The Los Angeles Angels have some of the more exciting outfield prospects in all of baseball with Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh currently in the system. It seems more likely than not that we will be watching an outfield trio of Adell, Marsh, and Mike Trout in the not so distant future.
We had the opportunity to interview Brandon Marsh, a Buford, Georgia native to learn a little bit more about his life and how the minors have been treating him thus far.
If there is anything you need to know about the town of Buford where Marsh grew up, it is that the football program is no joke. Marsh was a standout athlete in both football and baseball, and we had to ask if it was tough to say goodbye to football forever.
Q: You took names on the football field at Buford and you guys were a powerhouse football team during your time there. Was it hard saying goodbye to football for baseball?
A: “I miss the football days every day man. Playing football at Buford helped me mentally with becoming a professional athlete. It was very hard to say goodbye to football but I knew it was for a good cause.”
The Angels currently employ the best player in the MLB in Mike Trout, and he just so happens to play the same position that Marsh does.
Q: There are some great outfielders in the organization (Trout, Upton, Calhoun). What have you been able to learn from these veteran outfielders during your time in the Los Angeles Angels organization?
A: “I’m blessed to be with the organization with the leaders we have with the big club. Those guys have taught me how to have fun and keep the game simple – along with learning a lot more on the mental aspect of the game that goes unheard.“
Next up, a little Lil Uzi Vert never hurt anybody.
Q: There’s a lot of great stories out there about minor leaguers and their experiences on the road and what not. What are some of the more memorable memories you have with your teammates?
A: “I’m a pretty goofy guy and I’m known for that. With that being said, some of my favorite memories are after games that we win, we get on the speakers and we play some Lil Uzi and I dance and rap along with the lyrics. It’s always a good time when we win to say the least.”
We had to ask about an athlete that he looked up to as a kid, and we were not too surprised by the answer.
Q: Growing up, who were some of the athletes you tried to model your game after if any, and who did you really look up to?
A: “Growing up I was a huge Braves fan. So, I loved watching Andruw Jones in the outfield. He always made highlight reel plays along with swinging the stick at the dish. I don’t necessarily try to model my game around someone, I just play the game like I’ve always played the game. But Andruw Jones was my guy growing up.“
Marsh is no stranger to a highlight reel play or two.
Andrew: I never had the privilege to watch Marsh on the baseball field during his high school days, but I did get the chance to see him on the football field. My cousin had the chance to play alongside him at Buford, and a quote I have heard from my cousin Matt many times:
“That dude can flat out ball.”
Q: I feel like more people out there need to know about how dominate Buford was during your high school years in football. What made those teams so good?
A: “It went from top to bottom. We had an unbelievable coaching staff starting with our head coach Jess Simpson, who’s doing big things right now. We just bonded so well as a team. We know what we needed to do to win games. As long as each and every one of us guys did their job and won their own battle everything else would take care of itself. We always used to say “you’re as strong as your weakest link,” so we busted our tails every day in practice to compete against each other so that on those Friday nights under the lights we took care of business. Playing football for Buford was definitely one of my most precious memories from high school. S/O to my guys Abuss, Matt Park, XG3, and many more for making those years so special for me!”
It is going to be a real treat to see the things that Marsh can do during his career in the MLB. After his playing days are over, a job in TV might just be his next calling…
The Edge Sports Network team would like to give a huge thank you to Brandon Marsh for taking his time to answer our questions. We wish him nothing but the best for the remainder of the season, and look forward to following his career.
Cover Photo via: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Follow Brandon on Twitter: @brandon_marsh22
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