Brady Counsell

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Photo by: Bailey Orr

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Photo by: Bjorn Franke

Photo by: Jim Rassol/UM Photos

Position:
INF
Ht./Wt.:
6-2 / 195
Bats/Throws:
R/R
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Milwaukee, Wis.
High School:
Whitefish Bay

PRONUNCIATION

HONORS & AWARDS
2024 Big Ten Player to Watch
Academic All-Big Ten (2022-23; 2023-24)
D1 Baseball No. 12 2024 MLB Draft Prospect in the Big Ten (Jan. 2023)
No. 20 Second Baseman in the country by D1 Baseball (May 2024)
Northwoods League MLB Dreams Showcase Selection (Summer 2022)
Perfect Game No. 13 2024 MLB Draft Prospect in the Big Ten (Jan. 2023)

HIGHLIGHTS
2023 Season

2024 | JUNIOR One of two Gophers to start all 48 games · slashed .287/.386/.520 with 11 home runs and 14 doubles · led the team with 30 walks, 45 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 116 assists and 18 multi-hit games · drove in 36 runs and was second on the team with 58 hits. Game Highlights: Went 2-3 with a walk and three runs scored against New Mexico (Feb. 18) · tallied two doubles and a run scored against Northeastern (Feb. 24) · hit his first homer of the season against Sacramento State (Mar. 1) · went 2-5 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored against Sacramento State (Mar. 2) · went 2-5 with a home run against Gonzaga (Mar. 9) · had five straight multi-hit games from Mar. 15-Mar. 23 with six RBI and seven runs scored in the span · went 2-6 with two home runs and three RBI against Elon (Mar. 17) · had a career-high four hits with a double, RBI and run scored against Illinois (Apr. 6) · tallied two hits and two RBI against Michigan (Apr. 13) · collected three hits, including two doubles with three RBI and two runs scored against South Dakota State (Apr. 17) · went 3-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored against Indiana (Apr. 21) · hit a walk-off single against St. Thomas (Apr. 23) · tallied his second four-hit game of the season against Penn State, adding three RBI and two runs scored.

2023 | SUMMER Counsell began the summer with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod League · joined the Lakeshore Chinooks of the Northwoods League on June 16 · hit .271/.349/.375 in 26 games. tallied 13 RBI and 20 runs scored on 26 hits and 11 walks for the season. Game Highlights: had three RBI on two hits with a double and a run scored in a win over Fond du Lac (June 24) · went 1-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored in a win over Kokomo (July 10).

2023 | SOPHOMORE The only Gopher to start in all 52 games, Counsell slashed .248/.371/.316 with four home runs and 27 RBI as a sophomore · tallied 52 hits (third on Minnesota) with 14 doubles and 16 walks in 2023 · he led the team with 147 assists (fourth in Big Ten) with just four errors and a .981 fielding percentage. Game Highlights: Went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI at New Mexico (Feb. 20) · tallied two hits with two runs, a double and an RBI vs. Saint Louis (Feb. 26) · had a 4-for-5 day at the plate with a double and two RBI at West Virginia (March 10) · hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot, vs. Houston (March 17) · hit home run No. 2 in the ninth inning of a win at Ohio State, leading a comeback 3-2 victory (March 31) · went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs in a win over Iowa (April 14) · tallied three hits, including a two-run home run, at Illinois (April 21) · posted two hits, including a home run, with four RBI and two runs in a win over UST (April 26) · went 1-for-4 with an RBI in a win over Nebraska (April 28) · hit the game-winning two-run double in the bottom of the eighth to clinch a series victory over Michigan (May 6) · hit a game-sealing RBI double in a win at No. 19 Maryland (May 12) · went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored in a win over Rutgers (May 18) · hit the game-winning two-run double in a walk-off win over Rutgers (May 19).

2022 | SUMMER Played in 55 games, hitting .293 (60-for-205) with four home runs and 37 RBI (team-best) for the Kenosha Kingfish · had 17 doubles, 24 walks and scored 37 runs · posted a .951 fielding percentage, tallying 126 assists and 89 putouts · one of his best games came against the Kokomo Jackrabbits on July 24 when he went 4-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored.

2022 | FRESHMAN Played the most games of any Gophers freshman, starting in 24 of the 36 games he played in · slashed .200/.320/.283 with one home run, 10 RBI, 11 runs scored and five doubles · had 20 hits and nine walks with two stolen bases. Game Highlights: had his first collegiate hit, a double, against Air Force (March 11) · hit a two-run double in a win over Western Illinois (March 26) · tallied his first multi-hit game in a win over WIU (March 27) · bashed his first collegiate home run in a 2-for-3 outing at the plate at Rutgers (April 2) · went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored against Maryland (April 9) · tallied two straight multi-hit games against Penn State (April 23-24) · had two RBI and a hit in a win over UST (April 27).

2021 | SUMMER Played for the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League in the Summer of 2021 · he hit .153 (23/150) with six doubles, one home run 28 walks, 17 RBI and a .963 fielding percentage.

BEFORE MINNESOTA A 2021 graduate of Whitefish Bay High School in Wisconsin · a first team all-district and all-state honorable mention selection as a senior · the two-year baseball team captain also played basketball and lettered once in golf · competing for Hitters Baseball Academy in the summer of 2020, Counsell experienced a career year at the plate, posting a .322 batting average to go along with a .429 on-base percentage across 266 plate appearances · during the previous summer in 2019, he arguably performed even better at the dish, batting .353 with a .443 OBP, 10 doubles and seven stolen bases · Perfect Game ranked Counsell as the No. 2 shortstop in Wisconsin as well as the No. 7 overall player in the state in addition to tabbing him as the No. 92 shortstop and No. 462 player nationally · was also recruited by Washington, Notre Dame, St Mary’s (CA), Western Kentucky and George Washington.

PERSONAL Native of Milwaukee, Wis. · son of Craig and Michelle · has one brother, Jack, who plays baseball at Michigan, and two younger sisters, Finley and Rowan · his father, Craig, played in the MLB for 16 seasons (1995-2011) and was the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers from 2015-23 before taking over as the Chicago Cubs manager in 2024 · plans to study finance at the Carlson School of Management.

WHY MINNESOTA: "Coach Anderson and coach Casey get it. I felt like they understood who I was as a player and a person. I can’t wait to be challenged in the classroom and on the field and help the University of Minnesota continue the great baseball tradition everyone has worked so hard to create."