Prep Baseball Report

Q&A With Oregon Commit Buddy Brands


By: Diego Solares
Associate Scout, Staff Writer

RHP Buddy Brands (Tigard) represented the Pacific Northwest at this year’s PBR Future Games - the most prestigious event on our company-wide showcase calendar. Brands turned some heads with his performance down in LakePoint, bumping his fastball up to 88 mph with advanced vertical traits and a 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame to pair. As things stand right now, Brands is the fifth-ranked prospect in the Oregon 2023 state rankings and he’s inside the top-350 on the national board, too.

Shortly after the event, Brands committed to the University of Oregon. We spoke with him on what his recruitment process looked like, his thoughts on the Ducks, and what his most memorable baseball moment is to date. Our chat, found below.

BUDDY BRANDS

Buddy Brands

Class of 2023 / RHP

Player Information

  • Graduating Class: 2023
  • Primary Position: RHP
    Secondary Position: 3B
  • High School: Tigard
    State: OR
  • Summer Team: Gunderson Baseball
  • Height: 6-2
    Weight: 200lbs
  • Bat/Throw: R/R


OUR Q&A

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?

Brands: My expectations were that I would reach out to school and they would come watch me play and the relationship would build from there.

P: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?

B: Not really. Of the schools that I wanted to go to, most of them were on the west coast, but if I liked a school somewhere else I was definitely open to it.

P: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play?

B: The recruiting process heated up after I threw at the Future Games. I had a couple of schools call me directly after the event. The first time Oregon saw me play was in Eugene in a tournament last summer.

P: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision?

B: I chose Oregon because I’ve always been a Duck’s fan and it’s been a goal of mine to play for U of O. Oregon’s coaching is second to none and I really feel I’ll be able to develop and grow tremendously under Waz and the whole coaching staff in Eugene.

P: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

B: Gonzaga, Washington, Tennessee, and UC Berkeley.

P: Who is the best player you have faced in your state? What about them makes for a tough opponent?

B: LHP Paul Wilson (Lakeridge, 2023; Oregon) - Paul is tough to hit because of the velo and movement on his fastball, paired with the curveball it’s almost impossible to hit when he’s on.

P: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college-caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?

B: I’ve always dreamed of playing college baseball and planned on playing in college somewhere, but going into my sophomore year I got a lot stronger and I really started to realize that I could possibly go D1 if I was willing to put in the work that it took to get there.

P: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?

B: Trust in the work you’ve put in and do the small things that are easily skipped because those are the things that are going to build up and eventually get you to the next level.

P: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

B: Playing in the Future Games because I threw well and the team was super fun to play on and we all bonded really well.

P: Preview your high school team's season for us. How do you feel your team will be?

B: Going into this season I think people are underestimating us because we didn’t have much statistical success last season, but I believe we can come out and really show everybody how much the team has improved and win some big games this year.

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