Matt Brash once said that if you work hard enough, good things will happen.
Truer words have never been spoken.
The 23-year-old Kingston native will make his Major League Baseball debut on Tuesday, April 12, when the Seattle Mariners play the Chicago White Sox.
Brash won the number five pitching spot with the Mariners after a stellar spring training where he allowed just one run on three hits and two walks, striking out 12 in 9 1/3 innings.
Brash excelled seemingly out of nowhere in the minors last season.
In 97 innings between High-A and Double-A, he posted a 2.31 ERA with 142 strikeouts.
That was his first full year with the Mariners organization as he was acquired in a trade from the San Diego Padres in 2020.
“All his hard work and dedication to baseball is about to pay off,” said Randy Casford.
Nobody knows Brash better than Casford who coached the pitching phenom for several minor league summers in the Kingston Thunder organization.
“He’s learned how to be a professional very quickly,” continued Casford.
He’ll have some butterflies when he faces his first batter but after that I’m sure he’ll pitch a real good game.”
Brash has come a long way from winning a Kingston high school championship with the Bayridge Blazers. He earned a scholarship at Niagara University and excelled in his four seasons with the Purple Eagles.
Casford knew from an early age that Brash had the ability to make it to the big show.
“I played on a scholarship in the NCAA and scouted for the Toronto Blue Jays,” added Casford, a member of the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame.
“I knew what to look for and Matt had what it takes. He had a golden arm and a commitment to succeed. He always had the talent and now his hard work has finally paid off. Matt will be the first player from Kingston to perform in the major’s.
“Tuesday is going to be a historic occasion for sports in this city.”
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