Braiden Ward’s path from the Cape League to Double-A

After playing 102 games for the Spokane Indians between 2023 and the first couple of months of 2024, the Colorado Rockies promoted Braiden Ward (Rockies #30 prospect on our midseason top 50) to the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats. The versatile second baseman and center fielder was drafted in the 16th round in 2021 from the University of Washington.

In 61 games with the Yard Goats, Ward is slashing .270/.370/.408 for an .778 OPS. He’s played terrific defense for the Goats as well, mainly in center field. Despite not being much of a power hitter, Ward’s wRC+ is at an impressive 125 for Hartford.

“I’m not the guy who’s gonna hit 20 home runs in a season,” Ward said. “I’ll get my home runs, but they come by accident.” Ward has been consistently getting on base all season, which has been one of the biggest reasons for his success.

Singles, walks, and stolen bases have been the largest parts of Ward’s game. “[I’m] just trying to hit singles, and the singles turn into doubles, triples, and home runs.” He talked about his mindset going into each at-bat; he always reminds himself that his job is to get in the box, swing at good pitches, and barrel the balls.

Two summers before being drafted, Ward played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Wareham Gatemen. The Gatemen were coming off a championship in 2018, so the expectations for the team’s offense were high. Ward played 39 games for Wareham and finished with the second-highest batting average and OPS among qualified hitters.

ICYMI: The #Gatemen erased a 5-0 deficit to beat Brewster last night! Here’s the walk off single by Braiden Ward ⤵️ #GoGatemen

@Official_CCBL @codball pic.twitter.com/RgWuVUIHQT

— Wareham Gatemen (@WarehamGatemen) July 13, 2019

“One of the biggest things about the Cape was, you play against the best of the best, but you play every day,” Ward said. For many players in the Cape League, playing every day is really difficult, especially considering they’re all coming off grueling collegiate seasons. Those who are able to take the field every day are already at an advantage because they’ve proved they’re ready for the grind of 162.

Ward had just been coming off a fantastic sophomore year at Washington. In 52 games, he slashed .321/.412/.446. He carried his advancements at the plate into the Cape League and accumulated 44 hits, but more notably, a league-best 27 stolen bases.

He talks about the mental strain playing an entire summer season takes, and said it’s about “learning how to treat your body and prepare yourself for when your body just doesn’t feel good… You still have to play through it.”

Ward claims the experience of playing every day was the biggest factor in the Cape League that prepared him for professional baseball. He believes it’s “like getting an early glimpse of pro ball and learning how to adjust and deal with it.”

In addition to the schedule, the opportunity to take at-bats against the best college pitchers in the country was invaluable for Ward. “You had the best collegiate players all over the country,” he said. “I was just competing against guys you see in the big leagues today.” Facing those players undoubtedly contributed to Ward’s development and made him a more complete player.

Playing against current Major Leaguers and top players in the country didn’t just allow Ward to expand his skill set, it did a lot for him mentally as well. He confirmed “seeing [himself] compete with other guys that have made it” went a long way in terms of “knowing that [he] can be there” too.

Now five years removed from his time with Wareham, Ward’s bat has been as hot as ever in Hartford. He’s hit all around the Yard Goats lineup and found success in every spot. In the four weeks after Ward was promoted to Hartford, he hit .381 over 20 games. He posted a 1.068 OPS and stole 11 bases.

BRAIDEN WARD GRAND SLAM!! pic.twitter.com/oKgtcCTKBx

— Hartford Yard Goats (@GoYardGoats) June 29, 2024

The step up in level of play wasn’t the hardest change for Ward though; it was the culture shock. “The people of Washington, especially Eastern Washington, are obviously way different than Connecticut,” Ward said.

His only experience playing out East was in the Cape League, so he relied on his experience in Wareham to get by at first. “I played on the East Coast [in the Cape League], so I got used to it,” he said. “It just became normal.”

For the time being, Ward will continue his journey towards the pinnacle of baseball playing in Hartford. With the ultimate goal of playing in the Major Leagues, Ward has the experience and skills to excel at the highest level. Backed by his time playing against baseball’s best on the Cape, Ward is prepared for the Show.

“You just see guys that you know are good,” Ward says of the Cape League. “They’re going to get drafted high or low and still succeed.” His recent success has propelled him up prospect rankings, and he’ll look to ride this wave to MLB.