It was a surreal, but familiar moment for the Brown family Thursday afternoon as Newton senior Caden Brown penned his letter of intent to play baseball at Southern University.
Brown signed to the Jaguars baseball program in front of a packed auditorium of friends, family, coaches and teammates. The signing was three years after his brother, Justin Brown, graduated from Newton before playing baseball at Berea College.
Following in his brother’s footsteps by having the ability to play at the next level is something Brown does not take for granted.
“It’s special because it is just repeating the bloodline,” Brown said. “My parents being able to say that they had two kids that played college baseball — not even the league, just college baseball — is God given. Not everyone gets the opportunity to play ball at college, let alone the Division I level. It is something special to carry the bloodline and do what my brother did and more.”
Brown’s signing is a moment he noted he has been waiting on for a long time.
“It’s just a great feeling. This is something you dream of since when you first started playing ball,” Brown said. “Finally made the decision to go to the next level after high school. Everyday is not guaranteed, you just have to live it.”
The conversations Brown had with the Southern coaching staff went a long way in him ultimately deciding to sign with the Jaguars.
“Between Southern and my other offers, Southern was the best personal connection,” Brown said. “Southern was the only one where I had a real sit-down conversation about life with the coaches. Ever since I touched down in Southern it was home, and I already knew about seven or eight guys already at Southern that are a part of the team.
“It is kind of easier to make the decision when you already know people [there]. In the 2025 class coming in, I already know three, four or five kids that have already signed and are ready to go. There is a brotherhood that is already there.”
Brown still has one more season to go for Newton, but the senior put up strong numbers a year ago.
He led the team with a .359 batting average to go along with a pair of home runs.
Brown currently plays multiple positions for the Rams, but shared that he plans on playing both ways (outfielder/right-handed pitcher) when he joins Southern next year.
When looking back on his time at Newton, Brown shared that his most memorable moments as a Ram were on the days when they were extensive and when they were getting pushed the most.
“What is crazy is that my favorite moments are the days where it’s slow [and] long winded,” Brown said. “Those are the days where you talk to each other, get in with each other and there is just that brotherhood. Everyone is getting to know everybody. That is the most tight-knit day you can get because everyone is there as a unit and we have to learn to be with each other and be better.”
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