The rest of the country is learning what Brother Rice baseball fans have known for a while.
Brady Cunningham is a very dangerous hitter.
Cunningham put up big offensive numbers during the spring as a junior for the Crusaders. This summer, he is showing the rest of the nation that he means business when the bat is in his hands.
The 6-foot-3 Cunningham beat out Mississippi’s Sullivan Reed in the T-Mobile High School Home Run Derby on July 13 at a part of the MLB All-Star festivities at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Cunningham blasted nine home runs in one minute to claim the crown, three days after he and Reed beat out six other high-school sluggers to advance to the final.
“I’m surrounded by a great group of guys and this has been an awesome experience so far,” Cunningham told MLB.com after the prelims.
On July 10, Reed bashed 23 homers in two rounds while Cunningham and Pennsylvania’s Jimmy Amplo each had 20.
That forced a playoff and Cunningham won the 30-second tiebreaker 4-1. One of his launches on that day was estimated at 459 feet.
In the week prior, Cunningham homered in the Perfect Game National Showcase at loanDepot Park in Miami.
He is enjoying playing in the spotlight.
“I feel like all these events definitely help with just staying calm,” Cunningham said. “There’s pressure, there’s all the outside noise and it’s just cool to stay in these environments and get used to them.
“Ultimately, the longer you play, the more big crowds you’re gonna be in front of.”
It’s been a huge year for Cunningham as he hit .539 for Brother Rice with a program-record 17 homers and 62 RBIs. He finished with a 1.785 on-base plus slugging percentage. He also won four games on the mound for the Crusaders.
Additionally, Cunningham made a commitment to Texas A&M.
Cunningham wasn’t the only area resident enjoying time during the All-Star festivities.
Oak Lawn’s Kayla Corbett, who is a ball girl for the White Sox, represented the American League for the All-Star Ball Crew.
“Oh, my goodness, I’m so excited,” Corbett told MLB.com. “I can’t even express how much excitement and how much the Sox have showed up for me, truthfully.”
The 24-year-old Corbett works with special events for the City of Chicago. She played softball for the Spartans and graduated in 2020.