Nathan Brown also plays travel baseball on the Michigan Bulls and was starting quarterback for the Red Devils’ football team.
BY SAMANTHA ELLIOTT
Ever since he was young, Nathan Brown knew he wanted to play baseball at the collegiate level. When he made the Grosse Ile varsity baseball team as a freshman, he knew he was one step closer to achieving his dream. Now Brown, a 2021 Grosse Ile graduate, has signed to continue his playing career at Lawrence Technological University.
“I have always wanted to play college baseball since I’ve been little and to make that a reality is a dream come true,” Brown said after his signing.
His playing days date back 15 years when he started the sport when he was just 3-years old. Outside of Grosse Ile, Brown plays for J.C. Sanchez and Frank Gallagher on the Michigan Bulls and is also the quarterback on the Grosse Ile football team. But baseball is his future.
“I’ve always loved the competitiveness of baseball,” he said. “I like the lessons it can teach you about failure and how to overcome.”
As his senior year in Grosse Ile wraps up, Brown has plenty of memories to look back on. Favorites include all his school talent shows and on the sports side of things, winning a District Championship against Summit Academy and making varsity as a freshman. When he plays, Brown’s only superstition is wearing white tape on his left wrist during games.
With high school winter sports having restarted following the length pause imposed by the pandemic, Brown and his teammates are hopeful they will get a senior year after their junior season was cancelled. As a senior leader, Brown knows how meaningful this season will be for himself and his teammates.
“My favorite part about high school baseball is making friends that will last a lifetime,” he said. “As a leader, I just try and imagine that I’ve been there before. I try and keep my cool (and) just know that I’ve put in the hours of training to succeed in the position I’m in.”
Chasing your goals is the best advice he has for younger players.
“Nobody can stop you from achieving your goals except you,” he said. “I think all players should all know that anything is possible if you put effort into it.”
Brown, who plans to study business and eventually law, knows that LTU is the right spot for him.
“I chose LTU because it’s going to be able to develop me both academically and athletically,” he said. “I’m really excited to start working with the coaches.”
While he is looking forward to the future, Brown also waits for updates on his final high school season while reflecting on his time as a Red Devil.
“During this weird time, I’m just trying to go over all the memories I’ve made and just try to make the most out of the situation,” he said. “I’m lucky enough to have played nine football games when we weren’t even supposed to play one.”