Baseball, as we all know, is America’s pastime. Logan Grigsby, standout pitcher at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana for the last four years, is headed to a new opportunity in Heidenheim, Germany.
Grigsby has been an NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) scholar athlete and was in the National College Athlete Honor Society. He accomplished all these things in his four years at Grace. Grigsby says, “As we tend to think that God will always bless our work.” Now, a year after he graduated, Grigsby is continuing his work, pitching for an overseas baseball team named, Heidenheim Heidekopfe in Heidenheim, Germany.
In Grigsby’s 2017 summer ball league he didn’t disappoint. His coach Tony Gonzalez says, “His arm works free and easy and velocity sits between 88-90”. When he was in Los Angeles training with Dodgers scouts, Grigsby maxed out at 92 MPH.
Why does Logan want to take his career overseas? “I have a deep passion for this game but I do not believe I have reached my potential yet,” says Grigsby.
Grigsby is from Lake Arrowhead, California, and attended Rim of the World High School. Grigsby played baseball throughout high school and pursued a baseball career in college. Grigsby struggled to find a way to glorify God through the game.
“I struggle with wrapping my head around the concept of glorifying God through competition,” says Grigsby. The way you can glorify God is to “lead my teammates as captain and help them in any way I can,” he said.
“I would give this guy a ball and never wonder if he could compete,” says his former pitching coach, Tom Roy. Unlike some pitchers, Grigsby can throw several different pitches, such as sliders, change-ups and curveballs.
The process of signing was relatively easy for Grigsby. “The Heidenheim Heidekopfe are only allowed to have three international roster spots,” Grigsby says. The good thing about it, is that he has a German passport, which means he will be pitching as a German National.
On March 20, 2018, Grigsby will be moving to Heidenheim, Germany for spring training. His first pitch will be on April 1, 2018. He sees this as an opportunity to continue playing the game he grew up playing and loves so much. It is an amazing chance to further his career and could potentially make it as a professional baseball player.
By Ashley Gerhart
Ashley Gerhart is studying sport management and journalism at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind.