'He’s been awesome for us': Hudson's Brady Sturt enjoying All-Star summer for Bravehearts

WORCESTER — Brady Stuart had an opportunity late last summer to join the Worcester Bravehearts.

The 2022 Hudson High graduate and rising junior at Endicott College had to take a pass as the team he was playing for, Ronnie’s of Worcester, was headed to the Central New England Baseball Association playoffs and there was a planned vacation to Maine circled on his calendar.

“So it was kind of unfortunate timing,” Stuart said Monday afternoon, “but this year I was able to start (the season) right from the beginning, which was fun.”

The Bravehearts came calling again, this time over the winter, and Stuart was all in on joining the Futures League collegiate summer baseball club. It’s been a terrific experience in so many ways.

The commute to Worcester from his Hudson home is quick and easy and Stuart loves playing at Fitton Field on the Holy Cross campus. He’s enjoyed making new friends and renewing acquaintances with his teammates and striking up conversations with opposing players.

“It’s been fun meeting new people,” Stuart said. “There are some Endicott guys on the team, but meeting a lot of guys, like some guys you played against, some guys that you didn’t know before. And just playing for Worcester, it’s pretty cool.”

Stuart, a T&G Super Team selection as a high school senior, had a strong sophomore season while helping Endicott go 47-4 and advance to the Division 3 College World Series for the second straight season.

Appearing mainly in relief, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-hander went 5-1 with a save and averaged 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings over 17 appearances.

“I was fighting for one of the starting spots at the beginning of the year,” Stuart said, “but one of our top relievers went down and I didn’t really pitch the greatest starting-wise, so I went to the bullpen and when playoffs came around I was a long reliever.

“It was pretty good. Just tried to do whatever I could to help us win and make another run at it.”

Stuart has been simply stupendous for the Bravehearts. He was named the league’s pitcher of the month for June and started the Futures League all-star game for Team Rose City, hurling a perfect inning July 21 in Norwich, Connecticut.

Stuart, who is scheduled to start Friday when the Bravehearts host Brockton at 6:30 p.m., is 1-1 with an 0.47 earned run average over eight appearances ‒ seven of them starts ‒ spanning 38 innings.

“I kind of thought he was going to be one of the go-to guys for us out of the bullpen when we started the year,” manager Alex Dion said. “His first two outings were very good and we had a need for another starting pitcher, so kind of plugged him in and he’s been excellent.

“I mean, as good as you can possibly be in this league. … He’s been awesome for us.”

Stuart, whom Dion described as being “unfazed” and almost “nonchalant” on the mound no matter the caliber of the opponent, was one out away from throwing a no-hitter on June 28. He has recorded 50 strikeouts and issued just 11 walks.

Armed mainly with a fastball that sits in the 87- to 90-mph range and a slider, he’s had back-to-back 12-strikeout games and has yet to walk more than two batters in an outing.

“During the school year (control) was something I was struggling with a little bit,” Stuart said. “Either the hit by pitch or walking a couple too many guys when I shouldn’t have. So just trying to attack hitters, go right after them.

“I hate walking guys. It feels like I didn’t give anyone a chance just putting them on for free. It’s something I’ve always tried to work on and minimize.”

A sports management major, Stuart has had casual conversations with some of his Bravehearts teammates about jointly opening a baseball training facility in the future.

But right now, pitching is what it’s all about. Nothing is better than standing on the mound with the ball in his hand.

“The feeling that you can control the game,” Stuart said. “As far as defensively, you’re the main factor as far as how things can go. You can win a game for your team any time you go out there.”

—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @RichGarvenTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 'He’s been awesome for us': Hudson's Brady Sturt enjoying All-Star summer for Bravehearts