Davis Bradshaw rests on base during a game last season. 

Not long after Davis Bradshaw was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 35th round of the MLB Draft last week, the McLaurin High School alumnus received a phone call.

On the other end was Meridian Community College head coach Dillon Sudduth, who dropped a line to speak with his prized recruit who committed to the Eagles in the fall.

But Sudduth didn’t call to make his pitch as to why Bradshaw should come to Meridian over trying his hand in Milwaukee’s organization. Rather, Bradshaw said the Eagles skipper genuinely offered his support for whichever decision Bradshaw ultimately made.

“He told me that any decision I decide to make, he has my back every step of the way. It meant a lot to know that he wasn’t forcing me to come to Meridian,” Bradshaw said. “Maybe other coaches would have called and said you need to come to our school, we’ll make you better. But he was straightforward and told me my decision is my decision, and that he’s got me.”

Bradshaw soon reaffirmed his commitment to MCC, giving the Eagles a key piece to plug into an already-strong outfield. 

Bradshaw, 19, starred as a shortstop at Florence’s McLaurin High School where his .756 batting average last year ranked third in the nation. His .797 on-base percentage was also good enough to rank No. 3 in the country. Sudduth said he and his coaching staff were able to get a glimpse of Bradshaw during last year’s State Games of Mississippi All-Star baseball tournament.

“We saw Davis last year at the State Games but we didn’t get to see a lot of him — he only had a few at-bats,” Sudduth said. “I give a lot of credit to my assistant coach, Justin Brewer, for following up on him and hunting him down and evaluating him correctly. We signed him in the fall, and he had a great senior year and put up unbelievable numbers.”

Interest between the two parties was mutual, as Bradshaw said he’s long been impressed with MCC’s baseball history and has always enjoyed visits to the school.

“They were really on my radar,” Bradshaw said. “I love the campus, and I definitely love the field. I talked to Coach Sudduth and Coach Brewer a good bit while I was at the State Games, and I just fell in love with the both of them.”

Sudduth said Bradshaw’s decision to attend MCC is a testament to the baseball program’s standing in Mississippi and its ability to equip its players for the next level.

“I think it shows that high school kids throughout the state believe in us,” Sudduth explained. “They believe in what we’re doing, and they believe in our program and the development phase of our program. Just getting drafted out of high school is a great honor, and it shows that (Davis) has a tremendous amount of talent. But it also shows that he believes in us and in our ability to continue to develop him, where he can earn more money down the road.”

Bradshaw will arrive on campus August 14 and said he’s excited to begin his career as a college athlete. 

“I just want to come in and do like I’ve been doing every year, and that’s giving my team a chance to go as far as we can, and hopefully that’s going to the regionals and winning a championship for Meridian,” Bradshaw said. “I’m ecstatic to be an Eagle.”