Michigan A 'No-Brainer' For Bradley

BROOKLYN - It was what every player wants to hear.

“I was in the dugout and Aaron said ‘put this contact in your phone’ and to call after I pitched,” Grant Bradley reflected on a conversation with PBR Michigan Director of Scouting Aaron Wilson at the Future Games. “I was stoked. It came out of nowhere for me.”

After all, the Napoleon High School 2024 was under-the-radar until only recently.

“I had not talked to anyone before the Future Games,” Bradley admitted.

The 6-2 196-pound right-hander made an impression when given the opportunity to perform at the prestigious PBR event in Georgia a little more than a month ago.

“I talked with Michigan first, then Michigan State and Louisville,” Bradley noted.

Admittedly, Bradley was uncertain what to expect at the PBR showcase featuring players from across the country and Canada.

“I didn’t know there would be college coaches there,” Bradley said of the event that had more than 300 coaches in attendance. “I just wanted to pitch the best I could and if something happened, it happened. I wasn’t expecting that.”

Something did happen.

“I called Michigan right after I pitched and they said they liked what they saw,” Bradley related. “After talking to them a couple weeks they decided to give me an offer. I accepted a couple weeks later.”

The hard-throwing right-hander hit 89 on the gun at the Future Games, his best ever.

“They liked the velocity,” Bradley said of Michigan. “The first inning I didn’t do that well but I threw a shutout the second inning. They liked how I battled back. They also liked my curveball and fastball combo.”

Responding to the Michigan offer was an easy decision, according to Bradley.

“Honestly, it was a no-brainer,” he said. “I went to see their facilities before I committed and they were amazing. I knew it was the right choice. It was near home, a 45-minute drive, and it’s one of the best teams in the nation. It was a no-brainer.”

Only recently did the prospect of pitching at the next level became a possibility.

“Two years ago is when I actually began to show my pitching ability,” Bradley noted. “From there I’ve wanted to play college baseball.”

It became realistic in the spring.

“This past high school baseball season was the best I’ve ever pitched,” Bradley said. “I was all-conference and all-district and I’m like … I have a shot. I realized I can go somewhere with this.”

Improvement helped make it happen.

“I worked my butt off,” Bradley pointed out. “My dad was a big help. I have a mound outside and I was constantly working with him and that helped a lot.

“My mechanics have come a long way,” Bradley added. “I used to be a squirly pitcher, not smooth. Now I’m a lot smoother. But I still can get better and throw harder.”

Hitting 89 on the radar not only helped bring college interest, but was also exhilarating for the right-hander.

“I hit 87 at the Southern (Michigan Prospect) Games,” Bradley said of his first PBR event in July which helped bring an offer to participate in the Future Games. “I was hoping to hit 87 at the Future Games, but to hit 89 - especially on the biggest stage - was great. I was surprised I hit 87 kind of consistently.”

Bradley pointed to his older brother, Collin, a pitcher at Grand Valley State, with playing a role in the cause.

“I really look up to him,” Bradley said. “He’s always helped me out, telling me I can play at the next level. Since he could do it, I felt I could do it. That just pushed me.”

A 3.61 student unsure of a college major, Bradley pointed to “all my coaches and Aaron Wilson” as major influences in making a college commitment to the Big 10 power happen.

“This is a dream, something I never expected,” Bradley said. “I was at a loss for words when they offered me. I was blown out of the water.

“A year ago I never thought about schools and or what division I could play in. I knew I could do it, but I wasn’t expecting a big stage like Michigan.”

Still, the high school sophomore is confident with what he can bring to the UM program.

“I’m a good leader on and off the field,” Bradley said. “I’ll bring good vibes to the ballfield or wherever we’re hanging out.”