In baseball, the pitcher must always take one step forward in the direction of home plate, something North Saanich highschooler Brody Ruffle knows all to well. 

The Stelly's Secondary Grade 12 student is ready to take his first step towards making his collegiate baseball dreams a reality, committing to play for Florida National University (FNU) in the fall of 2025.

As a young boy he often went to the ballpark with his grandfather, throwing and hitting the ball. 

"I was nine and that's when I realized I wanted to play baseball," Ruffle recalled. "My grandpa was very much into sports. He coached my dad growing up, my dad coached me B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ the whole family is into it."

For Ruffle, who played his first-ever little league with Central Saanich, everything just kind of clicked, from watching the games to finally getting to play the sport.

Since then, he had spent countless hours on the diamond honing his skills. He joined the Victoria Eagles Baseball Club in Grade 9 and played in the junior premier division before advancing to premier and winning Rookie of the Year in 2024.

His decision to play collegiate baseball was motivated by his passion for the sport. In 2023, he began reaching out to various colleges and universities, sending videos of his games along with different statistics and metrics.

Ruffle shared that a trip to Florida was crucial in his decision-making process.

"The school is in Miami and I had a great opportunity to play for the Canada Scout team when we went down and played in LoanDepot Park. That was a big tournament B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ an incredible city, incredible experience." 

The 17-year-old is looking to study business at FNU.

"I looked into their program. They have a great team, The Conquistadors, and I love talking with their coach Nicholaus Strong. And so for me, after doing all my research and talking with him, it just all seemed like a perfect fit."

At 6'6", Ruffles is more than four inches taller than the typical major league baseball (MLB) player, and he intends to take full advantage of it.

"I feel like being tall has always helped me with my movement and accuracy. It helps in my momentum going down the mound and with my reach."  

On Dec. 27, 2024, he received an official offer to attend FNU on a full athletic scholarship.

"My parents and I sat down to talk about it, but it didn't take long for us to decide," he said. "They've been incredibly supportive throughout the whole journey and since I was young, they've always done all they could to help me make my dreams come true."

For now, Ruffle, who wears jersey number 26, is currently concentrated on the Eagles' upcoming season, which starts in April, with the goal of helping the team win a provincial championship.

He will then devote all of his energy to preparing for his scholarship at Florida National University and "doing everything in his power" to support The Conquistadors in their season.

Black Press Media asked Ruffle which team he would like to play for if he decides to turn pro. He said, "That's very far in the future, but if I had to choose I'd say the Toronto Blue Jays."