by Malcolm Butler
Baseball can be a humbling sport.
Just ask newly-drafted St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sam Brodersen.
The Louisiana Tech baseball alum had to wait a few stressful days before hearing his name called Tuesday on the third day of the Major League Baseball Draft.
Brodersen was taken in the 15th round and will soon head to Jupiter, Florida to begin his professional journey.
A journey that Brodersen says has been a roller coaster ride at times.
“There were a ton of challenges, a ton of ups and downs in my career,” said Brodersen. “I went to a really good high school in Florida, and I didn’t play a ton. I had one offer from (Wingate), a Division II university in North Carolina. Wingate is a great school, but it was my only offer. It worked out for me.
“There were a number of kids from my high school that were more heavily recruited and sought after and that always put a bit of a chip on my shoulder. It also taught me it was never going to be just given to me. Throughout this process I am not just going get something just because of my talent. I am going to have to work for it and earn it.
“I had some good years at Wingate. I had a bad year. I had some good summers. I had some bad summers. Baseball is one of those sports where you can’t get too high or too low. You just have to ride in the middle. It will beat you up. One day you think you are the man and the next day it all goes wrong for you.”
After watching hundreds of names called during the first two days of the draft, Brodersen finally got the call at his home in Orlando on Tuesday.
“I can’t explain it,” said Brodersen. “It was a stressful couple of days. My dream has always to get drafted. Ever since I started playing baseball, it’s pretty much been what I always wanted to do. I haven’t really had a back up plan. So seeing it come to fruition like this is awesome.
“Initially there is a lot of relief, knowing where I am going and knowing who I am playing for. After my name got called, being there with my mom and my girlfriend … there was a lot of gratefulness to be around them and to share that experience with them.”
Brodersen recently completed his final year of college baseball, helping lead Louisiana Tech to the 2024 Conference USA regular season title and the program’s third NCAA regional appearance in the last four years. He gives credit to the Tech coaching staff for helping him in his journey to professional baseball.
“(The opportunity to play at Tech) was massive,” said Brodersen. “It was my last year of college. I had to have a good year to get a chance to play pro ball. It’s a big testament to Coach (Lane) Burroughs, Coach (Mitch) Gaspard, Coach (Cooper) Fouts and Coach (Matt) Miller. Those guys helped me a ton. I definitely wouldn’t be in the position I am today without them. They gave me the opportunity to play and the platform to show my talents.
“Without a doubt, (Louisiana Tech) is one of the top mid-majors in the county. What they do getting guys to the next level can’t be overstated. You have seen it in the past with guys like (Kyle) Crigger and Taylor (Young). Time after time, they are putting pros out. They are great at what they do.”
Brodersen was great at what he did in 2024. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder posted an 8-1 record with a 3.05 earned run average while earning first team all-Conference USA honors. In just 56.0 innings of action on the mound, he struck out 96 batters and held opposing batters to a .160 average at the plate.
“(Sam’s) stuff is electric,” said former Bulldog teammate Ethan Bates during an interview in May. “He has a fastball that rides at the top of the zone and a curve ball that just falls off the table. He has a little bit of craziness to him, and he isn’t scared of nobody.”
Brodersen ranked among the nation’s leaders this season in strikeouts per nine innings. It’s that electric stuff that caught the Cardinals eyes.
“I pretty much knew somebody was going to want me,” said Brodersen. “It was just a matter of when. It was the not knowing that was so stressful and me caring so much about this sport and putting so much into it, it just meant a lot to me. It’s stressful when you don’t know what the future holds, but it’s a great feeling now for sure.”
Brodersen joined Cole McConnell as the two Bulldogs whose names were called in this year’s MLB Draft. Jorge Corona also inked a free agent contract.
The right hander said he is eager to get started and proud to be a part of the Cardinals organization.
“I can’t wait,” said Brodersen. “It’s one of the more historic franchises out there. They have an incredible fan base. I grew up with a ton of Cardinal fans around here, and I live in Orlando, Florida. That should tell you how wide spread their fan base is.”
