Braydon Gray burst onto the scene as one of many high pitchers within the Merrimack Valley a season in the past, and is rapidly turning into one of many extra high-profile arms within the area.
Chelmsford’s Gray is 6-foot-2 and 185 kilos. The poised junior has a four-pitch combine highlighted by a fastball that creeps into the excessive 80s. Through three begins this yr, Gray is 2-0 with a 0.737 ERA together with 13 consecutive scoreless innings to start out the season.
“Braydon has always had that strong sense of confidence in himself,” Chelmsford coach Lou Distasi mentioned. “He is able to present himself in a non-cocky sense while also possessing his command that he knows he has something in him to be the best player on the field.”
Gray’s preliminary baseball reminiscences are waking his grandparents whereas pitching within the yard. As highschool approached, Gray was largely an afterthought on summer time baseball groups however decided to enhance. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled his freshman baseball season, Gray spent 4 months in the course of the pandemic understanding, gaining 45 kilos and 12 mph. He went from throwing 72 to the mid-80s.
And he turned a pupil of baseball, taking copious notes and watching the man high arms from the Merrimack Valley go onto to play on the subsequent stage, together with North Andover’s Matthew Sapienza (Georgetown) and Chelmsford’s Griffin Green (Virginia Tech).
“Things really took off for me after that work I put in during COVID,” Gray mentioned. “That’s when I realized I could play in college.”
Gray returned for his sophomore and first season and rapidly developed into the Lions’ ace, throwing full video games in opposition to Lowell and North Andover, showing within the state event in opposition to St. John’s Prep, and incomes MVC all-conference with a 1.48 ERA and simply two walks over 33 innings.
Gray was a two-sport athlete engaged on the bump within the spring whereas an all-state swimmer within the winter. Gray discovered himself shedding weight and consequently velocity within the winter, inflicting him to desert the pool this previous yr to give attention to refining his growth on the mound.
“I’ve seen enormous strides from being able just to have an actual offseason of training,” Gray mentioned. “I used to lose 10 pounds and struggle to put it back on for the baseball season.”
In the lead as much as this spring Gray labored on refining his mechanics, developed just a little extra velocity to generate swing and miss from his fastball, and elevated the sharpness of his slider. He flashes a fastball that persistently hits 86-88 mph however will get as much as 89 to go along with a slider, changeup, and curveball. He can throw all of them persistently for strikes whereas exuding confidence that in the future he can play on the highest stage.
“The ultimate goal is to be drafted one day,” Gray mentioned. “It’s been the goal since day 1 and I believe I still have that in me. I think I see more in my future ability than others do. I want to be able to play at the highest level and dominate.”
Quick hits
Medfield and Hopkinton is at all times a sport that each Tri-Valley League foes circle on the calendar, however this season the sport will carry a bit of additional weight.
When the 2 sides meet on Friday, April 29, the sport will happen at Fenway Park. The sport is free admission for all spectators with donations accepted for the Boston Red Sox Jimmy Fund Foundation.
Hopkinton coach Steve Simoes mentioned the Hillers are merely lucky to be Medfield’s opponent at “America’s Most Beloved” ballpark.
“We’re certainly looking forward to this opportunity,” Simoes mentioned. “Even though it’s a league game and it’s certainly a meaningful one at that, I will not bypass on the chance to make sure everyone gets a chance to experience and step on that field.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com