Brown delivers

Ron Counts, Staff Writer
Published: August 4, 2008

D.J. Brown has pretty much had a ball and glove in his hands since he learned how to walk. He spent countless childhood hours playing catch with his father, Dennis, in the backyard of the Brown’s home in Lake of the Woods, until he started throwing heat that is.

“D.J. and I threw together all the time when he was young,” Dennis Brown said. “But when he was about 12 it got to the point that he was throwing so hard he was scaring me a little, so I had to tell him to get a real catcher.”

The lanky right-hander — who throws between 84-and-86 mph — has come a long way since his days as a backyard ace. He has come so far that he recently verbally committed to play baseball at James Madison University next year.

“Getting a scholarship offer feels really good because now it feels like all my hard work has paid off,” Brown said. “Now I can focus on enjoying my senior year and getting better.”

The pending scholarship will cover 30-percent of Brown’s total expenses at JMU, and — after some work in the weight room to improve his lower body strength — give him the opportunity to grace the pitching mound of a Division I baseball program.

“The thing about D.J. is he can pitch, so he doesn’t have to go out there and just throw,” said former MLB pitcher Chris Haney, who coaches Brown on Orange’s American Legion Post 156 baseball team.

Although he was also looking at U.Va., Brown said he quickly committed to JMU because it was the top school on his list, and because he was so honored that the coaching staff traveled to scout him during one of his American Legion games.

“I was ecstatic that they came to see me,” the rising senior at OCHS said. “I know it won’t be easy, but I pretty much play year round, so I think I’ll be ready.”

This year will mark Brown’s third as a starting pitcher on the OCHS varsity baseball team, as well as his third year as a shooting guard and forward on the varsity basketball team. He has also played a major role on the Post 156 squad for the last two summers.

This summer, Brown went 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA, while racking up 49 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched during the regular season.

“DJ is solid, he throws downhill and he’s able to get ahead of hitters,” Haney said. “I see him developing into a really solid player.”

Brown said the level of competition in the American Legion league, and the tutelage of Haney, have helped prepare him to play at the next level.

“He (Haney) has been to the big game,” Brown said. “The things he has taught me have made me a better pitcher. He taught me how to throw a slider, which is my go to pitch now.”

Several JMU baseball players have made it to the big leagues over the last few years. In 2007, Kellen Kulbacki was selected 40th overall in the MLB draft by the San Diego Padres. This year, Steven Caseres was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth round, and Brett Sellers signed a free-agent contract with the Nationals.

That fact that professional teams are paying attention to JMU’s program has Brown excited and ready to go.

“The only thing I’m worried about is the early morning workouts,” he said with a chuckle. “But playing pro ball has always been my dream so the closer I get to a Division I program that might get me noticed by a major league team the harder I’m going to work.”

Ron Counts can be reached at 825-0771, ext. 166 or .