The outdated saying goes, “What you see is what you get.” And also you’ll discover few gamers who match that mildew, few extra authentically themselves, than Yankees heart fielder Trent Grisham. Chill, laid again, calm? All the above. Grisham’s demeanor on the diamond is not any masks; it’s a mirror, reflecting precisely how he’s off the sector.
“He’s superior; he’s distinctive. He’s Grish,” mentioned Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone from his workplace forward of a mid-August street journey. “He’ll be on the airplane tonight together with his cowboy boots and a hat, and simply that straightforward means about him. Actual laid again, however an actual good competitor, too, who thinks very well between the traces. He’s a sensible, instinctive participant, however actual laid again; only a actually good dude within the clubhouse and away from baseball.”
It helps to be calm within the form of conditions during which the 28-year-old Texas native has discovered himself through the 2025 season.
Take, for example, Aug. 9, when the Yankees and Astros had been tied, 4-4, within the backside of the eighth inning. With legends from dynasties previous in the home for Outdated-Timers’ Day, the left-handed Grisham entered the batter’s field with the sport on his shoulders.
“We’d like a run right here,” mentioned former Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, who was a visitor on the WFAN radio broadcast.
Ask, and also you shall obtain.
Grisham delivered the go-ahead, eventual-game-winning house run into the second deck in proper area a split-second later. It was the form of second that would get a response out of even the calmest participant, with Grisham letting out a roar towards the house dugout and a toss of his bat.
“It felt good,” Grisham mentioned a number of days later. “It’s been well-documented that we’ve struggled slightly bit over the past month, month and a half, so any time you’ll be able to assist a staff win once you’re going by one thing like that, it feels good.”
That is only one snapshot of the impression Grisham has had on this Yankees staff. With a profession excessive in house runs already set and his reliability as a defender nonetheless holding true, Grisham is exhibiting no indicators of slowing down.
Arriving within the Bronx in a December 2023 commerce with the San Diego Padres that was highlighted by the Yankees’ acquisition of Juan Soto, Grisham joined the staff initially because the fourth possibility within the outfield. Whereas taking part in time can be sporadic in 2024, coaches nonetheless believed in what Grisham might convey to a Yankees staff that might finally win the American League pennant.
“I assumed he was going to have a very massive position final 12 months,” Boone mentioned. “I anticipated him to play much more, however we had been remarkably wholesome. Giancarlo [Stanton] went down in August, missed a month, and that’s actually the one time he acquired some common play, and he performed effectively.”
When given the chance, Grisham produced higher than his statline indicated. Whereas his general batting common was .190 for the season, Grisham posted a .256 common within the month of June with a .590 slugging proportion and 4 house runs in 46 plate appearances. Within the remaining month of the 2024 season, he hit .286 in 14 plate appearances with a pair of homers and a .714 slugging proportion.
However whereas 2024 provided small previews of what was to return for the veteran, openings within the outfield heading into 2025 meant the Yankees had been going to rely way more closely on him. Together with his eyes set firmly on taking part in an excellent greater position on the staff, Grisham knew he must get off to a robust begin this season.
“I knew I’d must play effectively to get an even bigger position, so I had deliberate on doing that — play effectively,” Grisham mentioned with a smile. “It’s good to see the way it’s come to fruition.”
Grisham started the primary month of this season by serving to the Yankees fill in for an injured Stanton as soon as once more, crushing eight house runs by the tip of April whereas hitting over .400 in his first 30 plate appearances. That early energy show additionally supplied motivation for a squad that’s persistently among the many league’s lengthy ball leaders.
“Seeing him come out and hit the eight homers, he was hitting over .400, he was doing his factor, it was fairly cool to see early on as a result of all that does is assist all people else round him,” mentioned Yankees captain Aaron Decide. “It helps me hitting behind him. All proper, effectively he’s getting on base, he’s doing his factor … Now it makes my job slightly simpler. So, once you’ve acquired a man like that who can do issues for you and enhance your staff like that, it’s particular.”
Grisham clubbed 5 extra homers in Could, and he has eclipsed his earlier profession excessive of 17 house runs with 30 dingers as of Sept. 5. However simply hitting these homers isn’t what has made Grisham’s season so particular. It was when he hit them.
Based on Stathead’s Katie Sharp, counting the go-ahead shot in opposition to Houston, 16 of Grisham’s first 21 homers (76%) had both tied the sport or given the Yankees the lead — the best proportion amongst all gamers with 10-plus house runs as of Aug. 9.
His prowess on the plate includes a capability to learn pitches; his 57 walks had been second within the Majors amongst heart fielders and tied for eighth amongst all outfielders. Hitting .247 by Aug. 18, Grisham mentioned one of many largest adjustments this season has been an adjustment in mindset.
