A former El Capitan High baseball star is making a big impact with his new team during spring training.
Braiden Ward, a 27-year-old outfielder, has been one of the biggest surprises so far for the Boston Red Sox, according to Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Roberts.
Ward is batting .455 with 12 stolen bases after 13 spring training games. He batted leadoff and had two steals in the Red Sox’s 11-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday.
Ward was a first-team All-Central California Conference selection after hitting .476 with 29 stolen bases his senior year at El Capitan.
His speed was in full effect at the University of Washington, where in four seasons he finished third all time in stolen bases. He led the Pac-12 Conference with 34 stolen bases his senior season.
Ward was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 16th round in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.
According to SI reporter Roberts, Ward stole 57 bases in 97 games last season in the Colorado Rockies system.
The Red Sox picked up Ward in a trade for relief pitcher Brennan Bernardino in November.
Braiden Ward
This story was originally published March 6, 2026 at 4:02 PM.
The Modesto Bee
Jim Silva has been involved in covering local sports and news for The Modesto Bee since 1996. He graduated with a degree in journalism from San Jose State.