Braxton Waller’s Journey: From High School Standout to DACC Baseball Recruit
By FRED KRONER
Recruiting is often viewed as a numbers’ game.
There are only a certain number of scholarships available for colleges to offer.
There are only a certain number of positions to be filled on a team.
There is also another part of the equation.
No matter how many scholarships an athlete has, ultimately the player can just wind up at one location.
Braxton Waller, the most prolific run-producer in the history of the storied St. Joseph-Ogden baseball program, had the exact number of offers that he needed.
One.
“Danville Area Community College was the only school that offered me any spot to come and play baseball,” Waller said. “They offered me a scholarship I could not pass up.
“DACC is home.”
Waller is learning first-hand about the latest dynamic that is changing the recruiting scene.
“College coaches were very busy looking at the transfer portal that some high school athletes were overlooked in the off-season,” he said. “I did not expect this, and it caused a very stressful time in my life.
“Me and my coaches worked very hard to contact coaches and we fell short many times.”
Waller was the person who originally jump-started his recruiting process.
“I sent emails to about seven or eight different community colleges in Illinois,” he said. “I had conversations with schools, but never got offered a visit or a chance to play.”
There was one noteworthy exception.
“Coach (Clayton) Hicks (at DACC) has been there since the beginning,” Waller said, “and was the first and only offer I received to take my talents to the next level.”
Hicks has just two returning position players for the 2025 season. He views Waller as someone who can help the Jaguars turn around a season that ended with a 21-30 overall record.
Waller is a catcher who can also play third base and first base or be utilized as a designated hitter.
“We hope he’ll be versatile enough that he never has to come out of the lineup,” Hicks said. “We’re looking for him to come in as a middle piece in our lineup as a 3-4-5-6 hitter.”
Waller has rewritten the single-season RBI record at SJ-O. He broke the previous mark of 49 with a two-run double in the third inning of a victory at Tolono Unity on May 2.
He enters the Saturday (May 18) Class 2A regional championship game at Bismarck with 66 RBI and is within one more RBI of moving into the state’s all-time top 20 list.
“I consider Braxton a professional hitter,” SJ-O head coach Josh Haley said. “He has a good approach at the plate and rarely is fooled or doesn’t swing on his pitch.
“This year, he has capitalized, particularly with runners in scoring position.”
Waller has a team-best .500 season batting average, his third straight varsity season at .300 or above. Twenty two of his 54 hits have gone for extra bases.
The records are something he can reflect on later in life.
“I am having a very fortunate senior year and I am having a lot of fun with my teammates,” Waller said. “It feels nice to have some records, but that is not the most important thing right now.
“I am enjoying playing with my hometown teammates and enjoying Spartan baseball for what I have left.”
Waller’s quest to become a collegiate athlete was a goal long before he entered high school.
“I have always wanted to play a sport in college whether that be football or baseball,” he said. “This all probably started when I was in the sixth grade.
“I loved going to Illinois baseball and football games and I wanted to be out there.”
Although he had limited options for baseball, Waller did have other offers to consider.
“After the conclusion of my senior year football I received interest to play college football,” he said, “but it was not the right fit for me.
“I knew I always wanted to play college baseball and that was what I was going to pursue a career in.”
He started early on his baseball odyssey.
“I have had a bat and ball in my hand ever since I was able to walk,” Waller said. “I started playing tee ball when I was six years old and ever since then I have been in love.
“My dad and my uncles were big influencers on sports and have pushed me to be the athlete I am today. With so much support from my family – specifically my dad, grandpa, and uncles – I was always practicing and hitting balls in the yard.
“This prompted me to be developmentally better than others around me and excel at a very young age. I loved being on a team and playing with others besides myself.”
Waller began playing on travel-ball teams as an 8-year-old with the Champaign Dream. Three years later, he switched to the Danville-based Post 210 program, where he has remained.
“The key to my development was being able to take hard coaching and translate to a positive outcome,” Waller said. “Also, learning that people are only on you because they care about you and not because they are trying to put you down.
“My family and coaches have been a huge help along the way with endless support and encouragement as well as supplying help and input when needed to perfect my game.”
He looks forward to continuing to make progress when he joins DACC.
“I feel like I can improve once I reach college by staying positive no matter what is happening while playing the game I love,” Waller said. “I feel like I will become more independent and my work ethic will increase because of my competitiveness.
“I love the fact that I could be in position to help contribute, but I also understand that no spot is given to anyone. You work hard for what you want and it doesn’t come lightly. I am ready to do what it takes to step on the field next year for the Jaguars.”
Haley has no doubts that Waller can make an impact.
“Braxton’s leadership and energy he brings to the ballpark each day is unmatched,” Haley said. “He’s a great clubhouse player that understands team dynamics and being a good teammate.
“Braxton Waller has had an outstanding career at SJ-O. He has produced at every level he’s played and will do very well at DACC.”
Waller is pleased to have a college destination that is less than 30 miles from his home.
“I think staying close to home was one of the best decisions for me,” he said. “I love spending time with my family and they are so supportive of me and everything I do.
“Specifically my grandparents, they never miss a game and are always there for me. Without them I don’t know where I would be in life and it means the world to me that I am close to home and they get to see me play.
“Additionally, my parents are also close to me and my biggest supporters. Seeing them at baseball games will help me perform better and relieve me of any stress or pressure because they are the reason I love the game.”
Waller’s family and extended family includes parents Shawna Waller and Steve Waller, uncles Phil Lindsey and Nick Lindsey, paternal grandfathers Bob and Jan Waller as well as maternal grandparents Dave and Debbie Douglas.
“DACC is very close to home, which means my family can come and watch me play home games,” Waller added.
He plans to major in construction management.
“I want to become a project manager at a construction company in the next 10 years,” said Waller, who hopes to continue living around his hometown.
The chance to keep playing baseball is one he will relish.
“The best thing about baseball is that you are playing with some of your best friends and it takes everyone in order to win ball games,” Waller said. “I would say my strengths are leadership, hitting, and baseball IQ.
“I tend to show my leadership skills by picking up teammates when they are in a slump and keeping the energy up in the dugout.
“I want to contribute to DACC baseball in any way possible, whether that be offensively, defensively, or just a team player who helps my teammates.”
Those traits are exactly what Hicks is looking for in his recruit.
“We like his character and leadership on and off the field,” Hicks said. “That’s what you want, a leader, behind the plate.
“We feel Braxton will be a big part of our team. We are confident in him as a person and a player and know he will put in the work.”
