs scored, four doubles, three triples, one home run, and 22 RBI for the Vikings (30-12) as the team finished fourth in the state in Class 6.
Tanner, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound second baseman, who typically hit No. 2 behind fellow all-GAC South first-teamer and senior Tytus Cissell, said he enjoyed his success largely because of Cissell’s efforts.
“Being able to do whatever I can to help the team win and put our team in the best position possible to win is the biggest thing,” Tanner said. “I have been fortunate enough to have Tytus hits in front of me. He’s a guy who gets on base a lot and is freaky fast and can steal two bases and be at third base while I’m still up to bat. Finding a way to get him home has been huge.”
Tanner added that a big thing for his success in his first season of varsity baseball has simply boiled down to having the confidence to know he can succeed.
“For me, approaching the game with confidence is the biggest thing, and going 100% every play like it’s your last (is vital) because you just never know,” Tanner said. “Every at-bat, I always think ‘stay middle’ and try to hit the ball back at the pitcher as hard as I can and get on base any way I can.”
Perkins said that for all Cissell has been for Howell in his final season, Tanner has been equally important for the Vikings in his debut.
The veteran coach said it’s been baffling to see just how little regard his sophomore receives, especially with a .920 fielding percentage at a rather valuable defensive position.
“He’s a sophomore that nobody really talks about,” Perkins said. “(He) has been a top-of-the-order guy all year. His defense has been fantastic and he’s been a steady-eddy kind of guy. (He) works his tail off and is only going to get better. Great kid.”
Tanner said that, as he sees things, there has been plenty of effort worthy of admiration this season from which he’s drawn his inspiration.
He said there is a reason, after all, why Howell is a tradition-rich program with four state championships and now 15 final four appearances to its credit.
“It means a ton playing for the best baseball program in the state and being able to contribute to my team,” Tanner said. “A bunch of the upperclassmen before me have been in this situation and this being my first year at state, it was definitely a moment I won’t forget.”
