Goodyear slugger balances work, leadership role with Millennium

By Richard Smith
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All the work Brady Perrin banked during his first three years at Millennium has paid back with interest in his senior year.

In his junior year he became a full time starter, batting .321 with a .519 slugging percentage, two home runs and 23 RBI.

Through seven less games this year, Perrin is batting .407 with a .833 slugging percentage, five home runs and 23 RBI.

“Our freshman group naturally all look up to Brady. They’re all out there starting to do the mannerisms and things that he does. They’re starting to do the characteristics he does because they see him as a leader. No one told them to do that. They’ve naturally done it,” Millennium Coach James McDonald said. “I’ve seen most teams so far and I’ve yet to see a player outplay him. He’s been the best player on the field every game we’ve played, win or loss.”

Perrin and McDonald arrived at the Goodyear school before the 2023 season.

The freshman center fielder’s competitive nature made an impression on the former Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher.

“He wanted something out of the game of baseball. He took instruction really well, He’s gritty and he didn’t have the success he wanted early but he always fought. He always competed and never complained,” MacDonald said.

Their first two years with the Tigers were in the 5A Conference and, for the most part, a middling team. Millennium was the 24th and final seed in the play-in tournament in 2024 and upset No. 9 Scottsdale Desert Mountain to make the main draw before losing to eventual champion Queen Creek Casteel.

Millennium moved up to 6A last year and was ready for the challenge. Seniors David Sheppard, Josue Malave and Preston Armstrong and juniors Perrin and Xavier Candelaria were ready.

They also became mentors to talented Class of 2028 — freshmen Chase Fillman, Peyton Burgess, Landon Swinheart and Juan Cuen.

“I definitely tried to hop on board with the seniors and kind of take a bit of a mentor role, learn from them and see what I needed to do to be a better mentor this year,” Perrin said. “It was great to see us make the playoffs and get a win in the playoffs.”

The Tigers improved to 21-10 in 6A, earning the No. 6 seed and winning their first round playoff game against Mountain Ridge.

With most of the team coming back, Millennium was invited to The Boras Classic in March. The team started with a 6-5 win in 13 innings against Henderson Basic, one of the best teams in Nevada.

In the next two rounds, the Tigers beat Chandler Hamilton 7-1 and Scottsdale Chaparral 15-7. Casteel won the final 12-4 but Millennium made its name.

“When we play good baseball, we can compete with and beat anybody, I believe, in the country,” McDonald said. “When we don’t play, we don’t hold ourselves accountable and don’t do the little things and kind of come in arrogant, anyone can beat us. I think that’s what Boras taught us.”

Boras built the team’s confidence. Back to back losses the next week to region rival Phoenix Desert Vista put a chip on the team’s shoulder, and it was needed.

Perrin drove in six runs during The Boras Classic.

“I’m seeing the ball deeper this year and letting the ball travel,” Perrin said.

More colleges are talking to him after that performance.

He said he is not close to making a decision on what school to attend. Perrin has not decided on a major, but wants to study a business field.

“There’s been a few more since then,” Perrin said. “I want to go somewhere I can grow and improve, and become a better player and person.”

McDonald said Perrin is starting to become a vocal leader, which is not natural for him.

Millennium is 10-7 after another tough region loss to Tempe Corona del Sol. The Tigers still have title dreams but, as McDonald said, the main goal is to produce good citizens and good people in the community.

“I want them to be able to reach their dreams and be able to learn something from our program. At the end, yes we want to chase a championship. But ultimately I’m trying to push these kids to be better men,” McDonald said. “I like who they’re becoming in this journey. That’s the important thing for me leading this program.”

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.