Russell Oles Branyan (born December 19, 1975) is an American former professional baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians (two occasions), Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers (two occasions), Tampa Bay Devil Rays, San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners (two occasions), Arizona Diamondbacks, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. While primarily a first baseman, Branyan was capable of playing third base and the outfield, as well. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Branyan began his professional career in the Cleveland Indians minor league system. He made his big league debut with the Indians, on September 26, 1998, and was ranked the Indians' top prospect in 1999 by Baseball America. Though he demonstrated the ability to hit home runs with Cleveland, his batting average was low. Indians' manager Charlie Manuel suggested in 2002 that Branyan could benefit from more playing time, but he was traded to the Reds for prospect Ben Broussard during the season. Excited to have a "clean slate," as he put it, Branyan hit 16 home runs with the Reds in 2002 but struggled with injuries in the 2003 campaign. Allowed to become a free agent, he spent 2004 in the minor leagues for the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland before Milwaukee picked him up on July 26. In 51 games for the Brewers, Branyan hit 11 home runs. He competed with Wes Helms for the starting spot at third base in 2005 but again battled injuries much of the season. Branyan signed with the Devil Rays in 2006 and spent most of the year on their roster, but he expressed concern at the fact that he was not an everyday player with Tampa Bay. Traded to the Padres in August, he hit what was at the time the longest home run in Petco Park history, measured at 453 feet. He batted .197 for the Padres in 2007 and was released July 28. Branyan spent brief stints with the Phillies and Cardinals that season before becoming a free agent at the end of the year.
In 2008, Branyan split the season between Milwaukee and the minor leagues, hitting 12 home runs at both destinations while serving in a platoon role with Bill Hall in Milwaukee. With the Mariners in 2009, Branyan started doing eye exercises with an ophthalmologist. He attributed them to his most successful year in the major leagues thus far, when he hit a career-high 31 home runs while serving as an everyday player much of the season. Branyan signed with the Indians again in 2010. After starting the year on the disabled list, he hit 10 home runs for them before getting traded back to Seattle. With 15 home runs for the Mariners, Branyan finished the year with 25. He signed with the Diamondbacks in 2011, but only batted .197 with them and the Angels, with whom he finished the year. Branyan played in the minor leagues in 2012, did not play at all in 2013, and finished his career with time in the Mexican League and the Indians' system in 2014.
Early life Branyan was born December 19, 1975, in Warner Robins, Georgia. He graduated from Stratford Academy in 1994. Branyan was selected as an All-Georgia State baseball player in both 1993 and 1994. He was drafted out of Stratford Academy in the 1994 Major League Baseball draft by the Cleveland Indians in the seventh round (185th pick overall).
Baseball career Cleveland Indians Branyan began his professional career with the rookie-level Burlington Indians of the Appalachian League in . He batted .211 with 10 doubles, five home runs and 13 RBIs in 55 games. The next two seasons, and , Branyan played with the Class-A Columbus RedStixx of the South Atlantic League. He was named the South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player in 1996 after he set a league record for most home runs in a single season, with 40. The previous record was held by Mike Simms who hit 39 home runs in . He was second in home runs and ninth in RBIs (with 106) in all of minor league baseball in 1996. He was named the Indians' 1996 Minor League Player of the Year (receiving the Lou Boudreau Award).
In , with both the Class-A Advanced Kinston Indians and the Double-A Akron Aeros, he led all minor league baseball in home runs with 39. In a strained tendon in his right wrist kept him on the disabled list for most of the season. In for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons of the International League, he batted .208 and hit 30 home runs.
Branyan was first called up to the Cleveland Indians in . In his major league debut on September 26, 1998, Branyan went 0-for-4. The next season, , Branyan played 11 games with Cleveland, batting .211 with one home run and six RBIs. Branyan got his first hit (also his first home run) on July 23, 1999, off David Cone, a pitcher for the New York Yankees. In , Branyan continued his struggles, hitting .238 with 16 homers. After the 1999 season, Baseball America named Branyan as the Indians top prospect. His home-run prowess caused USA Today to compare him with Mark McGwire. On June 1, 2000, he hit two home runs in one game, the first two home run game of his career. In , an injury to Travis Fryman moved Branyan to third for a good part of the season. He again had a poor average, batting .232, with 20 home runs. In , manager Charlie Manuel wanted Branyan to succeed Fryman full-time, though he was primarily used as a utility player throughout the season. Manuel stated that Branyan should be an everyday player saying, "He's definitely not a guy you want sitting on the bench, because of the timing in his swing." In spring training, Branyan was promised that he would be an everyday player. He hit .205 with just 8 homers before he was traded to Cincinnati for prospect Ben Broussard.
