Brady O’Brien’s plan worked to perfection.
After four phenomenal seasons playing baseball at Division 3 Colby College, the North Andover native and former St. John’s Prep star decided to make the jump to Division 1 and play a graduate year at the University of Richmond.
The hope was that a big season with the Spiders would lead to a professional opportunity.
And he was right.
On Tuesday afternoon, O’Brien signed an un-drafted free agent contract with the Seattle Mariners following the MLB Draft.
O’Brien started 50 games at third base for the Spiders in his lone season with the program and finished the regular season ninth in the nation with a .777 slugging percentage and 11th in the country in both home runs (20) and RBI (72).
O’Brien, a 2025 Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist, wrapped up the year on a 22-game streak reaching base. He also collected 25 multi-hit games and 19 multi-RBI games, including two games with more than five RBI. He hit 17 of his 20 home runs against Atlantic 10 pitchers, while hitting .367, with a 1.313 OPS and slugging .898 with 47 hits, 15 doubles, 12 walks and 51 RBI in league games.
Earlier in July he collected College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America First Team honors. He also collected CSC Academic All-District Team and American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-Atlantic Region Second Team accolades in June. O’Brien was named to the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Academic Team in May.
At Colby, O’Brien was a two-time first team and a two-time second team All-NESCAC selection. In 131 games, he had a career batting average of .334 with 15 home runs, 115 RBI, 157 hits, 129 runs, 46 doubles, three triples, while drawing 94 walks.