Brandon O’Malley’s
in a league of his own

By Melissa Yerkov
Times Sports Editor

To Brandon O’Malley, baseball is life.
Most of the time, you can find the sophomore catcher on the Rams’ baseball diamond. But when he’s not playing for Philadelphia University, the baseball guru spends most of his time coaching the Phillies Baseball Academy camps, where he teaches youngsters ages 7 to 14 the basics of baseball.
"I just started last year and I like it a lot," said O’Malley. "I’ve started to really like working with the kids, and I definitely want to continue coaching."
When he’s not around the baseball amateurs, O’Malley is surrounded by professionals when working his second job, at Citizens Bank Park. For the past four years, O’Malley, an employee with the stadium concourse staff, has spent his nights running fan games in Ashburn Alley and the fun zones during Phillies home games.
"I basically just make sure everything runs smoothly and the kids are always safe," he said. "It’s so much fun being there. And even if I have a night off, a lot of times I still go to the Phillies games."
"I work a lot," he added. "But it’s not always work, because I really like what I do."
O’Malley has always had a true love for the game. He first picked up a baseball glove over a decade ago and hasn’t stopped throwing since. The Northeast High School alumnus played baseball for the Vikings for four years, including three at the varsity level.
Although O’Malley spent most of his high school baseball career behind home plate, he decided to step into a pitching role as a senior.
"I feel like it’s easy for me to throw strikes," said O’Malley, who has three pitches, including a 78-mile-per-hour fastball. "I’m more crafty with my throwing. I love throwing curves and unexpected pitches. I think catching for so long does make it easier to pitch."
Last season, while playing for Philadelphia University, O’Malley made nine appearances on the mound for the Rams, all in relief. He posted 14 strikeouts in 16.2 innings of work.
"Brandon is a staple to the team," said coach Mark Heineman. "He helps in a lot of different ways. He’ll catch when we need him and pitch when we need him. He is an all-around excellent player."
Last season, O’Malley spent more of his playing time catching than pitching, but the versatile athlete didn’t mind.
"I enjoy both positions, but I definitely like catching better," said O’Malley. "I feel like I have a little more control as a catcher, because I can see the entire field in front of me."
When he’s swinging a bat on offense, O’Malley does pretty well at the plate. He had an impressive start as a freshman, appearing in 31 games, with 17 starts. He finished the season with eight runs scored, eight RBIs and two home runs, including a grand slam against Caldwell College last April.
"I’m not getting as much playing time this year as I did last season," said O’Malley. "But I know I’m ready to play. I’m working really hard to prove myself and get a starting position next season.
"Playing at the next level was a real tough transition," he continued. "Everything is at a much faster pace, but I feel a lot more comfortable this year."
In addition to adapting to college life on the diamond, O’Malley is dealing with bigger challenges in the classroom.
"My classes are all right," said O’Malley, who currently has a 2.7 grade-point average. "Last semester was hard, but now I’m doing much better. At first I was undecided about a major. I liked business management but I heard that finance is where the money is, and I want to make as much money as I can," he said with a smile.
The 20-year-old has experienced a lot of change in the past two years, but O’Malley seems content with his choices.
"I’m really glad I went to Philadelphia University," he said. "I’m still in Philly, so I can see my friends from high school and family whenever I want, but I still have the freedom of life away from home. I like living on my own."
O’Malley is close with his family, especially his younger brother Chad. The outfielder is following in his big brother’s footsteps, playing varsity for Northeast High School as a sophomore and also playing JV football.
Even though Brandon has a full schedule, he tries to catch his little brother in action as often as possible.
"I really like watching Northeast play," said O’Malley. "I can see myself coaching for Northeast one day, or any high school for that matter. I really enjoy that level of baseball.
"I hope to eventually find a job where I can continue to coach," he continued. "I’ve been playing baseball my entire life and I’d like to help out other people who enjoy the sport as much as I do." ••
Sports editor Melissa Yerkov can be reached at 215-354-3035 or myerkov@phillynews.com