Bradley Jr. on maturity, pride and finishing his college degree

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PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Its been a bit of a whirlwind this offseason for Jackie Bradley, Jr. The Red Sox fourth pick in the first round (supplemental, 40th overall) out of the University of South Carolina in 2011, Bradley spent most of the past season lighting up the Carolina and Eastern leagues, opening some eyes, and garnering a good deal of attention.

Between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland, Bradley hit a combined .315 with a .430 on-base percentage and .482 slugging percentage. He was first in the Sox organization in runs scored with 90, walks (87), and OBP, and second in average. After posting a .973 fielding percentage in 114 games in center field, Bradley, who turns 23 in April, was named the organizations defensive player of the year. Baseball America has ranked him the second-best prospect in the Sox system, behind shortstop Xander Bogaerts. The Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America Bradley selected Bradley as the Sox minor league player of the year.

All of which has made him a popular target for media and fans at offseason events such as Thursdays annual BBWAA dinner, where Bradley picked up his award named in memory of former Sox prospect Greg Montalbano, and Fridays hot stove media luncheon for Triple-A Pawtucket. Bradley was in Boston earlier this month for the rookie development program and is scheduled to attend Single-A Greenvilles hot stove event on Tuesday.

On top of all that, he took classes during the fall semester working toward finishing off his degree in retail management.

And, oh, yeah, he just got engaged, too, with a December wedding planned.

Yeah, its been pretty crazy, Bradley said with a laugh Friday afternoon, inside the home clubhouse at McCoy Stadium.

But its been exciting every step of the way. Ive been able to learn a lot and keep working at the same time because the seasons over but you never really stop. You get hungry to learn and get better and thats what Ive been trying to do.

Which is also why its important to him to finish off his degree. He chose retail management with an eye toward possibly running his own business when his baseball days are over.

Its very important to me to graduate because I never like to start something and not finish it, he said. Plus I know how much it would mean to my parents as well and also seeing the numbers in the major leagues, how many people have actually have attended colleges and finish their degree, its not very many. I dont want to be a part of that statistic.

Ive got nine classes left and then Im completely done. I knocked out a few this past semester. I came out when I was a junior, so two semesters left and then I got that diploma.

Going to college, for me, was one of the best things I ever could have done in my life, being able to mature not only as a player but as a person as well. It really taught me a lot. I went through a lot when I was in college dealing with injuries, finding out who I was, and staying faithful with myself, my family being able to support me. It was just a whole building experience and its helped me to mature faster than I could even imagine.

Bradley, the oldest of three, with a younger brother and sister, said he got his athletic ability in equal parts from both parentshis father, a former college basketball player and his mother, a former police officer. (She knows what shes doing. Shes a pretty strong woman. She was on the force for nine years, he said.)

This season, playing for Salem in the Carolina League, close to his Richmond, Virg., home, his family was able to watch him play fairly frequently.

When I was in Salem they tried to come over as much as possible, he said. And then Potomac home of the Nationals affiliate wasnt too far. thats actually closer. Lynchburg is about two hours away. They came up Opening Day and both my parents came up for one game to Portland.

People from my hometown were kind of upset because I got called up to Portland Sea Dogs two days after they had just played the Richmond Flying Squirrels the Giants Double-A affiliate. So everybody wanted to come see me play from my hometown. But its all good.

There is a lot that has been good for Bradley this season, including what he accomplished on the field in his first full professional season. For him, it wasnt just the numbers he was able to post. It was also about the confidence the Sox showed in him, especially after an injury to his left wrist limited him to 37 games in his last year at South Carolina and 10 in the Sox organization in 2011.

Just being able to come back, after my junior year being injured, having a down year, he said. The Boston Red Sox pretty much trusted what they saw in me as a player early on in my college career and knowing what kind of player I was. And for me it was being able to bounce back this past year and show them that theres no lingering injuries with me, I am a good ball player. Im confident and Im not going to let one down year or anything that I may struggle with affect me as a player.

Perhaps one of the most outgoing players in the Sox organization in recent yearshes a highly interactive Twitter participant, with a specialty in moviesBradley learned a few things about himself this season, too, that he doesnt mind sharing.

That even with all the attention, everyones going to pretty much love you for playing the game the right way, he said. Being able to help others, just spending time with people. I really like to pride myself on being able to make someone smile. I like to joke around. I like to sign autographs for kids, doing charity events, thats me. I like to offer my time, just putting a smile on somebody for even just a second, it makes me feel good as a person and knowing that Im doing the right thing.

And handling the attention? Thats easy, he said.

I remember where I came from.

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