Years ago, Brian Bridges, then the Braves’ scouting director, went to a field to watch high school senior Austin Riley. At the time, most of the industry viewed Riley as a pitcher, but the Braves found themselves intrigued with his raw power.
Behind the dugout, Bridges met Riley’s parents. He asked Riley’s mother, Elisa a question: What do you think he wants to do – be a pitcher or a hitter?
“Brian, my son will do whatever it takes to play in the big leagues,” Bridges remembers Elisa Riley telling him. “He’ll catch. He wants to play.”
