MLB draft pick, Huntley graduate Brayden Bakes overcomes injuries, doubt to continue baseball journey

Huntley graduate Brayden Bakes, despite three shoulder surgeries, realized a life-long dream last weekend when he was selected in the 13th round of the MLB draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. "I was just hoping I'd get my name called."

Multiple shoulder surgeries and batting slumps brought doubt to the future of Brayden Bakes’ baseball career. There were plenty of times that the 2023 Huntley graduate with a sweet lefty swing felt like his playing days could be over. “I went through some pretty big struggles,” said Bakes, who transferred to Illinois State ahead of the 2024-25 school year after missing his freshman season at Indiana because of a serious injury to his left shoulder.

“I think my first 25 at-bats I was 1 for 25. “I got benched and put my head down. Understanding if I wanted my spot, I needed to keep working.”

Bakes worked through his injuries and, after his slow start as a Redbird, found his groove. He finished his first year at Illinois State with eight home runs, a .407 on-base percentage, 38 RBIs and 42 runs scored. Things continued to go up from there and, this past season, Bakes really put it all together.

The left-handed slugger led Illinois State in multiple offensive categories over 57 games played, including batting average (.393), home runs (16), RBIs (52), hits (92) and OPS (1.191). His 16 homers were tied for the ninth most in a season at ISU and his 92 hits broke the school record. Bakes finished first in the Missouri Valley Conference in batting average and tied for third in home runs.

He earned four MVC Player of the Week honors, was an All-MVC first-team selection, and was named to Baseball America’s National Team of the Week twice. Bakes’ hard work and play did not go unnoticed, and last weekend the 5-foot-10, 195-pound outfielder was picked by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 13th round of the 2026 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Bakes, who said he’ll fly out to Philadelphia this week and plans to sign, watched the MLB draft on TV from his home in Algonquin with his mom, dad, twin brother, sister and girlfriend as his name was announced as the 399th overall pick.

He called the experience surreal and unexpected. “Just sitting on the couch, looking at the draft board, and eventually my name popped up,” said Bakes, who grew up idolizing players such as Anthony Rizzo, Cody Bellinger and current Phillies’ Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, lefty bats with big pop. “I was just hoping I’d get my name called.

To be drafted by the Phillies is awesome. It’s a fun city. A few years back in high school I played for the Phillies scout team, so that was pretty cool.

Got to wear some of the Phillies jerseys and stuff like that. Getting an opportunity anywhere is great; for it to be Philadelphia makes it even better.” “I got benched and put my head down.

Understanding if I wanted my spot, I needed to keep working.” — Brayden Bakes, 2023 Huntley graduate Bakes’ path to the big leagues was far from likely. Bakes suffered two shoulder injuries – one to left and right – during high school.

The first came as a freshman playing football. He blew out his left shoulder after going for a tackle and underwent surgery. Six months after that, he injured his right shoulder, this time sliding into first base.

Again, it required surgery. Bakes was healthy in high school after that, but suffered another injury to his left shoulder during the fall season at Indiana. That, too, required surgery and put his future in doubt.

“Right around the scrimmage games, I dove for a ball down the line and dislocated my shoulder,” Bakes said. “Basically what happened was the bone had broken off. The anchors (from his previous shoulder surgery) stayed in and (the) labrum was good, but the bone broke off and I ended up needing open latarjet surgery.

“Got a pretty big scar from the top of my shoulder down to my armpit, had to put a block in there, shave off some bone and (had) two screws.” Bakes received a scary prognosis. “Pretty gruesome injury, and the doctors said there’s a chance you might not recover from this.

Two shoulder surgeries, we don’t know if you’ll be able to get back to the level you once were at,” he said. “I didn’t know that until I was fully recovered when my parents told me. It was just another chip on my shoulder to keep getting better and trying to achieve my dream.”

Those who know Bakes best aren’t surprised by his resilience. “He’s got a chip on his shoulder, like he wants to prove everybody wrong,” Huntley baseball coach Andy Jakubowski said. “He’s the type of kid where it’s, ‘You’ve got to pull me off the field because I’m going to do everything in my power to stay on it.’

“I’m super proud of him. He’s a tireless worker. He’s the guy always in the weight room, always working on his craft.

When practice or games are over he’s that throwback kid. He’ll go up to the field and hit with buddies and (twin brother) Ryan.” Jakubowski, who has been the varsity coach at Huntley for 21 years, said Bakes is the first player under his watch to get drafted by an MLB team directly out of high school or college.

Jakubowski sees a bright future for Bakes. “He hits for average, he’s got a good eye, he finds way to get on base, and he’s a gap hitter with power,” Jakubowski said. “He’s able to hit to all different fields.

I think the sky’s the limit for him, I really do. “He’s going to find a way to make a name for himself.” Bakes said, going into his second year at ISU, he started to develop a new approach that helped him unlock new power.

He figured he needed to change things up after underperforming in the Northwoods Summer League with the Kenosha Kingfish. “I just realized something felt off,” Bakes said. “My swing, something needed to change.

Instead of doing a little toe tap, I started doing a leg kick. I started standing taller in my swing and it all just worked out and made me feel more relaxed and comfortable.” Bakes said the toughest work is still ahead.

He thanked all of his coaches at ISU, including head coach Steve Holm and assistants Brad Jarreau and Daniel Carinci. “I’ve been dreaming of playing professional baseball for a long time, since I was a kid,” he said. “Three shoulder surgeries later ... and being able to see where I’m at now is pretty cool.

It drives me to want to keep getting better and progressing up. “Hopefully one day, I’ll make the majors.”