Brian O’Grady was born in the Pennsylvania town of Warminster Township and played his prep ball at Archbishop Wood Catholic High School. For his college ball, he attended Rutgers University in nearby New York.
After his career as a Scarlet Knight came to a close, O’Grady was drafted in the eighth round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds where he spent the first seasons of his professional career.
His first year in minors was spent with the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League. That year he hit .257/.354/.449 with six home runs and 42 RBIs.