Jeff Brantley

Jeff Brantley is a former professional baseball relief pitcher who enjoyed a successful 14-season career in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1988 to 2001. Known for his competitive spirit and effectiveness on the mound, Brantley played for several teams, including the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers.

Brantley excelled in baseball, football, and wrestling in high school and attended Mississippi State University, where he was a standout pitcher for the Bulldogs. During his collegiate career, Brantley tied the Southeastern Conference (SEC) record for career wins by a pitcher, achieving 45 victories, a record he shares with Kip Bouknight of the University of South Carolina. In 1985, he led Mississippi State to a third-place finish in the College World Series. Brantley was later inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

Brantley was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the sixth round of the 1985 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut on August 5, 1988, and quickly established himself as a reliable relief pitcher. In 1990, he earned All-Star honors, finishing the season with a 5–3 record and a 1.56 ERA. Brantley's most productive season came in 1996 with the Cincinnati Reds, when he led the National League with 44 saves and received the Rolaids Relief Man Award. Over his career, he accumulated 172 saves, a 3.39 ERA, and 728 strikeouts.

After retiring from professional baseball, Brantley transitioned into broadcasting. From 2002 to 2006, he served as a color commentator for ESPN's MLB broadcasts and contributed to the network's "Baseball Tonight" program. In October 2006, he joined the Cincinnati Reds radio broadcast team on the Cincinnati Reds Radio Network and also provided analysis for Reds games on FSN Ohio.

Brantley is known for his strong Christian faith. During his tenure with the Giants, he and teammates Scott Garrelts, Atlee Hammaker, and Dave Dravecky were collectively referred to as the "God Squad" due to their religious convictions.