THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,473 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,473 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
All American Game  | Story | 4/30/2012

Bradley, baseball a perfect fit

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Perfect Game
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – It was only 13 months ago when Archie Bradley, the Oklahoma high school golden boy with the golden right arm capable of throwing fastballs 95 mph and tight spirals 60 to 70 yards downfield, spoke to Perfect Game with a hint of exasperation in his voice.
“It’s just a constant mind-battle for me every day. I change my mind every day on what I think I’m going to do,” Bradley said in late March, 2011. “In the end, what it comes down to is what’s really best for me. Me and my family have started to put a plan together of pros and cons, and possible scenarios of things that can happen and which route we will choose.
“We’re trying to collect the most information we can from anyone that can give us some little bit of advice that we think is worth something, and put it all into one and hopefully make the best decision.”

Bradley, then a senior at Broken Arrow (Okla.) High School, was ranked the nation’s No. 4 overall baseball prospect – and No. 2 right-handed pitcher behind fellow Oklahoman and good friend Dylan Bundy – and was certain to be a high first round selection in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft. He was also a 6-foot-4, 210-pound top quarterback prospect that had signed a national letter-of-intent with Coach Bob Stoops and the Oklahoma Sooners. Head coach Sunny Golloway was also poised to welcome him into the Sooners’ baseball program.

As expected, Bradley was snapped up with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 draft, by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He ultimately chose the D-backs over the Sooners, agreeing to a reported $5 million deal just minutes in front of an Aug. 15 signing deadline.

Today Bradley – now a 6-4, 225-pound 19-year-old – is on the roster of the South Bend Silver Hawks, Arizona’s Class A affiliate in the Midwest League (MWL). He certainly seemed to be happy with his station in life as he spoke from Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium on April 26, a day before he was scheduled to make his fifth start of the season in a MWL game against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.

“I feel like I’m in a real good place right now,” Bradley said with a contented smile on his face. “The biggest thing I’ve done so far is to not worry about moving up; I’m not worried about how fast (the D-Backs) move me. I’m here to learn things and to get better each outing and develop my change and throw it with command and consistency. The team is going to move me when they feel I’m ready to go so I’m just having fun playing baseball.”

Bradley is ranked by PG as the No. 2 minor league prospect in the D-backs organization, behind only right-hander Trevor Bauer, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 draft. After five Midwest League starts, Bradley stood 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 30 strikeouts and 14 walks in 26 innings. He retired the first 15 batters he faced in his Friday start against Cedar Rapids but got the hook after walking the first three batters he faced in the sixth.

“I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of getting the pro routine down – throwing every fifth day, learning how my body reacts to that and just the different things you need to do, the way you eat, the way you sleep – just the way you prepare for each start,” he said on Thursday.

Silver Hawks pitching coach Wellington Cepeda, who pitched for five seasons in the D-backs organization, has been impressed with Bradley in the short time he has been working with him.

“So far I’m seeing great things. I think this kid is going in the right direction,” Cepeda told Perfect Game. “Stuff-wise, he’s got three big league pitches right now. His fastball is big-time above average and he has that power curveball with command, which you don’t see (often) with a 19-year-old kid; he’s able to throw it with any count. His changeup is a work in progress right now but I think in the future it’s going to be a great pitch for him.”

Bradley started his high school career at Muskogee (Okla.) High School but transferred to Broken Arrow before his junior year. He led Broken Arrow to the Class 6A State Championship his senior season when he finished 12-1 and allowed only three earned runs and struck out 133 (with 11 walks) in 71 1/3 innings. He also passed for more than 3,600 yards and 45 touchdowns in two seasons as the Tigers’ starting quarterback.

Bradley played in three PG WWBA tournaments while in high school, including the 2008 PG WWBA World Championship as a member of the Royals Baseball Club. But his crowning achievement was being selected to play in the 2010 Aflac All-American Game at PETCO Park in San Diego. It was at the All-American Game where Bradley’s fastball was first gunned at 95 mph.

“I look back on the Aflac Game as one of the best things I’ve been a part of as far as baseball goes. Half of those guys I still keep in contact with,” he said. “Everything Perfect Game has done for me has benefitted me – (PG has) been a class act, it’s been well-run and I’d recommend it to anyone.”

