Perseverance and dominance - Deans’ journey to the OCAA record book

By: Stefan Gerardi
Humber Athletics Communications

ETOBICOKE - On Sept. 20, Humber baseball starting pitcher, Brandon Deans, struck out 16 Seneca Sting batters to etch his name into the OCAA record book for most strikeouts in a single game. The previous record of 15 set by Seneca's Ward Benn stood for nearly six years until Deans' lights-out performance in Humber's 8-1 victory. 

Deans is a 21-year-old hard-throwing righty in his first year with the Hawks and is already turning heads with only two appearances under his belt. The Mississauga native is enrolled in Humber's police foundations program and sits atop the OCAA with 26 strikeouts. Deans also has two wins on the season with 13.0 innings pitched and an ERA of 2.69 thus far. 

Deans' quest to the OCAA record book was not easy by any means, so, how exactly did Brandon Deans get to where he's at right now? 

A Kid Built for Baseball

Deans discovered his love for the game of baseball at the young age of five. He played for the Mississauga North Tigers AAA program over a ten-year span, where he won multiple tournaments, including four provincial championships. He had a brotherly connection with all his teammates and even played high school baseball for Our Lady of Mount Carmel alongside his fellow Tigers. 

"Those were some of the best times in my baseball career," Deans said. "It was really awesome to play with childhood friends for so long." 

As Deans physically matured, his teammates and coaches praised him for his ideal baseball stature. At six-foot-four with a larger build, Deans was always a lot taller and naturally stronger than his companions around.  As soon as he was allowed to pitch for the Tigers, he took the opportunity and never looked back. 

"Growing up, I was always told that I had the frame for a baseball player," said Deans. "Another thing that I had was a strong arm and that's a big piece of how I got to be on the Ontario Blue Jays." 

At 16 years old, Deans was recruited by the Ontario Blue Jays (OBJ). This prestigious baseball program is widely considered to be the best for Canadian amateurs. It attracts young players in the Greater Toronto Area looking to pursue collegiate and professional opportunities in the sport and nine Major League Baseball (MLB) players are alumni of the OBJ organization. 

Deans sharpened his skills on the mound with the Blue Jays' pitching staff and coaches over his three years with the program. He knew this opportunity was a crucial step in his baseball career and would help him achieve his goal of playing in the United States. 

Roaring like a Golden Grizzly

Deans' hard work with the OBJ paid off as he was able to foster a relationship with the coach of the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies, who scouted him to the United States. Oakland University baseball competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which is the highest level of intercollegiate sport in the United States. Oakland University is situated in a small suburb of metropolitan Detroit called Rochester Hills, Michigan. 

"Coach and I really bonded early on; he was a guy you want to play for," Deans said. "What he offered me is something you can't really ever turn down." 

Deans signed on to play with Oakland University in 2019, leaving his family and friends behind in Mississauga to chase his pro baseball dreams in Michigan. The Golden Grizzlies baseball program enticed Deans because he knew he would be able to start, fit in, and grow with their young core of talented players. 

Deans' first year with Oakland University was going smoothly. He threw five strikeouts over 4.2 innings pitched in his collegiate debut and was given a starting pitching role with the team; however, uncertainty set in as the remainder of the 2020 NCAA baseball season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Unfortunately, that's when everything changed," said Deans. 

Maturing as an Athlete

A new coach was brought in to lead the Golden Grizzlies. Deans, along with only five other players from the original roster stayed to play for the new bench boss. Deans was aware of the opportunity of being a Canadian playing for a Division I school in the United States and stayed committed to Oakland. 

"I felt like it was a total reset," Deans said. "I had to prove myself again. This wasn't the coach who recruited me from Canada, so he had no idea what I could do. It was a really big transition for me in my life." 

In Deans' first year under the new coach, he was again awarded a starting role. This time, however, it was rocky for Deans. He was injured in his third start of his sophomore year and didn't receive the proper medical attention from the team's training staff. Deans threw the rest of the 2021 campaign with a torn UCL, requiring him to undergo intense rehab for a chunk of his junior year with Oakland. 

Coming out of rehab, Deans threw the fastest he had ever thrown in his career, with his fastball clocking in at 95 mph. In the summer following his junior year, Deans played for the Guelph Royals of the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL). The IBL is an amateur league involving teams made up of former professional players and college players. 

"I got to play with guys who have played for the Toronto Blue Jays like Andrew Case and Dalton Pompey. Those types of guys can teach you a lot," Deans said. 

Moving on from Oakland

Deans' coach in Oakland voiced his dissatisfaction with Deans about his decision to play for the Guelph Royals in the off-season, and he quickly recognized that this coach didn't have his best interests in mind. 

"He wasn't the type of guy to help me achieve my goal of reaching the big leagues," Deans said. "I didn't want to go back to Oakland, and I started the process of entering the transfer portal." 

Deans searched for other colleges in the United States; however, the process of being recruited to another American school helped him realize that playing baseball south of the border was ruining his passion for the sport. 

"Playing for the Guelph Royals really taught me this game is meant to be fun, and looking back to my junior year, I was not having fun," Deans said. "I talked to my parents and let them know I wanted to come back home." 

Breaking Records with the Hawks

Deans signed to the Humber Hawks baseball team to finish his final year of school back at home. His pitching arsenal, which includes an explosive fastball, as well as slider and changeup, made Deans an easy recruit for coach Troy Black. 

"I'm having a blast playing for Humber, the coaching staff and the guys on the team," Deans said. "I'm enjoying baseball a lot more now than I was down in the States." 

Deans had ten strikeouts in his debut with the Hawks against St. Clair. Coming into his second game versus Seneca, Deans topped his performance by recording more than ten strikeouts by the fourth inning. Coach Black made Deans aware that he was "close" and pulled up the record to show him he was only a few strikeouts away from making history. 

"Deans is a stud," said Hawks relief pitcher Jayke Wong. "Everyone in the dugout knew what was going on, and we were all rooting for him. The atmosphere was crazy." 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Deans fired an electric fastball by Seneca's Roberto Pagliero for his record-breaking 16th strikeout of the game. 

"It means a lot to hold this record," Deans said. "It really shows that my hard work is paying off." 

Deans was named the Humber and OCAA player of the week for his record-breaking performance. After this year with Humber, Deans set his sights on going back to Guelph and playing with the Royals for another season. 

Deans will be on the mound against Fanshawe on Sept. 30, looking to break yet another record – most strikeouts in a season by a Humber pitcher. He sits six strikeouts back of the current record of 32, co-owned by current Hawks pitcher Dalton Brownlee and alumnus Rory Pollard. The Hawks showdown with Fanshawe is slated for 5:00 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.