By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
(September 3, 2023 8:00 AM ET) Just a year out of middle school, Napoleon High School athlete Grant Bradley received a phone call that changed his life.
The University of Michigan baseball team was interested in talking to him about a baseball scholarship.
Bradley was just headed into 10th grade at the time.
But the best thing about the situation was Bradley didn’t let it affect him playing other sports. He is the star quarterback on the football team and a member of the conference-winning basketball squad.
He enjoys competing in three sports for the Pirates.
“I was encouraged not to play football this fall by people I train with,” Bradley said. “But U of M encouraged me to play because they like multi-sport athletes.”
Bradley signed a verbal agreement to play baseball with the Wolverines and is expected to sign sometime this fall.
The Pirates are certainly glad the senior is on the football squad. He set a school record with 352 yards in a whacky 29-28 win over Onsted to start the season. Bradley was also 9-of-10 throwing the football for more than 200 yards against Columbia Central.
Napoleon is 2-0 this season after advancing to the Division 7 state semifinal a year ago and finishing the season at 12-1.
The opening game against Onsted started in Napoleon on a Thursday night with heat index temperatures over 105. Once the game started, Bradley heated up. At halftime storms postponed the game until Friday.
When the power was still out in Napoleon last Friday, the game was moved to Onsted.
“It was weird because your game routine was off,” Bradley said of the switch to Onsted.
The Pirates may have to rely on Bradley’s arm this season after riding a 2,000-yard running back a year ago.
“I am confident in our line … they are young,” Bradley said. “My wide receivers (Holden Van Poppel and Cooper Wyers) is a good thing to have.”
Bradley helped Napoleon win a Cascades Conference title in basketball last winter. He said the success in football just rolled over during the basketball season.
But baseball is the future for Bradley. U of M contacted him following a futures camp in Atlanta just after his freshman season. The Wolverines liked what they saw in the hard-throwing pitcher.
“Michigan was only my second contact … I was astonished,” Bradley said. “I was in downtown Atlanta, and it was crazy loud when they called.
“I had to duck into a quiet space as Michigan told me they liked what they saw.”
Bradley kept in contact with U of M for a few weeks and was offered a verbal commitment about a month later.
“A week or two later I committed … it wasn’t a hard choice,” Bradley said.
Bradley competed with D Las Vegas in travel ball this summer – his second year on the team. All of the players on the Detroit-area team are Division 1 prospects.
He was throwing in the low 90s consistently over the summer with a high of 94 miles per hour on the pitch gun.
The NHS senior has found Plyometric workouts to improve his arm strength and speed.
Bradley said he throws or plays catch on a daily basis and throws bullpen once or twice a week.
“When I was young I wanted to play college football,” Bradley said. “But I saw most of the advantages through baseball.”
Looks like the senior is getting the best of many worlds through sports.
Photos by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.
