Alumnus Profile: Bryan Byrne BA ‘06, MA ‘14
Bryan majored in Kinesiology, with his interest in sports being the main factor in his decision. He knew he did not want to become a trainer of any sort, but was interested in the business and administrative aspects of the sports industry and could imagine a career within it if his baseball playing career did not work out. The Kinesiology program provided Bryan a good overall experience as both the coursework and professors pushed and challenged him. Professors Craig Johnson, Steve Miller, and Claire Williams all played major roles during his time at Saint Mary’s, and he still makes an effort to connect and visit them when he returns to campus.
Entering his junior year, Bryan knew he had the opportunity to be drafted by an MLB team if he had a successful season. He had been talking to a few scouts prior to the draft, and ended up being selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 12th round. This was a major transition for Bryan as he went from being at Saint Mary’s to traveling the country with the Missoula PaddleHeads, a team in the Rookie Advanced league and the first stop for drafted Diamondbacks players. Having never been to Montana, it took Bryan about a year to get fully comfortable with the area, coaches, and daily routine of being a professional baseball player. Although Bryan left Saint Mary’s a year early, school was still important to him, and he spent his first off season taking the remaining classes he needed to complete his Kinesiology degree.
Bryan ended up completing six minor league seasons through the AA and AAA levels before calling it quits. Entering his final spring training at the age of 27, an old age for a baseball minor leaguer, he knew that it would likely be time to look for alternative directions in his life. In the Fall of 2011, he returned to Saint Mary’s to start his master’s degree in Kinesiology, and ended up joining the Gaels’ baseball coaching staff. Although he had an interest in coaching, he was still unsure if he ultimately wanted to pursue a career doing so. Shortly thereafter, a former scout reached out to Bryan and helped get him an interview to become a scout. Although he enjoyed coaching, scouting has ultimately been a better fit.
In 2012, Bryan was hired by the Houston Astros, where he worked until 2016. He was then hired by the Washington Nationals, who he currently works for today, and with whom he earned a World Series ring in 2019. His daily objective during a typical season is to simply find the best overall player on the field. Bryan scouts high school and college players in Northern California, spanning from western Nevada to Santa Barbara. During the baseball season, Bryan attends a baseball game almost everyday. He evaluates prospects, meets with the players and their families, and writes reports to send to those above him in the organization. COVID has had a dramatic impact on baseball, and Bryan has spent the past ten months exclusively conducting work remotely. He has been reviewing videos, looking at players’ techniques, and conducting phone calls with several college coaches. Although an unusual process, Bryan is preparing for the Spring with the hope that life will return to normal in some form. A bright aspect of working from home has been “being with my family, as I’ve been so used to being at the field everyday.”
When asked about future aspirations, Bryan stated that a job within a front office is his ultimate goal, although he certainly enjoys his work as a scout. He is grateful to be able to work in a field that he enjoys and plans to do so as long as he can.