By Ken Hansard
Bryce Fullen was just seven years old when the 2014 Royals made their first run at a World Series Championship since the 1980’s. The following year he watched as the Royals lifted the Commissioner’s Trophy for the first time in 30 years. Fast forward 11 years. Fullen, a senior first baseman and lefty pitcher for the Lansing Lions, has used that inspiration to spark a stellar career, “Watching the 2014-2015 Royals run sparked my interest. At age seven I tried out for my first baseball team and have been playing ever since.”
What a ride it has been. In 2025, the Lions finished 15-13 overall, eventually succumbing to Blue Valley Southwest in the Regional Finals. Along the way, Fullen managed to lead all of Kansas 5A in extra base hits during the regular season. “I’m really proud of this one, because it shows the hard work I put in with my dad paying off.”
Fullen’s efforts have certainly paid dividends. He is a three-time varsity letterman and has additionally been recognized by coaches and media outlets as a two-time All-Conference (UKC) nominee and has twice been named All-State Honorable Mention.
Now, in his final season with the Lions, Fullen hopes to use the respect that these honors have earned to lead his younger charges. “I’m looking forward to how we will compete and mesh. We lost some key parts but have a strong junior class with players who are looking to make a big impact this season. My focus will be on being a leader, especially vocally.”
Fullen put in a lot of work in the off-season to try to improve his game and hopefully raise the level of play for the entire squad, “Making state is always the goal. We recognize that we need to develop pitching depth, but it also presents a great opportunity for a lot of guys. Personally, I really increased my focus on pitching after last season. The game reps I pitched this past summer and fall really helped me figure some things out on the mound. I also feel like my time with Premier (winter pitching program) this past off-season helped, as well. My strength and speed training at Bluhawk with Prime baseball has been great, too!”
Fullen is strong in the classroom, as well, boasting a 3.7 GPA. His plan for after graduation is to play baseball as long as he possibly can. He is currently committed to continuing his academic and athletic career at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri.
