Lewis Brinson doesn't remember the Florida Marlins' out-of-nowhere wild card playoff run in 1997 that catapulted the burgeoning franchise to its first World Series title.
Of course, Brinson can be forgiven. He was only three years old at the time.
When the Marlins made a triumphant return to the World Series in 2003, Brinson was glued to his television set like most baseball fanatics in south Florida as the Marlins knocked off the heavily-favored New York Yankees.
Lewis Brinson, Coral Springs
Photo courtesy of Sheri Ebel
Now a high school senior centerfielder at
Coral Springs High (Coral Springs, Fla.) - a half-hour's drive north of the Marlins' often-empty old home at Sun Life Stadium - Brinson has hopes of playing for the hometown baseball team he grew up rooting for.
And although he has yet to visit the now- Miami Marlins new ballpark on the site of the former Orange Bowl, Brinson's first trip there could come as a professional baseball player.
"That would be number one if I got to go with (the Marlins)," Brinson said. "But, any team really."
Most major league baseball teams already have Brinson on their radar. The 6-foot-4, 180 pounder boasts above average speed and a plus throwing arm that has been clocked at 90 miles an hour from the pitcher's mound. Brinson signed with the University of Florida in November, but he is a projected first-round pick in June's Major League Baseball draft and is torn on whether to attend college or jump straight to the pros.
"It'll be a real hard decision," he said. "Those kind of decisions are never easy. Choosing a college wasn't an easy decision."
Coral Springs head coach Frank Bumbales has mentored well over 1,000 baseball players during his 21 seasons on the Colts' bench. He says Brinson is a once-in-a-lifetime talent.
"There's nobody like him," Bumbales said. "He's a phenom. A real phenom."
The right-handed Brinson doesn't have a weakness in his game according to Bumbales, who recently retired from his teaching position at Coral Springs and is now a salesman for Zephyr hats.
"He's a five-tool player, a legitimate five-tool player," Bumbales said. "Runs a 6.4, 60 time, has a tremendous arm from the outfield. He's got tremendous speed on the bases. He can beat out a base hit in the infield. He can hit for power, hit home runs. He's got all the tools. And he's still growing. He's got a good mental frame for the game. He's able to accept failure and after he fails, he tries to pick up his teammates. He's a natural leader."
Brinson, a four-year starter who turned 18-years-old on May 8, could become the only player out of Coral Springs High ever to be selected in the draft's first round. Bumbales said that anywhere from 30 to 50 scouts watched Brinson's every move early during his senior season. Often, they were treated to a show.
"If you see him play, he's a highlight waiting to happen," Bumbales said. "Something he's going to do every game is going to be a highlight, from making diving catches in the outfield, to throwing people out from the outfield. When he hits a ball in the gap, he's at second before they even pick it up. I've seen the craziest things ever watching this kid play."
Brinson
batted .394 in 2012, with 21 RBIs, four doubles, four triples and four home runs to help lead Coral Springs to a 16-7 record and its third straight district championship.
A year ago, Brinson was a .473 hitter and scored 29 runs. As a sophomore, Brinson played an integral role in Coral Springs' most successful season, a team that ended the school's six-year playoff drought and won two postseason games to make it to the regional final.
In all, Brinson advanced to the playoffs in three out of his four seasons at Coral Springs. Before Brinson's arrival, the Colts had qualified for the postseason only five times.
"His performance at Coral Springs has been one of the tops, there's no doubt about it," Bumbales said.
Now, Brinson is ready to take his talent to the next level. And whatever level that may be, Brinson has enjoyed his ride as one of the nation's top prep players.
"It feels great," he said. "I mean all this attention kind of takes itself by storm. I try to stay humble and level headed and not get a big head about everything."
