Tom Brady’s Close One Declares for Softball Draft After Bagging Freshman of the Year With UCLA Bruins

Sports dynasties usually stick to their lane—Mannings play football, Currys shoot threes, and the Bradys? Well, you’d think they just collect Super Bowls. But one Brady decided to rewrite the script. Instead of slinging touchdowns, she’s been launching softballs into orbit. And now, she’s about to shake up the pro game.

Maya Brady—yep, Tom Brady’s niece—is officially going pro. The UCLA superstar just declared for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) draft, and she’s set to be one of the top picks. With 71 home runs and 246 RBIs in college, she didn’t just play—she dominated. But instead of following her uncle into the football world, she’s helping build the future of pro softball. AUSL is still new, but with legends like Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman involved, plus ESPN backing it, this league has serious potential. And Maya? She’s about to be one of its biggest stars.

What makes her move even more interesting is that a lot of top softball players usually head to Japan’s Diamond Softball League, where the competition is elite and the money is solid. But Maya is choosing to help put AUSL on the map, making a statement that the U.S. can have a legit pro league, too. With former Marlins GM Kim Ng running the show and a 30-game season set for this summer, this could be the start of something special. And with a Brady in the mix, you already know the championship mindset is there.

Speaking of that Brady mindset—Tom Brady has been hyping her up for years. Back in 2021, he straight-up called her “the most dominant athlete in the Brady family…by far.” And when she hit her 62nd career home run in March 2024, he couldn’t help himself, posting, “Sorry peeps it just runs in the family. LFG!!!” on Instagram. The GOAT stamp of approval? Yeah, she’s got that.

From UCLA beast to pro star

Maya Brady’s success didn’t come out of nowhere. Her mom, Maureen Brady, was an All-American pitcher at Fresno State, and her other uncle, Kevin Youkilis, won two World Series titles in the MLB. Safe to say elite competition is just in the DNA. Growing up around that kind of talent, she was always bound for something big.

At UCLA, she went from a highly touted recruit to a straight-up legend. Clutch hits, monster home runs, game-changing plays—she did it all. Two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year? Check. First-team All-American? Twice. She didn’t just play in a powerhouse program—she helped define it. Now, she’s ready to bring that same energy to the pro level.

But this isn’t just about Maya—it’s about building something bigger. AUSL is aiming to be the go-to league for pro softball, and with players like her leading the charge, the hype is real. The league is stacking up talent, creating a new blueprint for pro softball in the U.S., and banking on young stars to take it to the next level. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Brady family, it’s that they don’t just show up—they take over.