Troy catcher Brooks Bryan has been drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the eighth round of the MLB Draft, securing the 248th overall pick. Troy head coach Skylar Meade expressed his excitement about Bryan’s selection, stating, “Brooks is the epitome of a true Trojan. We are thrilled that such a solid organization such as the Royals got him this morning. It will be great to watch his journey begin very soon.”
Bryan becomes the fourth player from Troy to be drafted during Meade’s tenure as head coach and marks the first time since 2008 that a Troy catcher has been selected in the draft. Beau Brooks was previously picked in the 20th round by the Los Angeles Angels.
The junior hails from Opelika, Alabama, and is recognized for his achievements on and off the field. He is a two-time All-Sun Belt Team selection and made history as the first Trojan to join the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team last summer. In 2024, he set a new record for Troy with 85 RBIs in a single season and was named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
Over three seasons at Troy, Bryan achieved a batting average of .272 with an OPS of .931. His performance places him among Troy’s top ten players historically in both RBIs (fourth with 158) and home runs (ninth with 34).
In 2025, Bryan continued to impress as an All-Sun Belt Second Team member and an ABCA Rawlings Southeast All-Region Second Team honoree. He also earned recognition on the Buster Posey Catcher of the Year Award midseason watch list after hitting .279 with 12 home runs while ranking third in doubles (18) and RBIs (61) within Sun Belt play.
