Aging baseball enthusiasts – most with silver hair, disco-tastic shades, and a leathery look from a lifetime of playing the amateur circuit – all squish together behind the overripe bleachers of Madison High. They’re here to see the legendary Bryce Eldridge and bask in the presence of the one they call… “the American Ohtani.”
Standing at a sky-scraping 6-foot-8, Eldridge ain’t shy of the limelight, but he doesn’t seem to mind the crowd of major league scouts and execs gathering like eager puppies for their chance to ogle this nearly mythical prospect. The dude throws a 97-mph fastball AND hits the ball over 450 feet. In June, he’s even set to go in the first round of the MLB draft. Watch out world!
It’s a dazzling display, and Eldridge is used to the whole song and dance by now. He’s even had 28 out of the 30 MLB teams’ honchos at his kitchen table. Now there’s just a measly 60-odd feet keeping those VIPs from the human cash machine Eldridge represents.
And ooooh baby, they are scrutinizing him like a hawk. If Eldridge so much as scratches an itch beneath his cap, they’re scribbling it down in their little notepads, propped up ever so delicately against their radar guns.
But who can blame them? Eldridge is such a rare specimen, with so few players in all existence sharing his mind-blowing abilities on the baseball field. As one anonymous National League scout stated, “He’s an incredibly unique talent. … If we’re lucky enough to select him, he’s going to go out as a two-way guy. He’ll be given every chance to play every day on both sides of the ball.”
Sifting through the lore, rumors, and downright disbelief around Eldridge is no small task. They say he’s hit three home runs in a single game while only 10-years-old, threw faster than any 13-year-old in the US, and even launched a walk-off shot more than 600 feet from home plate. The tales never cease!
So when scouts began drawing comparisons to Shohei Ohtani, the LA Angels superstar who’s a boss at both pitching and hitting, the nickname “the American Ohtani” stuck like glue. Eldridge wears it like a badge of honor. “He’s the only guy who’s been able to do it in the league at a high level. He proved it was possible. I’m going to keep doing both until someone makes me drop the glove or the bat.”
Even on his off days, like this one, Eldridge’s talent is unmistakable. He’s nursing an ankle injury, managing a measly (for him) 94-mph fastball. But the scouts don’t care. If anything, they’re even more intrigued to see how this human wonder handles hardship.
And Bryce Eldridge just keeps on trucking, not even cracking a smirk as he maneuvers his colossal frame in and out of the dugout made for mere mortal-sized players. He’s not quite invulnerable though—this outing was probably his worst of the season— but he still boasts a mighty impressive stat line: one earned run allowed in 4⅔ innings and reaching base in both of his plate appearances (twice via hit-by-pitch). By golly, Madison wins 4-1.
With a batting average of .409, four home runs, 14 RBI, four stolen bases, AND a 0.96 ERA with 24 strikeouts, Eldridge has a decision looming on the horizon: will it be an MLB farm system, or the University of Alabama? He’s got fans on the edge of their seats.
For now, Eldridge savors his high school glory, gushing, “This is my home.” But the shining future of baseball awaits, and the American Ohtani has one big goal in mind. Madison Coach Mark “Pudge” Gjormand said, “He doesn’t just want to be a major league player; he wants to be the best major league player. He gets compared to Ohtani — he wants to be better than Ohtani.”
Hold onto your caps, folks, and watch out for Bryce Eldridge!
