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Brown Brings Light Tower Power to ULM Baseball Lineup

Brown Brings Light Tower Power to ULM Baseball Lineup

Baseball Feb 16
By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

With his light tower power and imposing stature, new ULM slugger Chenar Brown is bound to be a hit this season. "He's definitely a pro body in the uniform," ULM associate head coach Matt Collins said. "He is the first one that steps off the bus, and it is intimidating." A highly decorated transfer from Jackson State, the 6-foot-7, 235-pounder was a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American in 2021 along with first-team All-Southwestern Conference and SWAC Freshman of the Year. "Chenar is a tremendous athlete," Collins said. "He can run, he's got a really good arm and he's got power. When he puts it all together, he's going to be a special player. Probably has more power than anybody we've seen since I've been here.

"Chad Bell hit a lot of home runs, but he's a raw version of what that could be." The dimensions of Lou St. Amant Field don't come close to containing Brown's blasts when he connects. He's clearing the wall in center field with ease, smoked an opposite-field blast over the flag pole in right center in one preseason scrimmage and mashed a 410-foot home run with an exit velocity of 108 miles per hour in ULM's final intrasquad game Sunday. "The sky's the limit for Chenar," ULM coach Michael Federico said. "He should be a draft pick at some point. He's somebody Warhawk Nation is really going to enjoy watching play." As a second-year freshman at Jackson State in 2021, Brown started 37 games while slashing .366/.432/.796 with 52 hits, 10 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 49 RBIs, 41 runs scored, 17 walks and five stolen bases. As a sophomore in 2022, he played in and started just 10 games before an injury ended his year. He hit .273 with nine hits, three doubles, one triple, seven RBIs, five runs scored and five walks in the abbreviated campaign. Brown said he decided to leave Jackson State to prove that he could play at any level. South Carolina and others reached out, but ULM won him over. "There are good pieces around here and I wanted to be a part of it," Brown said. "The goal is to get to the Sun Belt Championship and win it." Collins was checking in on another Jackson State player he heard had entered the transfer portal when he discovered that Brown was in play. "I said, 'Is that the monster who crushed against us his freshman year?'" Collins asked a former Jackson State coach. When he realized Brown was available, Collins requested his phone number and quickly got in touch. "South Carolina and others were calling him, because he is a Florida kid," Collins said. "We ended up building a good relationship and we ended up getting him. I was super thrilled to have that guy joining our team." Brown was familiar with ULM after playing against the Warhawks when he was at Jackson State and already had a favorable impression of the program. "I always liked the way Coach Federico ran things over here," Brown said. "It's very disciplined. I saw something over here that I liked and felt like I could contribute. We brought some other good pieces in too." Brown aspires to play baseball professionally and believes he's landed with a coaching staff that can help him reach that goal. "Coach Collins, Coach Federico, Coach Mc (Ryan McClaran) the pitching coach, everybody is just so helpful," Brown said. "I just felt like they could help me get to the next level." Players of Brown's size often end up playing basketball over baseball. "He's towering," Collins said. "He gets bigger as he walks up to you." His brother Chaundee Brown Jr. reached the NBA and plays professionally with the Austin Spurs in the NBA G League. As a younger athlete, Brown said he dabbled in multiple sports. "When I was younger, I played football, baseball and basketball," Brown said. "When I got to high school, my dad told me that I had to choose one. I just rode out with baseball. I didn't touch a football in high school. It was straight baseball for four years." Basketball coaches from The First Academy in Orlando tried to lure Chenar back to the court, unsuccessfully of course. "I love baseball man," he said. Indeed, since he was 5 years old roaming the tee-ball fields, Brown felt most comfortable on the diamond. As time went on, Brown became determined to shine in baseball the way his brother did in basketball. "My brother plays for the Spurs and he just motivates me," Brown said. "Every day, I want to work hard because there's always somebody out there waiting to take your spot." Brown played primarily at first base at his previous stop, so honing his skills in right field has been a preseason priority, along with refining his approach at the plate. "I'm still learning out there," Brown said. "I played first base my previous years, so I'm still learning in right. And I'm also learning to be more patient at the plate. Make them come to me and not chase as many pitches. Take my walks and punish them when it comes time." One of many newcomers on the ULM roster this season, Brown is optimistic that the retooled Warhawks are a program on the rise. "I feel like our whole lineup is disciplined and ready to go," Brown said. "Everybody can swing it."
 
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