Brigman Poised For Big Sophomore Season

SAN DIEGO—Bryson Brigman was serious enough about a future in hockey that he spent his middle school years flying back and forth between his home in San Jose and his hockey team in Los Angeles.

Brigman worked things out at school so that he could attend classes each week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

He would fly to L.A. on Thursday night, stay at the home of one of his teammates and spend the weekend on the ice with the LA Selects, an elite developmental team.

Brigman would fly home Monday night and start things all over again.

“It was fun,” said Brigman, who played center and right wing. “It was kind of crazy not being home for the weekends. My friends were going out and doing things. I’d miss all that, but I had a second life in L.A. It was a really cool experience and I’m glad I had a chance to do it.”

Vince Brigman, Bryson’s father, said that “by about (age) 10 it was apparent he was gifted at hockey.”

But a funny thing happened on the way to the NHL. Brigman emerged as an even bigger baseball prospect.

Brigman holds the distinction of being the only player to compete on three world championship teams for USA Baseball. He earned a 16-and-under championship in 2011 and back-to-back titles with the 18-and-under team in 2012-13.

Brigman’s father said one thing that influenced Bryson’s decision to choose baseball over hockey is that “while they’re both team sports, there’s the individual aspect (in baseball) where he thought he could control his own destiny.”

“In baseball you’re more able to shine as an individual,” Vince Brigman said, “and you’re less limited by coaches deciding to give you ice time and players deciding to pass the puck to you.”

After starring at San Jose Valley Christian High for four years, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Brigman immediately moved into a starting role at second base last season for San Diego.

In his debut for the Toreros, he hit .339/.395/.436 with two home runs, 28 RBIs and 39 runs scored to earn freshman of the year honors in the West Coast Conference. Brigman carried that performance over into the summer, as he returned to USA Baseball to play for the Collegiate National Team, as well as playing in the Cape Cod League, hitting better than .300 in both his summer stops.

Brigman, a draft-eligible sophomore this season, was voted a second-team Preseason All-American by major league scouting directors and is ranked No. 47 among Baseball America’s Top 100 college prospects.

USD has produced first-round talents in three straight drafts: third baseman Kris Bryant (Cubs, 2nd overall) in 2013; first baseman Connor Joe (Pirates, 39th) in 2014; and shortstop Kyle Holder (Yankees, 30th) in 2015.

Could Brigman make it four in a row? That remains to be seen. But Holder was rated similarly entering last season before playing himself into the first round.

“He was phenomenal as a freshmen last year,” said Holder, who became good friends with Brigman while playing alongside him. “Above all, he wants to win and will compete day in and day out to help the squad win . . . He’s a very hard worker, competitor and stud athlete that can run. (He’s a) solid middle infielder with very good instincts and knowledge of the game.”

USD head coach Rich Hill called Holder the best-fielding shortstop he’s coached during his 30-year career. With Holder’s departure, Brigman slides over from second base to shortstop.

“I’ve always played shortstop,” Brigman said. ” I’m very excited to get the chance to test my skills at the D-1 level at short. It feels like I’m back home.”

Baseball fans should get used to hearing the name Brigman over the next few years. Bryson is the eldest of four baseball-playing brothers.

There also is Keenan, a freshman infielder at Pacific; Dawson, a sophomore infielder at San Jose Valley Christian High who has a commitment to California; and Coleman, a freshman outfielder at Valley Christian.

None of them specialized in baseball while growing up, which is something of a rarity these days. Hill is among those who have an appreciation for the multi-sport athlete.

“It’s cool that Bryson had this love for hockey and really excelled at it,” Hill said. “Back in the day, kids were playing football, basketball, baseball, soccer, riding skateboards, skipping rocks, body surfing, developing their core strength and functional movement.

“Nobody was getting hurt back then. Today, you’re either a football player, basketball player or baseball player and everybody is getting hurt.”

Hill said Brigman brings a toughness to the Toreros that he suspects comes from his hockey experience.

“Those guys are tough,” Hill said. “They get beat up all the time. They’re used to the long practices, the long days.

“There’s a maturity about him. He’s used to being away from home. I don’t know if that’s his hockey background, or just who he is.”

Brigman believes hockey benefitted his conditioning more than anything.

“You have to be in really good shape to skate all game,” he said. “So that helped with my overall endurance and leg strength.

“It helps a little bit with hand-eye coordination. Stick-handling. You’ve got keep your head up and move.

And Brigman believes the hip action developed skating benefits his swing.

“He needs to continue to hit and show consistency at the plate,” said a longtime NL scout, who is impressed with Brigman’s speed but questions whether he can play shortstop at the next level.

What scouts see of Brigman in the field and at the plate will determine if he moves up the draft board, but he doesn’t have the pressure to perform that many players put on themselves in their draft year.

That’s because Brigman turns 21 on June 19. Since his birthday falls within 45 days of the draft (held this year June 9-11), Brigman is in the rare situation of being draft-eligible as a sophomore.

That gives him the flexibility to return to school with just as much leverage next season as he has this season.

“There’s no number, position or place or anything like that where I’m going to for sure,” Brigman said. “It’s going to be a hard decision whether I want to go because I’ve had a great experience here.

“If the opportunity presents itself, then I feel I’m definitely ready to start my pro career. It’s more being smart with my decision.

“It’s not a matter of I need to get out of here as soon as possible. It’s nothing like that. But because I do have the opportunity and that extra leverage, why not take advantage of it if things go well?”

That seems like a sensible, mature approach to the situation. Of course, it shouldn’t come as a surprise for a guy who was hailing airport taxis to a hockey rink when he was 13 years old.

Kirk Kenney is a sportswriter for the San Diego Union-Tribune