News Detail

Baseball Pitcher O'Brien Commits to Columbia University

11/11/2025

Brophy senior pitcher Ronan O’Brien has committed to Columbia University to play baseball and attend the school. The Lions play in the NCAA Division I Ivy League.

“I chose Columbia because it combines elite competition with elite academics,” said O’Brien. “They are coming off back-to-back Ivy League championships and play a tough schedule against powerhouse baseball schools. It’s also located in New York City, meaning I’ll never run out of things to do and will have great opportunities straight out of college.”

O’Brien will play for Head Coach Brett Boretti. Since he arrived at Columbia in July 2005, Brett Boretti has revitalized the Columbia Baseball program in every aspect, and over the past 19 years has built the Lions into a perennial Ivy League contender. Under his leadership, Boretti has led the Lions to eight Ivy League Championships, including three consecutive titles from 2013 to 2015, and Columbia has appeared in the NCAA Tournament seven times, dating back to 2008.

“The coaching staff treats the team like family,” said O’Brown. “They make everyone feel at home and are very interested in getting to know my family. I am also extremely excited to join the team because of the high standards they have set. It is the expectation that we win the Ivy League and make a run in regionals.”

O’Brien went 4-1 on the season with a 1.87 ERA in 11 appearances and nine starts for the Broncos in 2024. He was second on the team in innings pitched, wins, and tied for the team lead with 74 strikeouts. He was named the Arizona HS baseball player of the week by the Arizona Republic after a win over Chandler that included no earned runs over 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts.

“Coming off a strong junior season on the mound, Ronan O’Brien played a major role in our team’s success last year,” said Head Coach Josh Garcia ‘07. “Ronan is the kind of competitive pitcher every coach loves to have, fierce, composed, and unafraid of big moments. His drive to compete and improve has been a constant presence in our program, and his growth both as a player and as a leader has been outstanding. We’re excited to see Ronan continue his journey and bring that same competitive spirit to Columbia University.”

His performance during the 2025 season earned him second-team honors in the Central Region.

“Last season I learned how to be a leader in my own way,” said O’Brien. “I learned how my actions will be reflected by those around me and chose to lead by that. I also learned how to manage my game effectively. I learned how to use my stuff to get quick and easy outs.”

He also earned SportsAZ360 All-Academic honors, was a member of the NHS, and earned National Merit Commended Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, and AP Capstone recognitions. He is also a Big Brother Team Captain.

“I am looking forward to the guys and me making a deep playoff run,” said O’Brien. “We have what it takes, and we are experienced this year, so I am super excited to see how the season goes and contribute to the team similar to how I did last year.”