Gators in the Pros: Now a Red, Brady Singer Shaped By Time at UF

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Reds pitcher Brady Singer is one of the most decorated players in University of Florida baseball history.

Singer, who played at Florida from 2016-18, had a stellar career with the Gators. He was a key arm in the Gators’ pitching rotation, especially on the program’s first national title-winning team in 2017.

As a junior In 2018, Singer was named National Player of the Year by Baseball America and D1baseball.com. He posted a 2.55 ERA with a 12-3 record. Additionally, he was named first-team All-American by five different news outlets (ABCA, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1baseball.com, NCBWA and Perfect Game). He was also the SEC Pitcher of the Year, a Golden Spikes Award Finalist and the 2018 Dick Howser Trophy recipient, given annually to the best player in college baseball. 

In 2018, Singer was drafted by the Kansas City Royals with the No. 18 overall pick in the draft. Making his MLB debut in 2020, he played for the Royals for five seasons. He was traded after the 2024 season to the Cincinnati Reds. The Royals received outfielder Joey Wiemer and Singer’s former college teammate, Jonathan India. This season will be Singer’s first year with the Cincinnati Reds.

Sports@CJC spoke with Singer in March at Goodyear Ballpark after he started in a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners. He spoke about what UF means to him, the 2017 World Series Team and being traded for India.

1. What did it mean to be a Gator, obviously you met your wife there, and what does the University of Florida mean to you?

Singer: Yeah, obviously means a lot. [I] was there for three years. We had three really good years of baseball and obviously meeting my wife too was a huge part of it. Just being on campus and being a part of that group was really special.

2. Do you have a favorite memory from your Gator days?

Singer: Obviously winning the World Series, you know there in 2017 was probably my favorite, you know. Something that we’d talked about ever since I was recruited there. And, you know, it’s something that we really wanted to do, obviously, you know, it’s the first one in school history. So it’s something really special. And, you know, kind of dog piling in there with all of your best friends at one time is really cool.

3. What was it like being traded for Jonathan India? You guys played that on that [2017 national championship] team together.

Singer: Obviously, it was a little bit weird. I wanted to play with India. I love playing with him. He’s always a gamer, competed like crazy. And, you know, really fun to have a teammate like him. But yeah, obviously a little bit weird swap in there.”

4. Have you followed the Gators this year? What would be your advice to freshman pitchers who are just entering that program?

Singer: Enjoy the time and learn. I feel like, you know, you’re getting out of high school and going to college, you can kind of mature as a person and stuff like that. Obviously, they have a really good pitching and, you know, player program there to learn from and just enjoy every second. You don’t have all of your best friends in one area very much, so enjoy the time there.

5. I know you recently had a son, but I just wanted to ask what’s is like being a father in the MLB, that transition going back into season and kind of getting to spend less time with your family?

Singer: Yeah, it’s definitely hard. You miss him obviously when you’re on the road, but it’s so nice to, you know, when you come home to have him and it kind of takes your mind off baseball and kind of makes you relax and understand that there’s more to the, you know, obviously your job and to the game. So, just a really nice kind of reset, you know, to have a son. He’s amazing and growing fast.”

6. Your Florida career speaks for itself, for example, a national title, SEC player of the year, obviously you have all kinds of accolades. But what would you say defined your tenure as a Gator?

Singer: Yeah, I mean, you’re talking about the three years that I spent there. You’re not going have three years of spending time with your best friends in the same area at one time. It’s really cool to have them all at one place, you know, we were just living in old beat-up houses and just enjoyed every moment going out and competing, you know, every day.

7. How would you say your time at UF shaped you and helped you become pro ready to the point where you are now? 

Singer: The things I learned from Sully [Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan] and the coaching staff speaks for itself. I mean, they were tremendous at building my career and teaching my the things that I’ve known today, but I think that aspect of winning, they taught us that every game matters.

Obviously winning, is the main reason that you’re there, and they really pounded into our head of winning each and every game, and, uh, we did it a lot, so it was really cool.”

8. Who would be on your baseball Mount Rushmore?

Singer: Ooh, let’s start with Greg Maddux. I loved watching him pitch. Ken Griffey Jr. I loved watching his swing and how he could change the game. Randy Johnson. I loved watching him from the left side. Big fastball, threw really hard. He was really fun to watch. And let’s do Buster Posey. He was really cool. Obviously growing up being a pitcher, I loved watching catchers.

9. Finally, orange Gatorade or blue Gatorarde?

Singer: Blue, for sure. I pitch bad when I drink orange Gatorade.

Jack Meyer, Liz Fernandez and Izzy McGarvey contributed to this story.

More Gators in the Pros:
* Catching Up with Royals Top Prospect Jac Caglianone
* Wyatt Langford Looking to Take Next Step After Big Rookie Year
* Jonathan India Adjusting to Life With Royals After Trade
* A.J. Puk Starting to Feel Comfortable in Deep D’backs ‘Pen

Category: Cactus League, Cincinnati Reds, Gators in the Pros, Top Stories
Tagged: Brady Singer Cincinnati Reds Jonathan India MLB Spring Training