St. Johns Country Day Baseball Player Bradley Hodges Voted ITG Next 2021-22 Northeast Florida Male Athlete of the Year
Senior Bradley Hodges, a standout baseball player at St. Johns Country Day, has been voted our ITG Next 2021-22 Northeast Florida Male Athlete of the Year, presented by the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute. He received 31.70% of the votes.
For a Spartans team that was among the best in Class 2A this season, Hodges’ impact on St. Johns Country Day’s success over the last four months is evident by the numbers alone.
Hodges batted .516 with nine home runs for the Spartans in 2022, along with 32 RBIs, 11 doubles and an eye-opening 1.527 OPS. While the offensive numbers certainly stick out, Hodges’ numbers on the mound were just as good, if not better: A 1.28 ERA with a 114:25 K:BB ratio.
“Brad was the leader in pitching, going undefeated on the mound and setting records in just about every category,” Spartans head coach Tom Lucas said. “He was the leader in team batting average, RBIs and home runs as well.
“All that being said, he was even more pivotal in our success in what he brought in team leadership both on and off the field. Brad leads by example and his work ethic drove every other player to work even harder every single day. Though his batting average and ERA can be measured, his positive influence on all his teammates was immeasurable.”
Hodges’ on-field success didn’t come overnight. According to Lucas, Hodges’ work ethic is what sets the senior apart on the field.
“He is an extremely talented player, but it is competitiveness that makes him so special,” Lucas said. “He wants to be the best at everything he does, so it drives him to work hard on and off the field. He has made a lot of sacrifices with his time and other things most teenagers might want to do for the sake of working at and becoming the player he is today.”
Hodges will continue his baseball career at the collegiate level for Virginia. Asked to describe what Hodges meant to the Spartans program and what it will miss most about him next season, Lucas said, “Wow! That’s a long list.
“Brad has taken this program and left it far better than when he found it,” the coach continued. “I don’t think you can replace guys like Brad; you simply measure everyone else against his standard.
“I will miss most of all the young man that Brad has become. With all his successes, he has always played the game the right way and carried himself in a way you were always proud of him. As great a player as he is, he is far greater a person, and that is what I will miss the most.”
Congratulations to Bradley Hodges, our ITG Next 2021-22 Northeast Florida Male Athlete of the Year, presented by the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute.
