Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Akil Baddoo joins Yeardley Smith for a candid and joyful conversation about confidence, resilience, and learning how to stay grounded through the inevitable highs and lows of professional baseball.
Akil traces his love of the game back to hitting baseballs with his dad in the backyard, breaking a window before he was even old enough for Little League, and hitting his first home run at five years old. He talks about the confidence his mother instilled in him, knowing from a young age that he wanted to play professionally, and why he never believed in having a backup plan.
He also opens up about the setbacks that tested that confidence, including Tommy John surgery, a grueling rehabilitation, the loss of his brother, and the uncertainty of what would come next. Akil shares how journaling, meditation, and learning to control his thoughts helped him through those moments and prepared him for an unforgettable start to his Major League career: a home run on the first pitch he saw, followed by a grand slam and a walk-off hit in his first three games.
They also talk about handling failure in a sport where even the best players fail most of the time, staying connected to the joy that made him love baseball in the first place, and the importance of family, community, and his Ghanaian and Trinidadian roots. Plus, Akil shares why he opened The Fade Lounge in Atlanta, his plans to give back to his former high school, and his lesser-known talent for roller skating.
Then Akil takes on the Last At-Bat, answering rapid-fire questions about his favorite Beyoncé song, the toughest pitcher he has ever faced, the career he might have pursued outside of baseball, his 200-pair sneaker collection, and the person he trusts most in the world.
Every athlete has a story. Guard the Yard is here to hear it.
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0:00 — Introduction to Akil Baddoo
1:33 — Childhood, family, and first home run
8:34 — Discovering he was different, and comparing notes with Yeardley on early talent
20:00 — Getting drafted and life in the minor leagues
29:45 — Tommy John surgery, the Rule 5 draft, and mental resilience
46:10 — Getting called up and an unforgettable MLB debut
59:52 — The Fade Lounge, roller skating, and Trinidadian culture
1:21:30 — Lightning round and closing thoughts
Guard the Yard with Yeardley Smith is an Audio 99 production.
Produced by Jessica Halstead and Monika Scott
Executive produced by Ben Cornwell and Yeardley Smith.
Tech Director: Logan Heftel
Editors: Soren Begin, Cristina Bracamontes, Nick Smith
Design and social media by Andrew Polk.
Music: Basixx / Shangri-La / courtesy of Epidemic Sound
Special Thanks to Nick Smith
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