Out of all of the positions in baseball, shortstop is arguably the most important. Whether they are rolling a double play, cutting off throws from the outfield, contributing at the plate, or a variety of other jobs, shortstops are as busy as any other position. As a result, it is important to fill this role with a sound defender, a strong leader, and a quality hitter. For the Warriors, senior shortstop Brett Roberts has been all of these and then some.

Throughout his high school career at North Atlanta, Roberts has made major contributions. During his freshman year, Roberts played in 13 games for the varsity squad and had a fielding percentage of .909, but he only hit for a batting average of .143. However, he learned from this experience, and going forward, Roberts would be a cornerstone piece in the Warriors’ lineup. “I tried not to think much of how I was hitting and instead just stay motivated and kept working and getting better,” he said.

This season, Roberts not only led the team in nearly every offensive statistic, but was also one of the best players in Region 7 AAAAAA. He tallied a .438 batting average, 36 runs scored, 38 runs batted in, 9 stolen bases, 15 doubles, 3 triples, and an astonishing 10 home runs. For the program at North Atlanta, this was a historic season to say the least. “While we just missed the playoffs, I’m proud of my performance this season.” Roberts said. “I wanted to make sure I gave my teammates, my coaches, and the program my all for my senior year.

Not only did Roberts have one of the best seasons in program history, but he had an outstanding career as well. Starting at shortstop on varsity as a sophomore, he batted for an average of .341. As a junior and a senior, he batted for more than a .430 batting average in both seasons. In addition, he hit a total of 15 home runs while stealing a total of 20 bases between the two seasons. Roberts was selected to play in the APS all star game in 2018 and 2019 while being named to the All-Region team both years as well. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without everybody who has been a part of this program for the past four years,” he said. “I’m thankful to have played at North Atlanta and I look forward to building on my career here at the next level.”

His coaches have been just as impressed to watch his batting and fielding tour-de-force as have been his player colleagues. “To watch Brett play is something truly special,” said Warrior head coach Ricky Plante. “He’s got some of the fastest hand I’ve ever seen and he’s been able to translate that into becoming one of the most prolific batters who has come through this program.”  

In the short term, Roberts is among the candidates to be named the Region Player of the Year for Region 7 AAAAAA. In the long term, he will be attending Tennessee Tech this fall on an athletic scholarship to play baseball, with the goal of getting selected in the Major League Baseball draft. It has been a very memorable time at North Atlanta for Roberts, and the his future is very bright going forward.