Phoenix-Brendan Summerhill initially wanted to follow Brother Colin to Loyola Academy and did not develop into a potential first round Pick in the MLB design from 2025 to his Junior season at the University of Arizona.
But the seeds that helped him to be strong and fearless were planted at Whitney Young High School.
“It was such a great opportunity because I would be a 14 or 15-year-old who played with 18-year-olds,” Summerhill recalled in a video interview last week. “And I knew that I might not have had that chance of Loyola. We would clearly never know, but I honestly think it was the best decision for me to go to Whitney.
‘I am so happy that I went there. I loved my time there. I learned a lot there as a baseball player, as a student, and it was, to be honest, probably the most difficult school I had [attend]. My last year was really difficult academically, and I think I was really good for my first year. ” ‘
Various local scouts looked at the 6-3, 195-pound Summerhill dominate as a left-handed batter and midfielder, but agreed that his professional shares would benefit greatly from the herbs of the university.
That movement has paid off, because Summerhill has only been able to become the second player of the Chicago Public Schools since 1989 that is selected in the first round of the design.
Outfielder Corey Ray, who played in Simeon, was a first round pick from the Brewers in the 2016 Draft from Louisville and is in his second season as manager of the affiliate of the Cubs in the Arizona Complex League. (Simeon Shortstop Shawn Livesey was an additional first round pick of the Astros in 1991.)
In his recent trial version, Baseball America projected the Cubs Die Half Mile of Play of where Summerhill grew up to select him with the 17th general choice.
“That’s pretty cool,” said Summerhill, who is projected by MLB.com to go to the Orioles with the 20th general choice. ” That would be such a dream that comes out, maybe a little more than the next team [White Sox]Only because of how I grew up to games on Wigley Field. And see how they win the World Series, they see sucking and seeing them all doing that.
“I was one of the largest Cubs fans. Javy Baez was one of my favorite cubs. ” ‘
But Summerhill, which is advised by the Boras Corp., emphasized that he would be dizzy to be chosen by each team in the first round. He also realizes that there are unfinished things when the Wildcats enter the BIG 12 tournament this week and try to improve their status for when the NCAA Touri Pen will be announced next Monday.
Summerhill ended the regular season with a .390/.500/.642 sloping line in 32 games, despite dealing with a range of injuries in the last 10 months. His Cape COD League season from 2024 ended abruptly after he had made an over-the-shoulder catch and crashed over a fence in the All-Star match at the end of July, and then missed a month this season with a broken right hand suffered on March 23.
Draying expert Jim Callis from MLB.com reported about X Die Summerhill suffered on the break after he had beaten a water cooler in the Dugout.
“I’m not going to talk about that,” he said.
Summerhill hit a home run on the first throw in his return to action against Texas-Arlington, but a hamstring injury in his next game caused him to miss six starts. Nevertheless, he maintained his batting and hit .411 to a 2-out-11-grind last weekend. He showed his fearlessness by targeting a double with a headfirst slide in the regular Arizona season finale on Saturday in Houston.
An old American League explorer loved Summerhill’s series of skills, but wondered about his recent wave of injuries. A local Major League explorer said he would not be surprised if Summerhill would be set up in the first round because of his bat-to-ball skills and strike zone discipline and that many teams put a premium at College Hitters.
“College bats are hard to find,” said the local scout.
Summerhill spent his second -year season in Arizona in midfield before moving to the right this season.
” Where coach everywhere [Chip] Hale. . . Put me to play, I will do it, “said Summerhill, who also said he would adjust if he is moving from the leadoff place.
That versatility cannot hurt its stock. Nor will the experience he gained by viewing the first round Pick Chase Davis from the first round as a first -year student and by playing in the Cape COD League last summer.
“I would tell every second -year student who gets the chance to play there to do it, because it is the most difficult baseball that you are going to play,” Summerhill said, referring to the less than perfect fields without a battle. ” The best university players in the country [play in the league]And every competitor wants to be the best. I think I realized that: “Hey, I can take the next step this summer.” ” ‘
Summerhill has already had a taste of Pro Baseball. Brother Colin is a catcher at Inland Empire, the single-a affiliate of the Angels.
“I won’t blind it,” said Summerhill, who added that he talks to his brother once a day to share their experiences. ” I clearly try to stay very present with my team and hopefully in a huge postseason run is coming. But with my future he has been really important. ” ‘
Summerhill was not prepared in high school, partly because no team was willing to match what it would have taken to buy him from his dedication to Arizona. He credits the coaching staff and team culture of the Wildcats to help him grow up as a player and person.
He estimated that he talks about five times a year with the young coach Chris Cassidy and cherished around colleague -alums who excelled, whether it was in basketball, chess or the class.
“At Whitney Young I really appreciate the varied amount of talent and how people are good at what they do,” Summerhill said.
” I clearly played well and put myself in a reasonably good place to hopefully mention my name fairly early [in the draft]. And with that I understand that there is some pressure on that. But I think I have embraced it the best way [by] Just keep playing, keep playing to win, because that’s the most important thing. ” ‘
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