Former Wall Standout Braden Transferring to Angelo State

SAN ANGELO, TX — Wall High School graduate Caleb Braden is getting out of Dodge and returning home.

After a year playing baseball at Dodge City Community College in Kansas, Braden is transferring to Angelo State University.

Braden announced the news on social media on Thursday. Caleb is the older brother of Jacob Braden, who is currently on the Hawks' baseball team that is looking to defend last season's title. Wall defeated Jacksboro in the Regional Final last night in Abilene to advance to the state semifinals. Caleb was in attendance to watch his brother play.

After the game, he talked with San Angelo LIVE! to give his thoughts on transferring to Angelo State.

"Being as far away from home as you are, you always want to work your way back," Braden said. "Coming back to such a prominent program in ASU, it's always been my goal. Being able to do that is a blessing. It took a lot of hard work, and it has finally paid off."

Braden was the cleanup hitter for Wall during its run to the Class 3A Division II state title in 2025.

He was named to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State Team and to the UIL All-State Tournament Team.

He had a .474 batting average with 49 RBIs and three home runs.

Angelo State finished with a respectable 42-19 overall record, but fell in the South Central Regional Tournament to UT Tyler. Rams' head coach, Kevin Brooks, constantly looks to improve Angelo State's roster during the offseason, and Braden seems to be the latest find for the Rams.

"It was really just a lot of self-recruitment," Braden said of the process. "You were just sending your stuff out, getting the right phone calls and knowing the right people, and getting the connections the right way. Once that happened, I was able to able to get in and practice with [ASU]. They liked it enough for me to come play with them next year."

Braden is joining not only his hometown college but also one of the top teams in NCAA Division II. The Rams won the College World Series in 2023 and have made six other appearances.