The two rosters at 2010 PG/Aflac All-American Game were overflowing with top-ranked prospects. There were six future first round draft selections on each of the East and West teams’ rosters, including Bradley. His West Team teammates included his old buddy Bundy (Orioles, 4th overall), Joe Ross (Padres, 25th), Blake Swihart (Red Sox, 26th), Robert Stephenson (Giants, 27th), Henry Owens (Red Sox, 36th comp) and Travis Harrison (Twins, 50th comp).  Six other future first-rounders dotted the East Team roster.

Bradley said that he and All-American Shawon Dunston Jr. (Cubs, 11th round) are planning on living and working out together in Arizona during the upcoming offseason. He also mentioned ’10 All-Americans Matthew Dean (Blue Jays, 13th round), Dillon Maples (Cubs, 14th round) and Austin Hedges (Padres, 2nd round) as just a few of the guys with whom he remains in touch.

“I could name all of them,” he said. “We still talk, we still keep in touch, and those are experiences you can’t get just playing regular travel ball.”

And, of course, he talks with Bundy the most frequently. Bundy is enjoying a tremendous inaugural professional season with the Delmarva (Md.) Shorebirds of the Class A South Atlantic League; he didn’t allow a hit or a run and struck out 21 batters in his first 13 innings of work in the Sally League.

“We talk to each other probably about once a week after we throw,” Bradley said. “We’ve done a good job of keeping in touch with each other.”

Playing professionally has been – and will continue to be – a learning experience for Bradley. His days spent as a PG/Aflac All-American notwithstanding, the minor leagues are a whole different ballgame from what he experienced in the Oklahoma high school ranks.

“You just have to take into account that everyone can hit a fastball now. Whether you’re throwing it 90 or 98 it doesn’t matter; everyone can hit a fastball,” Bradley said. “It’s pro ball now so you have to start understanding counts, when to throw certain pitches, when to throw a ball up in the zone and when to throw it down. … Learn what hitters’ weaknesses are and start throwing to those rather than just raring back and trying to throw a fastball by a guy.”

And like he said previously, Bradley feels like he is settling into a routine of professional pitcher.

“It’s not throwing every fifth day; it’s the work in between that’s the hardest thing to adjust to,” he said. “In high school, you go from pitching to playing a position the next day, and you might not throw for seven days after that. It’s just learning how to prepare your arm … (and) your throwing program and things like that to where you know when you go out that fifth day you’re fresh and ready to go.”

Cepeda said what Bradley needs more than anything right now is innings on the mound. Just by going out and pitching every fifth day, Bradley will learn how to better control the opposing team’s running game and how to better field his position. He can also continue to work on improving his changeup.

“I think he’s going to get better,” Cepeda said. “He asks a lot of questions, which is good, because I think you learn from that. He asks me (questions), and he even asks the hitting coaches about hitters and what they expect in different situations and with different counts. He’s still learning about his stuff but he’s coming around.”

That’s a sentiment Bradley readily shares.

“Overall, as far as managing the game, throwing against hitters and being in good situations, I’ve felt very comfortable and I’ve felt very confident in what I’ve been able to do,” he said. “Hopefully I can keep that going.”

Perfect Game scouting report (Ben Collman):

 Bradley was sharp Friday night in cold, damp conditions in Cedar Rapids. He carried a perfect game through five innings and was lifted after walking the first three in the sixth. He struck out four and allowed two earned runs, both scoring after he departed, to lower his ERA to 2.08 on the year. For the season he has allowed just 8 hits and has issued 14 walks with 30 strikeouts in 26 innings.

Big and strong, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Bradley was an Oklahoma quarterback commit before signing as the seventh overall pick in 2011. He has reached the upper-90s in the past with his fastball and worked 92-94 Friday night, pounding the bottom half of the zone. His fastball showed late sink and life and the Cedar Rapids Kernels made very little solid contact against it. His second plus offering is an 81-83 mph curveball with very hard spin and sharp late break. It shows depth and tilt and Bradley has a very good feel for the pitch. He also flashed a straight changeup at 84-86 with late run to the armside. He maintains his arm speed well on the pitch. Bradley is athletic, repeats his delivery and gets lots of extension out front with a very long stride. That coupled with his fantastic arm speed makes his 92-94 appear even harder and makes his fastball plus-plus when it sits 95-97.





