Former Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who began his pro career with the Salem Red Sox in 2012, will be the guest speaker and one of five inductees into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame on Feb. 1 at Salem Civic Center.
Bradley will be joined by four additional inductees: former Christiansburg star Drew Bailey, Salem RidgeYaks general manager Allen Lawrence, former Salem High School coach Wes McMillan and former Liberty High School star Donald Minnick.
A native of Prince George, Virginia, Bradley helped lead South Carolina to back-to-back College World Series championships in 2010-11, earning CWS Most Outstanding Player honors in 2010. Selected by Boston in the 2011 MLB draft, he highlighted the Opening Day roster for the 2012 Salem Red Sox, quickly becoming a fan favorite showcasing elite defense, strong plate discipline and a .359 batting average over 67 games that fueled his rise through Boston’s farm system.
Bradley made his MLB debut with Boston in 2013, just one year after playing in Salem. He became one of the best defensive outfielders, showing his range, strong arm and spectacular highlight catches.
He was named an American League All-Star in 2016 and then earned a Gold Glove Award in 2018 while helping the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, also claiming ALCS Most Valuable Player honors.
He later played for Milwaukee, Toronto and Kansas City. Post-MLB, Bradley has worked as a college baseball analyst with the SEC Network and became the first ex-MLB player to join the Banana Ball league on a full-time basis when he was the league’s No. 1 draft choice by the Indianapolis Clowns.
Highlighting the other inductees:
David Bailey
Bailey was a three-sport athlete at Christiansburg High School, where he threw two no-hitters as a senior pitcher. He was a two-time all-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection from 2008-10 at Concord University, where he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2017.
Bailey became the first Concord pitcher selected in the MLB Draft when he was taken in the 35th round in 2010 by Oakland. He played two seasons in the Athletics’ organization and reached the Class A level for the Vermont Lake Monsters in 2011, finishing with a 5-0 record and a 2.34 ERA. After his playing days, Bailey began a collegiate head coaching career at Averett University before leading Bluefield State to a pair of HBCU National Championships and compiling a 95-79 win-loss record from 2021-24. He is currently the head baseball coach at his alma mater, Concord.
Allen Lawrence
Lawrence built a career in professional baseball operations in the Roanoke Valley, where he is currently the general manager of the Carolina League’s Salem RidgeYaks. A 1996 graduate of North Cross School and a 2000 graduate of Elon University, he began his career as a game-day employee of the Colorado Rockies’ Class A affiliate, the Salem Avalanche; advancing through roles including Food and Beverage Director, Director of Stadium Operations, Vice President of Sales and Assistant General Manager.
Lawrence served as Interim General Manager of the Salem Red Sox before being named General Manager in 2019. Recognized for his leadership and impact, he has been named one of the “Ten Most Outstanding Young Professionals in the Community,” reflecting his dedication to Salem and the Roanoke Valley.
Wes McMillan
McMillan built a legacy of excellence and consistency over nearly four decades of coaching baseball and softball in the Roanoke Valley. Beginning with the North Roanoke Rec Club (1984–1999), he guided countless young players before leading a 1992 softball team to a Dixie League state championship and national tournament appearance.
After baseball assistant coaching roles at Northside and Salem high schools, McMillan became Salem’s head baseball coach in 2011. As the Spartans’ head coach for 12 years, his teams won more than 140 games while never posting a losing season. Salem made six regional appearances and four Class 4 state tournaments, winning the VHSL championship in 2018 with a 2-1 walk-off victory over Jamestown. He was a two-time River Ridge District Coach of the Year and Timesland Baseball Coach of the Year in 2018.
Donald Minnick
Minnick starred as a left-handed pitcher at Liberty High School and at East Tennessee State before playing three seasons of Minor League baseball. At Liberty from 1974-77, he compiled a 34-5 career pitching record, was a first-team Seminole District selection and led the Minutemen to the 1977 VHSL Group AA state championship. He was also the winning pitcher in the VHSCA East-West All-Star game.
Minnick was chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the 19th round of the 1977 Amateur Draft but opted to play at ETSU, where he helped the Buccaneers to the Ohio Valley Conference title. He was taken in the second round of the 1979 January Draft by the Seattle Mariners. He played for three seasons for affiliates of the Mariners and Baltimore Orioles, helping the Hagerstown Suns to the 1981 Carolina League championship.
Roy Lower will receive the Wayne LaPierre, Sr. Community Service Award for more than 50 years of service as a player, coach, administrator, and booster. A Cave Spring High School graduate and ETSU alumnus, Lower coached at the Little League, AAU, American Legion and high school levels, and served on multiple booster and board roles in the Salem–Roanoke Valley.