Talking Bats with Trent Grisham

See what Padres Center Fielder Trent Grisham has to say about his custom Louisville Slugger bats.

San Diego Padres center fielder Trent Grisham knows what it takes to set the table atop a Major League Baseball lineup. In 2020, Grisham hit first for the Padres in 29 of the team’s 60 regular season games, setting up his teammates to drive in runs and grab early leads. The outfielder, a first round draft pick in 2015, posted an .808 OPS in 2020, and he is looking to take his game to the next level. 

Excluding his first professional season, Grisham has swung the same bat model for his entire career. 

“My first year in pro ball, I experimented and kind of messed around,” Grisham said. “I just got bats sent to me and used whatever felt right.”

After that first professional season, Grisham built a custom bat with a T141 barrel, a C271 handle and a customized knob modeled off what Phillies slugger Ryan Howard used in his career. Grisham said he prefers condensed, heavier bats because they feel harder when he makes contact on a pitch.

“Even when we were in the minor leagues, you kind of want to get the best wood you can, so you order those really heavy, dense bats,” Grisham said. “I just started doing that, and then, when I got to the Big Leagues, it just kind of stayed the same. I did the same thing for six straight years and got to the Big Leagues with it, so I definitely didn’t want to change anything up.”

Grisham swings both Ash and Birch Louisville Slugger bats. Early in his career, he preferred Birch bats for their durability. Now, when he wants a lighter feel without changing his Louisville Slugger bat specs, Grisham swings Ash baseball bats. 

Keep up with Grisham by following him on Instagram and Twitter @trentgrisham.