Give us your feedback
All American Game | Story | 4/2/2026

All American Classic Heading to Citizens Bank
Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME DICK’S ALL-AMERICAN CLASSIC HEADED TO CITIZENS BANK PARK IN 2026   Perfect Game makes debut at iconic Phillies venue during America’s 250th birthday celebration   Former Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel named Honorary Chairman of All-American Classic   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Thursday, April 2, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that the 2026 Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, marking the first time a Perfect Game event has ever been held at the iconic home of the Philadelphia Phillies.   The game will take place on...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/15/2026

Braves Scout Team Keep Winning In Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Through big wins and making their way into the championship bracket, the Atlanta Braves Scout Team has done exactly what every team hopes to do at a major Perfect Game event: keep winning.  Now undefeated and preparing for the semifinals, the Braves have established themselves as one of the top teams remaining in the 15U division. Dominant pitching performances, timely hitting, and a lineup full of contributors have powered the team through a strong weekend in Hoover.  The Braves opened the tournament with a statement performance behind right-hander Daylen Woods, who tossed a five-inning no-hitter while striking out six. Woods also helped his own cause offensively with three hits and two runs scored as the Atlanta Braves Scout Team rolled to victory. The momentum continued with a 10-3 win over Wow Factor Nation 15U, as Sam Ridley allowed just one hit across four innings while...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 6/15/2026

WC Ghost Claims Arizona All-State Title

Emily Hicks
Article Image
In a championship game that featured strong pitching and sharp defense from both sides, West Coast Ghost AZ 16U pulled away late to defeat Overfly 2028, 5-3, and claim the Arizona All-State Games title. “We had discipline at the plate, on the mound, out in the field; everyone just did their thing. It was good,” said Cash Carmichael The two teams traded runs throughout the 1st and 2nd innings, making it 3-2. Followed by a single run scored at the top of the 4th by Overfly 2028, it remained tied 3-3 for most of the game. Both defenses made key plays to limit scoring opportunities, turning potential rallies into outs and keeping the pressure high in every inning. With the game deadlocked heading into the bottom of the sixth, West Coast Ghost AZ finally broke through. Bottom of the 6th, J. Haizen Reidhead recorded a single, Oren Tucker walked, and Josiah Shim was hit by pitch....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/15/2026

Coastal Region Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Wyatt Smitherman (2028, Durham NC) had a solid day at the plate for USA Prime Triangle 16u Stars in their matchup against the Charlotte Colts. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound shortstop has a tall athletic frame. The left handed batter displayed a mature approach at the plate. Attacks fastballs and drives them with authority. He has quick hands and gets the barrel through the zone. Uses his lower half to his advantage creating enough torque to generate his power he shown. Smitherman finished the day going 1-for-3 with a home run and 4 RBI. Zachary Days (2028, Charlotte NC) had a impressive day at the plate for the Charlotte Colts against USA Prime Coastal. The 6-foot-3, 170 pound center fielder has a tall athletic frame. Days bats from the left side with a short but powerful swing. Very disciplined during his AB’s and applies pressure on the defense. He shifts his weight to his lower half...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 6/15/2026

Weather Can't Delay Top Tier Victory

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
A seven-run first inning gave Top Tier Roos American Red 2027 all the momentum they needed Sunday morning, but the road to a Florida World Series championship was far from straightforward.  After jumping out to an early lead against WBC 17u, Top Tier endured a 3 ½-hour rain delay before returning to finish off a 9-1 victory at Lee Health Sports Complex.  The championship game, which began at 8 a.m. and did not conclude until nearly 1 p.m., ended in the bottom of the fifth inning under Perfect Game’s mercy-rule format. Top Tier’s dominant performance was powered by a complete-game effort from Christian Davis and an offense that erupted for seven runs in the first inning.  Not even hours of uncertainty and lightning delays could keep Top Tier from finishing what they started.  Davis started on the mound for Top Tier and remained the entire five...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/14/2026

PG Softball Super Regionals

Erica Beach
Article Image
PG Super Regionals Dripping Springs, Texas June 6-7, 2026     DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX- The weather was nice, the Longhorns JUST won a national championship, and Perfect Game brought it’s first softball event to Dripping Springs. It was a weekend packed with college coaches, quality softball, and a great softball atmosphere. Over the course of the six-game guarantee event, our scout saw some amazing athletes. Below she highlights some of the athletes who caught her eye.   Destiny Sidiropoulos (2028, Houston, TX) of the Impact Gold HTX 16U was an incredible spark plug at the top of their lineup all weekend. She is a true triple threat who has great speed on the basepaths. She can soft and power slap, drop a sneaky bunt, and hit away with pop. Her barrel control is next level, and she is fun to watch pick apart defenses. On defense, she is versatile and athletic. She gets...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/13/2026