“I’ve simply been considering so much higher this season versus years prior to now the place I’d have let totally different little failures all year long form of derail the season and derail my considering,” Grisham mentioned. “I believe I’m simply extra dedicated to my course of this 12 months.”
Together with energy hitting, Grisham has been capable of transfer across the lineup and supply safety to the opposite Yankees hitters, showing as a leadoff hitter at instances but in addition batting .393 in 34 plate appearances from the seven gap, by Aug. 18.
By way of that very same date, Grisham was main all American League heart fielders in on-base proportion by 12 factors at .352, which was additionally adequate for second within the Majors amongst all heart fielders and tenth amongst all outfielders. His .803 on-base plus slugging proportion was third amongst all heart fielders within the Majors.
“I believe he’s been top-of-the-line outfielders within the sport this 12 months, interval,” Boone mentioned. “Excellent heart fielder in the beginning, however then he’s only a actually good at-bat all 12 months. He’s simply been actual constant, even by stretches the place he’d have a downturn or no matter — which is inevitable with hitting. It’s nonetheless a top quality at-bat, controls the strike zone, will get on base, is a tricky at-bat even in opposition to lefties.”
Grisham credit one factor for a way he has been capable of finding success this season: Perseverance.
“I’ve endured lots of unhealthy instances to get to the nice instances,” he mentioned. “I believe that’s a giant a part of this sport that nobody talks about. Not every little thing comes simply to all people, so I’d say with the ability to endure lots of failure, lots of hardship, to get to slightly bit of excellent.”
What Grisham has at all times been recognized for, apart from that chill demeanor and much more so than his clutch bat, is protection. A two-time Gold Glover, Grisham has made invaluable contributions as a middle fielder. He has been a participant teammates know they may lean on and rely upon within the outfield.
“I’ve realized a lot from him as a result of he’s top-of-the-line outfielders that I’ve seen with my very own eyes,” mentioned rookie left fielder Jasson Domínguez. “He’s at all times attempting to assist me within the outfield, with performs, with conditions, with every little thing. He’s one of many guys that helped me probably the most this season.”
In staff sports activities, communication is essential, able to being the distinction between successful and shedding. It’s Grisham’s potential to speak within the outfield and make heads-up performs which have been important.
“I haven’t performed subsequent to a man like that shortly,” Decide mentioned. “It simply looks as if he’s at all times in the fitting spot. They offer us so many scouting reviews on the place guys hit balls you could form of get misplaced on the market slightly bit, however he does job of studying the swings. He can learn what the pitcher’s doing. He has an understanding of how they’re going to assault guys, so he’ll be like ‘Hey, I’m going to maneuver over this fashion,’ or, ‘Transfer over that means.’
“He’s unbelievable, man. The communication we’ve each day is fairly good.”
The Yankees’ supervisor agreed with the reigning AL MVP, pointing to Grisham as a superb communicator and chief within the outfield.
“He’s performed a very good job of simply form of captaining the outfield, the place you need your heart fielder to speak very well,” Boone mentioned. “I believe him and Aaron and Jasson and Cody [Bellinger] have performed a very good job with that this 12 months, simply actually speaking. And that’s one thing that Grish brings to the desk as a Gold Glover. He’s acquired an actual great way about him on the market and an actual calming presence to him, too.”
Whereas what occurs after the ball is put in play is of course necessary, every little thing that goes on earlier than the ball is pitched has been key to Grisham making himself right into a defensive stalwart.
“That’s at all times what I’ve form of prided myself on, is determining find out how to get good reads, get good first steps, be decisive on the place I’m going,” he mentioned. “However that comes with lots of onerous work.”
It solely motivates Grisham additional figuring out that his teammates and coaches really feel they’ll rely upon him.
“It means so much to me,” he mentioned. “That’s one thing you need to be generally known as. You need to be generally known as teammate, a man inside the locker room that different guys can depend on, so it means so much to me, listening to my friends discuss me in that means.”
Having reached new heights as a hitter whereas persevering with to show that he’s among the many league’s finest defenders, Grisham has absorbed lots of classes this season. However general, he has realized that it doesn’t matter what — by the highs and lows — you must maintain pushing and never let your self get derailed. A relaxed demeanor and assured mindset have taken him a great distance to this point, and he hopes to maintain each getting in 2025 and past.
“The extra I go searching, I see the massive leagues is a conflict of attrition in each means,” Grisham mentioned. “In a single season, in a profession; individually, collectively as a staff — it’s nearly conserving going.”
Robert Hudson is a publications assistant with Yankees Journal. This story seems within the September 2025 version. Get extra articles like this delivered to the doorstep by buying a subscription to Yankees Journal at www.yankees.com/publications.
