Education
Brentz attended South-Doyle High School in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Brentz attended South-Doyle High School in Knoxville, Tennessee.
He then enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University, where he played college baseball for the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders as a pitcher and an outfielder. He was a consensus All American in 2009. Brentz was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft.
Entering 2013, Brentz was ranked as the sixth best prospect in the Red Sox minor league system.
He was preparing to participate in spring training of 2013 until he shot himself in the leg during the offseason. Brentz returned to the Pawtucket Red Sox of the Class American Automobile Association International League, but missed time in July and August due to a knee injury.
He posted a.262 average with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs in 88 games, while tying with David Chester for the most home runs in the system. Brentz was added to the Red Sox 40-man roster on November 20, 2013.
He played for Pawtucket in 2014, reaching the Triple-A World Series.
After Pawtucket lost the series to the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Pacific Coast League, the Red Sox promoted Brentz to the major leagues, and he made his major league debut on September 17.