Ben Brooks has one less decision to make regarding his baseball future.
Pope John Paul II High junior Ben Brooks
The Pope John Paul II High junior recently committed to the University of Memphis to continue his playing career.
Even with two high school baseball seasons to play before departing for college, Brooks said the Tigers were the best fit.
“I went down there for a visit when I got my offer and really loved the atmosphere,” Brooks said. “We went to a football game later on, and I just felt like it was the right fit for me at the right time.”
Brooks said the coaching staff believes he would compete for playing time when he arrives on campus in advance of the 2018 season.
He was recruited at his normal position of shortstop. Brooks said that Memphis was bringing in another middle infielder for competition, but not just for one spot.
“They said they were bringing in another kid and we’d battle it out,” Brooks said. “One of us would play second (base) and the other one would play shortstop. I felt like it was a good option for me. But they envisioned me playing more at shortstop, so that did make a bit of a difference.”
Brooks hit .349 last season with 14 runs batted in, led the Knights with 30 runs scored, tied for a team-high 37 hits and recorded a .462 on-base percentage for the Knights, who finished 24-12 last season and competed in the Division II-Class AA State Tournament for the second time in three years.
Morehead State, Tennessee, Ohio State, Tennessee Tech and Middle Tennessee State University were other schools Brooks was considering.
Pope John Paul II High junior Ben Brooks recently committed to the University of Memphis for continuing his baseball career.
But it came down to how Brooks felt about the coaching staff.
“I have a really good relationship with the coaches there,” Brooks said. “They’re very nice. And they just told me the truth – they laid it all out there for me. I trust them a lot, so I thought it was the right decision.”
The decision won’t keep Brooks from playing football, either. As the starting quarterback for the Knights, he fully expects to return for his senior season under center.
“I’m definitely still going to play football next year,” Brooks said. “I love the game too much.”
Brooks follows other Knights who have played for Division I schools in recent years – Braxton Brinkley (who played for Western Kentucky University before transferring to Walters State Community College) and Brad Jarreau (Middle Tennesse State University), along with Hendersonville High senior Grant Williams, who committed to Vanderbilt University.
“The past three or four years, there’s been at least one person off of almost every team in Sumner County to go Division I,” Brooks said. “It’s a baseball county, and to hear that everybody’s doing so well, that’s great to hear.”
Although graduation is still two seasons away, having the decision made is one less thing to worry about, Brooks said.
“Two years is a long time,” Brooks said. “But it’s good to get it off of my shoulders – just being able to play my last year without having to worry about getting a scholarship – that does feel good.”
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.