Infielder Jack Brannigan had a seat at the table but didn’t get a chance to even taste a cup of coffee.
The Marist graduate and Orland Park native was promoted from Double-A Altoona to the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 25 because the Bucs were having injury issues.
He didn’t get to play that night against Seattle and was shipped back to Altoona the next day as rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin returned to the team after a stint on the injured list.
But for 24 hours, life was good for Brannigan, who was hitting .235 with seven doubles and eighth RBIs in 31 games at Altoona.
“To be here right now and see everybody getting ready for the game is pretty surreal,” Brannigan told triblive.com.
He called it a “whirlwind” and it was just as crazy for his family. His father John, mother Colleen and brothers Shane, Mark and Luke scrambled to get to Pittsburgh.
“I think before I even hung up the phone, they were already looking up flights on Southwest and trying to figure it out,” Brannigan said.
Speaking of the phone, Altoona manager Andy Fox gave him the good news via the phone while he was playing video games with some teammates.
“I think they didn’t believe me at first,” Brannigan said. “Then they could tell I was getting a little choked up. I think they were more excited in the moment than I was. I was trying to process it.”
Brannigan is a top prospect in the Pirates’ system and is on the 40-man roster, but had sa tough start to 2026 when he broke his nose in spring training that required surgery.
Despite the quick return to the minor leagues, this could bode well in September for a potential callup.
All-State baseball
Several area players were honored by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association.
In Class 4A, Brother Rice’s Brady Cunningham; St. Laurence’s Cory Les, Jimmy Benson and Tristan Steger; Lyons’ Jack Slightom; Reavis’ Juan Avila; Oak Lawn’s Justin Canvin; and Mount Carmel’s TJ McQuillan and Ian Tosi made the all-state team.
Brother Rice’s Braydon McKendrick and Luca Agne were honorable mentions.
In Class 3A, St. Rita’s Colin Quinn, Nazareth’s Gavin Hartigan and Landon Thome and Evergreen Park’s Noah Munoz were named all-state.
De La Salle’s Terrell Hampton-Hall and Evergreen Park’s Jake Bishop received honorable mention.
Fire report
Chicago Fire assistant coach Filipe Celikkaya has left the team to become head coach of Hungarian League side ZTE FC.
Celikkaya joined the Fire in January 2025 from Sporting Clube de Portugal.
The Fire II tied Chattanooga 2-2 June 27 on the road to earn a point but Chattanooga earned a second point in the penalty-kick round.
Damyan Villanueva scored his first MLS NEXT Pro goal in the 48th minute and added another nine minutes later for the Fire (5-5-5).
The team visits Huntsville City at 7 p.m. on July 5.