By Bill Sorrell
Correspondent, The Alabama Baptist
Brett Ash’s need for speed goes beyond his 94 mph fastball.
Growing up drag racing with his father, Ted Ash, he drove his 1961 Corvette up to speeds of 150 mph.
“The car goes quite a bit faster than my fastball,” said Brett Ash, a right-handed Southern League all-star pitcher with the Jackson Generals.
“I have been blessed with a great family and great friends, people who have influenced me along the way. I don’t take it lightly. That is one of the things I cherish the most.”
Brett’s parents are his role models.
“They have been incredible through ups and downs. They have been a rock for my sister and myself. I could not have been more blessed,” said Ash, whose father continues to drag race.
Before he began playing professional baseball, Brett and his father would spend the summer racing throughout the Midwest.
“That was very memorable for me,” said Ash, 25. “It was an incredible upbringing. It was something my dad and I could both relate to and definitely something that kept me out of trouble in the summer. It made a very strong father-son relationship.”
‘Be prepared, work hard’
Ash’s favorite pitch is the fastball that he consistently fires in the 90-plus mph range.
“I have a lot of confidence in my fastball. That is one of my strengths. I try to be as mentally strong as I can. I try to be very prepared and work hard.”
Through August, Brett Ash was tied for the most wins in the Southern League. He had a 4.52 ERA, 12–8 record and 58 strikeouts. His victories helped the Generals, Seattle’s Double-A affiliate, win the first-half North Division title, their first since 2012. They set a franchise record for most first-half wins going 46–24 and were the first minor league team to secure a playoff berth.
Jackson second baseman Tim Lopes said of Ash, “Besides being a great player and a great pitcher, he is a great friend and a great brother in Christ. We go to Bible study together and encourage each other. We are in the Word and in the Lord. You can tell he loves the Lord.”
Staying on track
Through Young Life at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka, Kansas, Ash accepted Christ as Savior. Ash stays on track spiritually by making Bible reading a priority and fostering godly relationships.
“I always surround myself with good people, a good group of friends who have a strong faith that can hold me accountable. That has helped strengthen my relationship with God. My fiancée has a very strong faith too and she has helped in that area.”
Fellow players also speak highly of Ash’s skills.
Former Jackson pitcher and roommate, Dan Altavilla, who bypassed Tacoma to the Mariners in August, said of Ash, “You know what you are going to get out of Brett every night. … He is a guy you trust. Every time he gets the ball he is looking for a win.”
But his time with God is something he always makes time for.
“I knew He was always there for me. I always felt like I had someone looking out for me. The past three years, I have felt I needed Him, that I was called to have Him in my life. I have been blessed my entire life. It is one of those things where I realized I can’t take anything for granted. I need to be grateful. I think God has a calling in my life to help spread the gospel,” he said.
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