Fletcher tries to follow dad’s footsteps to majors

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/WILLIAM MOORE
Naturals' Brian Fletcher knocks dirt off his cleats while at bat against Corpus Christi Friday, July 6, 2012 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/WILLIAM MOORE Naturals' Brian Fletcher knocks dirt off his cleats while at bat against Corpus Christi Friday, July 6, 2012 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

— Brian Fletcher may be new to Class AA baseball, but he already knows his way around major-league clubhouses.

Fletcher, a 23-year-old outfielder, was promoted to Class AA Northwest Arkansas on June 20. That moved him a step closer to the big leagues, but Fletcher has already spent some time there.

Fletcher is the son of Scott Fletcher, a hitting coach for the Atlanta Braves who spent 15 seasons (1981-1995) serving as a middle infielder for six major-league teams. Scott Fletcher would often take his son to the stadium during home games and let him hang out in the clubhouse.

“I always remember Brian, even when he was really young, he was always wanting to watch baseball,” Scott Fletcher said. “He enjoyed being in the clubhouse. ... His mom would always say when we were playing on the road, he’d always want to watch it on TV.”

Brian Fletcher was just a toddler during his father’s second stint with the Chicago White Sox (1989-1991), when first baseman Frank Thomas stormed onto the major-league scene as a highly touted rookie and hit the first handful of his 521 career home runs.

Scott Fletcher said his son seemed drawn to Thomas. Or, moreaccurately, to Thomas’ locker.

“He told me the story of how a lot of times when he was with the White Sox I would go into Frank Thomas’ locker and throw stuff around,” Brian Fletcher said. “That would aggravate [Thomas] a little bit. All I remember was him being a very large man.”

Fortunately, the 6-5, 240-pound Thomas didn’t hold a grudge, because their paths would cross again years later.

The Houston Astros drafted Fletcher out of high school in the 39th round of the 2007 major-league draft, but Fletcher turned down their bonus offer to play college baseball at Auburn, where Thomas had starred as a baseball player and a football player in the late 1980s.

Fletcher went on to earn All-SEC honors in 2010 after leading Auburn with a .357 average and 22 home runs. By the time he was finished at Auburn, Fletcher had tied Thomas for third on school’s all-time home runs list with 49.

During Fletcher’s junior year, he attended a ceremony to honor Thomas.

“It was pretty cool to see him,” Fletcher said. “My dad had spoken to him on the phone previously and told me that he had asked about how I was doing. It was pretty neat that he remembers me from back then.”

Actually, Fletcher’s skill set resembles Thomas’ game more than his father’s game. Scott Fletcher hit just 34 career home runs, relying more on his fielding skills to keep him in the majors. Brian Fletcher relies more on his bat.

Fletcher, who signed with the Royals for $275,000 as an 18th-round draft choice in 2010, hit .328 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI in 341 atbats for low Class A Kane County last year, his first full season in the minors. Although his power numbers are down this year, he still showed enough pop (5 HR, 25 RBI, .289 in 246 at-bats) earlier this season at advanced Class A Wilmington to earn the promotion to Northwest Arkansas.

“Once I saw him I knew we had a good player, a player that wasn’t necessarily representative of the round he was selected in,” said Scott Sharp, the Kansas City Royals’ director of minor league operations. “He can definitely hit, and he’s proved that at each level that he’s been to.

“We feel like a guy with his ability just needs to be challenged and you need to move him along.”

Scott Fletcher said his son has alot of ability, but he said his biggest strength is his willingness to put in the work it takes to make it to the majors.

“He knows how to bring it every day,” Scott Fletcher said. “He knows what it’s about. There’s a lot of people in this game who don’t know how to do it.”

Fletcher, ranked as the No. 27 prospect in the Royals’ organization by Baseball America, struggled shortly following his arrival in Springdale. He went just 1 for 19 (.053) in his first 5 games, but he is starting to settle in and had raised his average to .273 with 2 home runs and 5 RBI in 19 games going into Saturday night’s game against the Springfield Cardinals.

“He got thrown into the fire against some of the better arms in the league,” Naturals Manager Brian Poldberg said. “Now he’s starting to relax a little bit and do the things that he can do.”

Scott Fletcher said the biggest thing his son can do to improve his chances of making it to the majors is to keep bringing the intensity he has shown throughout his career.

“That’s especially important at the pro and major-league level. Be prepared. Don’t take a pitch off,” Scott Fletcher said. “In this game, the moment you think you can relax is the day you get humbled. You’ve always got to be ready for the next pitch.”At a glance NAME Brian Fletcher TEAM Northwest Arkansas Naturals AGE 23 (Born Oct. 26, 1988) HOMETOWN Fayetteville, Ga.

POSITION Left fielder NOTEWORTHY Entered Saturday with a .273 batting average, 2 home runs, 5 doubles, 5 RBI and 6 runs scored in 77 at-bats with the Naturals.

... Hit .328 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI in 341 at-bats last year with low Class A Kane County, missing about six weeks with a hamstring injury.

... Drafted in 2010 by the Kansas City Royals in the 18th round out of Auburn. ... Played mostly first base at Wilmington for the first time in his pro career but has only seen action in left field and as a designated hitter with the Naturals.

Sports, Pages 23 on 07/15/2012