West Coast Summer Breakout Hopefuls

Joey Cohen
Article Image
With summer ball ramping up, the priority follow lists from our scouting staff start to take shape and every year a handful of intriguing names outside the national spotlight begin to separate. Digging deeper into the West region, there’s a group of prospects currently buried outside the Top 200 who carry real breakout and helium potential over the next few months. All 10 players featured here are coming off strong high school seasons and bring traits that evaluators tend to bet on whether it’s projectable/athletic bodies, strong secondary stuff, or flashes of impact tools. They may not be household names just yet, but the ingredients are there for significant jumps by the end of the summer circuit. Don’t be surprised if several of these names are firmly in the mix and climbing up early boards in a hurry before the fall rolls around. Two innings of work here from Jonah...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/14/2026

UBC West Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Nash McCarthy (2030, Camas, WA) was outstanding in his start on day two of the UBC West for NW Baum Bat, working six-innings allowing four-hits, no walks and struck out seven.  Standing at 6-foot, 170-pounds with athleticism and room to add.  Effortless mover down the bump with a low effort, up-tempo operation that produced a fastball that was up to 84.  He showed feel for the secondary offerings mixing in a firm breaking ball at 71-74 with 11-5 shape with depth.  Controlled the zone and the tempo throughout the outing, moving the ball around to all four-quadrants.  Projectable arm speed with advanced feel for the spin and strike zone.  Dylan D'Oyen (2030, Cerritos, CA) got the start for 5 Star 2030 in their opening game of the tournament and impressed over six innings of work.  Athletic mover down the mound with balance and repeats the delivery. ...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/13/2026

UBC South Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Quintin Blackwell (2030, Hercules, California) has, literally, been unstoppable this weekend for Premier Banditos Deleon. In six plate appearances, he has a walk and five hits. Doing it all with a double and two triples, while stealing three bags. Plenty of coil on the front side. Hands work through zone and the barrel stays on plane for a long time. High upside bat that makes an already deep Banditos lineup even deeper. Kenson Buth (2027, Trophy Club, Texas) has been an absolute weapon on both ends for Stix 2027 Scout. At the plate, he’s 6-9 with two doubles, a triple, and a home run. Linear approach with a ton of bat speed. Plenty of impact at the bottom of the zone and showing some ability to do serious damage in the middle of the field. On the mound, he went four quality innings, punching out three. The fastball lived 86-90 with carry. Good feel for the slider in the mid 70s....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/13/2026

WWBA East Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Sawyer Pettit (‘27 MS) Has shown extremely well to start the summer of 2026. Its a physical left-handed hitting corner profile with big muscle mass. Will pass the eye test off the bus at the next level. The swing is clean with controlled violence and big in-air power that has shown up frequently. Good mover for the size and plays the game hard. Candidate for a big frosh season at LSU-Eunice in 2028. Keviyun McQueen (‘27 MS) Pair of barrels tied together here. Innate feel to hit with fast hands. Line drive approach that gets to pull side power in the air. Excellent athlete that will stick at a premium spot. #LaTech commit.#WWBAEast pic.twitter.com/xeintVTMil — PG Deep South (@PG_DeepSouth) June 12, 2026 Keviyun McQueen (‘27 MS) The Louisiana Tech commit just does not stop hitting. Left the yard to the pull side yesterday and followed it up with a 3-4 day with a...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/12/2026

AZ All-State Ready to Take Place

Emily Hicks
Article Image
This weekend, eight teams will head to Goodyear Ballpark for the 2026 PG Arizona All-State tournament, setting the stage for what should be an exciting few days of baseball. With teams traveling from across the city, the field will be packed with talent and plenty of championship contenders. Among the teams competing in 16U are AZ Select, Marucci Athletics 2028 Grannis, Overfly 2028, Phoenix Phillies, Team Dinger 2028, T-Rex East Valley, USA Scout Team AZ 16U, and West Coast Ghost AZ 16U. Each team enters the weekend with its own strengths and goals, creating several intriguing storylines to follow throughout pool play and bracket action. One of the biggest teams to watch this weekend will be 10-10, T-Rex East Valley. Whether it's dominant pitching, high-powered offenses, or strong defensive play, T-Rex East Valley has already shown they can compete at a high level this season. A few...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.