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Red Sox trade brought them speedster who plays with his ‘hair on fire’
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- Red Sox trade brought them speedster who plays with his ‘hair on fire’
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox offseason trade acquisition Braiden Ward thinks that his background in bicycling might have contributed to him becoming a faster runner.
Ward can fly. He was successful on 57 of 64 stolen base attempts in 2025 across 97 games for Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque.
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"I used to do BMX racing when I was younger, which is like bicycles on a dirt-bike track," Ward said at JetBlue Park. "And I used to do a lot of just quick movement with that. Just like going super fast, super fast. A lot of guys that I know that did BMX racing when I was younger, they were always fast (runners)."
The Red Sox acquired the speedy 27-year-old outfielder from the Rockies for left-handed reliever Brennan Bernardino on Nov. 18.
SoxProspects.com projects that Ward, a non-roster invitee, will begin the 2026 season as Triple-A Worcester 's starting left fielder.
"I like to think it (the speed) is a little bit natural, it's a little bit of training hard for it, especially at a young age," Ward said.
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His theory about riding bicycle motocross translating into foot speed might have legs to it. A Global Triathlon Network video posted on YouTube that received more than a million views discussed how cycling can make someone a better runner. However, running does not make someone a better cyclist.
His speed has always been a huge part of his game. He has 211 steals in 414 minor league games. His profile on the University of Washington athletic website noted that he is the "only player in Pac-12 history to lead conference in stolen bases three straight seasons" — a distinction he will hold permanently, as the conference has since been disbanded.
Ward said he's ready to show Red Sox fans what he can do.
"Because every day I can't promise success, but I can promise I play with my hair on fire," Ward said. "I'm always gonna go 110%. I feel like I play a little bit like (Jarren) Duran in that aspect where there's no days off. Yeah, I'm going for it."
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Ward likes to play the game with the same passion that Mets star Francisco Lindor does. In fact, he would watch Lindor's highlights before college games.
"When I was in college, I really felt like I didn't have a swing that felt good. And so when I was younger — it didn't look like Lindor at all — but I tried to mimic him a little bit," Ward said. "And I always loved how he just played with a smile and just had fun. And that's something I like to do too."
Ward views being able to play baseball every day as a blessing.
"That's why if you look at any photo of me, usually I'm smiling and having a good time," Ward said.
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Ward batted .290 with a .395 on-base percentage, .391 slugging percentage, .786 OPS, two home runs, 17 doubles, four triples, 37 RBIs and 74 runs in 368 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A last year.
At Triple-A specifically, he hit .331 with a .440 on-base percentage, .466 slugging percentage and .906 OPS in 44 games (163 plate appearances).
He's focused on hitting line drives.
"I'm just trying to stay short to the ball and barrel it 10 to 15 (degrees)," Ward said. "I'll hit my homers here and there, but the pitchers know for the most part 'you can leave something up, he's not going to hit it 450 feet.' So they don't want to walk me. They want to get me out in three pitches. So they just come after me usually with their best stuff, and I just try to stay inside it."
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He said he tries to hit the ball to the opposite field.
"But I pull it a lot, which is fine," he said. "And like I said, just hit it hard, 10 to 15 and get on the bases and run crazy."
He's been running crazy since he was a kid. He ran track and field in middle school.
"I didn't lose," he said.
He participated in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 4x100 relay, the long jump and the high jump.
Ward — who also played four years of water polo in high school at El Capitan in Merced, California — was working out at the gym when the trade happened. He received a phone call from Chris Forbes, the Rockies' senior director of player development.
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"I thought I was just getting invited to big league camp," Ward said.
Forbes didn't waste time. He was direct and to the point, telling Ward he had been traded.
"Your heart sinks," Ward said. "I'm like, 'Oh, my gosh.'"
"To where?" he asked Forbes.
"Then he said the Red Sox, and I'm like, oh, Big Three: Yankees , Red Sox, Dodgers , maybe Mets," Ward said. "I've always loved the Red Sox. There's actually a photo of me from the Cape, going to a Red Sox game."
Ward played for Wareham of the Cape Cod Baseball League during the summer of 2019.
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"I used to wear a Red Sox hat all the time just because I liked the logo," Ward said. "And so I was excited. A team that wins, a team that's been in the playoffs a bunch. A team where I can just have fun and enjoy it."
His play early in spring training has already caught the attention of Red Sox fans on X. Section 10 Podcast co-host Tyler Milliken posted after Ward singled against the Blue Jays on Sunday, "Braiden Ward is the new super utility player I'm going to obsess over."
"It is cool and I've seen it a little bit. I've seen the support," Ward said.
Ward said he saw the passion of Red Sox fans playing against the Rays at Port Charlotte on Monday. Ward had the second hardest exit velocity (109.9 mph) in that game.
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"I feel like there were more Red Sox fans than Rays fans," Ward said. "It's like more practice and reps and they're just taking it so seriously and they're fired up and we're fired up."
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