Mesa Sports Memory: Kris Bryant fools the Thunderbirds

Thursday December 7, 2023 - 2:15 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger

Mesa Community College Baseball has been a long time successful program in NJCAA Baseball, so much so that they drew the attention of popular energy drink company, Red Bull for a good ol' fashioned prank of the Thunderbird baseball team. 

Red Bull and then MLB National League Rookie of the Year, Kris Bryant wanted to pull a fast one on the MCC sluggers during practice one day.

Long time head coach Tony Cirelli had been approached by Red Bull to trick his ball club into thinking that they would be taking on the addition of a European transfer by the name of, "Roy Nabryt," for the remainder of the season to help them get over the hump and get back to the NJCAA World Series.

Cirelli spoke to his team and said Nabryt is such a phenomenal ball player that he would be taking innings away from pitchers and at bats away from hitters due to his skill level. As expected the players were not pleased with this, as they were stretching they began to speak about how Nabryt is too late in coming to MCC and even spoke to making him quit the team.

All the talk changed once the Thunderbirds saw Nabryt and his swing. Slamming the ball all over the field and the outfield wall with ease the MCC players were in awe as many looked on with wonderment in their eyes and their mouths agape. 

After seeing Nabryt in the cage and how easy it looked for him, the Thunderbirds began to think something wasn't right about this. Even though Bryant had not been in the majors that long, the dots began to connect for a few of Mesa's players as Nabryt's  6'5 frame and smooth swing looked a little too much like the Chicago Cubs star. 

Eventually Cirelli introduced his club to Bryant and the team expressed their joy to not only be able to meet and talk with a major league player of the caliber of Bryant, but to not have to lose at bats and innings.

To watch the video of the prank, click here.