Cincinnati Reds
Branyan called the trade to Cincinnati "a clean slate" stating he had been branded as a home run or strikeout player in Cleveland. He improved his numbers after the trade, but they still remained poor as he played left field opposed to his normal position at third base that was occupied by Aaron Boone. On August 4, 2002, Branyan hit three home runs, two off Bobby J. Jones and one off Mike Holtz as the Reds beat the San Diego Padres. He also hit two home runs on September 27, both off Montreal Expos pitcher Javier Vázquez. He finished the 2002 season to hit a combined .228 with 24 home runs and 151 strikeouts between the Indians and Reds. Branyan was also praised for his improved fielding during his transition to the outfield. At season's end, Branyan played winter ball in the Dominican Republic where on November 18, he injured his shoulder. An examination with the team's physician discovered serious damage, and Branyan underwent arthroscopic surgery on this shoulder on December 3.
Branyan suffered through an injury-plagued season in , appearing in 74 games, including 42 starts, for the Reds. He began the season on the disabled list, recovering from arthroscopic surgery. Branyan was reinstated from the disabled list on May 29. Branyan's shoulder was said to be at less than 100 percent but the Reds reinstated him despite his preference to undergo more rehab. On June 25, Branyan was fined an undisclosed amount after an in-game incident against the Chicago Cubs. During the seventh inning of that game, pitcher Paul Wilson hit outfielder Moisés Alou with a pitch, and during the bottom of the inning Cubs pitcher Kyle Farnsworth threw inside on Wilson during his at-bat which lead to a fight between Farnsworth and Wilson. Branyan, who was in the dugout, had to be restrained by teammates after a verbal altercation with Cubs first baseman Eric Karros during the fight between the two pitchers. His home run on June 7, against Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jeff Tam, was his first of the season. It was also the 100th home run hit at the Great American Ball Park. His pinch-hit grand slam off Brooks Kieschnick on July 21 against Milwaukee was his first career pinch-hit home run and third career grand slam. He returned to the disabled list on August 13 with a right ankle sprain he obtained while sliding into the wall chasing a foul ball on hit by San Francisco Giants second baseman Ray Durham on August 1. After returning from the disabled list on August 28, he started 27 of the Reds' final 29 games of the season. Branyan finished the season with a .216 average, 12 doubles, nine home runs and 26 RBIs. His contract was not renewed at the end of the season.
Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians On January 21, Branyan signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Atlanta Braves. On March 25, Branyan was cut from spring training and assigned to the minor league camp. He began the 2004 season with the Richmond Braves, the Triple-A affiliate of the Braves. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later on April 25 and was assigned to the Buffalo Bisons.
Milwaukee Brewers
2004: Purchase from Cleveland Branyan was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on July 26, 2004, from Buffalo for future cash considerations. To make room for Branyan, the Brewers designated outfielder Chris Magruder for assignment. He made his Brewers debut in a ninth-inning pinch-hit appearance that evening. About the trade, Branyan said:
On July 27, Branyan hit the longest home run in Miller Park history off Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux. The ball went an estimated 480-feet. On August 18, Branyan hit two home runs against the Chicago Cubs and drove in all five runs for the Brewers in a loss. Branyan went 3-for-4 in his second multi-home run game of season (ninth of his career) on September 12, against the Cincinnati Reds. Branyan hit .279 with 26 homers and 79 RBIs in 93 games at the Triple-A level in 2004, and posted a .234 batting average with 11 homers, and 27 RBIs in 51 games with the Brewers. He hit six home runs in his first 14 games with Milwaukee. He played 44 games at third base (40 starts), and two games at first base (one start). On December 21, the Brewers resigned Branyan, avoiding salary arbitration.
2005: Return and success Branyan returned to the Brewers in and went to spring training competing with Wes Helms for the starting spot at third base. He missed a month of the season, from June 2 to July 4, with a fractured middle finger on his left hand. Branyan went 5-for-17 in six rehab games with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. After Branyan was activated from the disabled list, the Brewers optioned Prince Fielder to the minor leagues to make room for Branyan on the major league roster. Though he was off the disabled list, Branyan was still bothered by injuries throughout the rest of the season. By the end of the 2005 season, Branyan had played 59 games at third base, five at first base and three in left field. On the offensive side, Branyan batted .257 with 11 doubles, 12 home runs and 31 RBIs.
Branyan expressed interest in returning to the Brewers in . He was re-signed by the Brewers on December 20, 2005 but after they acquired third baseman Corey Koskie from the Toronto Blue Jays, Branyan was designated for assignment. Branyan cleared waivers on January 18, and was released by the Brewers.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays