Athlete of the Week: Brady Yates, Glendale baseball

Glendale junior has been swinging a hot bat to start the season

Apr. 3, 2026 at 8:59am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball player's batting stance and swing, with the player's face obscured and the background a vibrant mix of team colors, conceptually representing the dynamic performance of a rising high school star.A cubist interpretation of Glendale's star slugger, Brady Yates, captures the raw power and energy of his swing as he leads his team's offensive charge.Glendale Today

Brady Yates, a junior at Glendale High School in Missouri, has been tearing it up on the baseball diamond to start the season. The No. 2 prospect in his class has already hit six home runs, including three grand slams, and is batting nearly .600 with a 1.600 slugging percentage. Yates recently verbally committed to play baseball at Missouri State University after visiting the campus in October.

Why it matters

Yates' early-season performance has helped propel the Glendale Falcons to a strong start, and his commitment to Missouri State solidifies the program's future. As one of the top high school baseball players in Missouri, Yates' success is drawing attention to the Glendale program and the rising talent in the state.

The details

Yates has been swinging a hot bat to start the season, already hitting six home runs, including three grand slams. His batting average is nearly .600 and his slugging percentage is around 1.600. Glendale head coach Jim Julian praised Yates' ability to drive in runs with runners on base. Yates said his mentality at the plate is to 'kill the ball' and not try too hard to hit home runs, as they come naturally when he's just focused on making solid contact.

  • Yates verbally committed to Missouri State on October 28 after visiting the campus.
  • Going into Thursday's game, Yates had already hit six of Glendale's seven home runs on the season.

The players

Brady Yates

A junior at Glendale High School in Missouri who is the No. 2 prospect in his class. He has been tearing it up at the plate to start the season, hitting six home runs, including three grand slams, and batting nearly .600 with a 1.600 slugging percentage.

Jim Julian

The head baseball coach at Glendale High School, who praised Yates' ability to drive in runs with runners on base.

Joey Hawkins

The baseball coach at Missouri State University, who received Yates' verbal commitment after the player visited the campus in October.

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What they’re saying

“'This, this is the first one,' Brady Yates said as he moves his hands in a circular motion near his head.”

— Brady Yates, Glendale High School Junior

“'Got a little slider right there and swung it and it went over and that was the best feeling I ever experienced. Nothing has ever been like that,'”

— Brady Yates, Glendale High School Junior

“'He has hit three grand slams because of those guys getting on base in front of him. Obviously he has been swinging the bat pretty well.'”

— Jim Julian, Glendale High School Head Baseball Coach

“'Kill the ball. I mean obviously hit through the ball. Punch through the ball. Can't get too pull happy. I only hit home runs when I'm not trying to hit home runs, but I mean after seeing the ball go over a couple of times it's so relieving,'”

— Brady Yates, Glendale High School Junior

“'October 28, I remember the date. I had my Missouri State visit. Went into it and I didn't think I was going to commit and the day went so great. Then Coach [Joey] Hawkins went up to me and I just let him know that this is where I wanted to be committing and that was my decision. The weight was just relieved off me.'”

— Brady Yates, Glendale High School Junior

What’s next

Yates will look to continue his hot hitting as the Glendale Falcons push for a strong season. His verbal commitment to Missouri State secures his future after high school.

The takeaway

Brady Yates' early-season performance has put him on the map as one of the top high school baseball players in Missouri. His power-hitting ability and recent verbal commitment to Missouri State have generated excitement around the Glendale program and the state's rising talent.