The Michigan baseball team was ahead of Toledo by an uncomfortable one-run margin with one out in the eighth inning when sophomore third baseman Brayden Jefferis stepped up to the plate. Jefferis launched the ball over left field and out of the park for his first career home run, giving the Wolverines the insurance they needed to close the game out.
The hit wasn’t only his first career home run — it was also a pivotal moment in his season. In his second year at Michigan, Jefferis has blossomed into a reliable batter, starting all but one game for the Wolverines while logging 21 runs and 31 RBIs. He’s grown more consistent across the season, currently holding an 18-game hitting streak, good for second in the Big Ten — only to his teammate, junior second baseman Colby Turner.
“Last year, I started off hot and then faded,” Jefferis said Feb. 6. “Just going back to what made me do well in those earlier games, and building off of that, but also focusing on the rest of the guys too. If you just focus on the team, it’ll make you better. So I’m trying to help everyone out, and put less pressure on myself.”
This season, Jefferis has reversed last year’s trend. Until the Wolverines’ midweek game against Toledo, Jefferis’ batting average hovered around .280. But after his 2-for-2 night, he’s only continued the upward trend, now sitting as Michigan’s second-best statistical batter at .339.
But Jefferis hasn’t been an ultra-effective hitter leader due to his power — he only has 11 extra-base hits. Rather, his success stems from steady at-bats and composure in high-leverage situations. He’s logged hits in all but eight games, with 20 multi-hit games. Only Turner and Jefferis are in that realm, with the rest of the Wolverines’ hitters falling under 10 multi-hit games.
Jefferis has proven himself as a mainstay in the Wolverines’ starting order throughout the season. He’s been a versatile piece of the lineup, starting at every spot but ninth. While he’s moved around sporadically, he spent most of his time in the leadoff spot, starting 16 games there through early and mid-season. However, he’s been vital in Michigan’s last two series at the cleanup spot.
“Hitting is hard, and sometimes it’s easier to hit one guy than the other,” Jefferis said Apr. 24. “I think it’s just sticking to our approach and trusting our stuff.”
Indeed, Jefferis’ ability to stick to his approach has proven crucial for Michigan in recent contests. Against Washington, he went 8-for-14 and accounted for over a quarter of the Wolverines’ hits, with a three-hit game and a four-hit game.
In Michigan’s first walk-off win over Washington, Jefferis went 4-for-5 with one run and two RBIs. In such a close game, his contributions were vital to the team’s success. The weekend prior, in a 2-1 win to earn a series sweep over Northwestern, Jefferis was involved in both of the Wolverines’ runs, going 2-for-4 with a run and a triple.
“(Brayden has) a good approach,” Michigan coach Tracy Smith said after the Wolverines’ series against Washington. “I mean, that guy stayed on the ball really well, so it’s good to see him heat up. He kind of darn near carried us a little bit. We need that, more guys need to step it up.”
Jefferis is also vital to the Wolverines’ strong infield. He currently ranks second among all third basemen in the NCAA for defense runs saved, at 13.7. With a .977 fielding average, he has recorded 31 putouts and just three errors, starting at third base consistently.
“We’re trying to find that combination that’s going to be that balance between a good defensive team,” Smith said Mar. 21. “ … Finding the most productive offensive lineup we can, but not giving up defensively.”
Jefferis’ first career home run may have provided insurance against Toledo, but it also underscored his growth over the course of the season. From a steady glove at third base to one of the most consistent bats in the lineup, Jefferis has flourished into a mainstay in the Wolverines’ order.
