Growing up in the suburbs of Fort Worth, Texas, a teenage Trent Grisham gravitated toward the world of sports psychology.
The Yankees’ center fielder hasn’t talked about that much throughout his seven seasons in the big leagues – Grisham is not baseball’s chattiest player – but the Richland High School product’s interest piqued around age 17. At the time, videos of motivational speakers and clips focused on mental fortitude became a regular part of his life.
“All the cheesy stuff,” Grisham told the Daily News. “When I was younger, I loved and ate that up.”
Grisham said he’s always felt that talent is “finite.” Don’t get him wrong: having it helps. But he says the true separator between the good and greats is how they think.
“I bought into that as a young player and person,” Grisham said, “and that’s kind of what I’ve gotten back to lately.”
Lately, Grisham has played like one of baseball’s best. It’s no coincidence that he is doing so after reawakening his cerebral side.
After hitting two game-tying, solo homers in the Yankees’ 11-5 win over the Mariners on Monday, the impending free agent is now batting .288 with a 1.036 OPS, 12 dingers, 22 RBI and a 190 wRC+. He’s homering nearly every 12 at-bats, all the while providing Gold Glove-caliber defense.
Initially seen as a throw-in to the Juan Soto trade, Grisham received little fanfare throughout his first season in the Bronx. His reserved personality had something to do with that – he surely didn’t mind the lack of a spotlight – but so did the fact that the Yankees barely used him.
Now Grisham is outperforming Soto, who signed a record-setting deal with the Mets over the winter. He looks like a totally different player than the one who rode the Bombers’ bench in 2024 and hit below The Mendoza Line for the Padres from 2022-2023.
At the very least, Grisham is not thinking like that guy anymore.
“I was thinking like crap for a few years and playing like crap,” he admitted.
Asked exactly what he meant by that, Grisham kept it short in trademark fashion.
“It means thinking poorly,” he replied with a laugh. “Like, ‘Woe is me,’ feeling sorry for yourself, that kind of stuff.”
While Grisham didn’t reveal many specifics, he said that his mindset became a priority again two offseasons ago. He’s since enlisted the help of Chad Bohling, the Yankees’ senior director of organizational performance, and Dr. Bob Rotella, a sports psychologist. Rotella is known for his work with golfers and received a fair share of credit for Rory McIlroy’s recent Masters win.
Grisham’s wife, Megan, is also a mental health therapist, but he tries to avoid taking his work home with him.
With Bohling and Rotella, Grisham’s sessions feature videos, as well as conversations centered on what he’s thinking and what he cares about. Last year, that included chats about his limited playing time, as he only appeared in 76 games despite being a full-time starter in San Diego.
Now Grisham is playing just about every day, and he’s putting up the stats of a star without any of the pizazz. Consistent at-bats are making a difference, but so are healthier thoughts.
“The mental game he’s playing is very strong,” Aaron Boone said.
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Born Trent Clark, Grisham took the last name of his mother, Michelle, in 2017 as a tribute after she raised him.
This season, Grisham has gone by “Trent Tanks,” especially when the 28-year-old goes deep. However, Yankees teammate Marcus Stroman has a different nickname for Grisham.
“The Black Cowboy, we call him,” the injured pitcher said in early April.
That may just be Stroman’s label, as a few other Yankees were unaware. They certainly understood it given Grisham’s wardrobe, though.
“Freakin’ cowboy boots and his starch jeans, that’s always been him,” said Devin Williams, who first played with Grisham in the Brewers’ system. “I haven’t called him that, but he’s definitely a country guy.”
Grisham’s demeanor also plays into the moniker, as Stroman said the mustachioed outfielder is always “calm” and “chill.”
Fans may have gotten that impression from Grisham’s postgame scrums, as they are typically quick, especially when his accomplishments are the subject. And before games, the offseason golfer would rather work on his putting or slump on a couch than get caught up in conversation.
“Trent doesn’t say nothing unless he’s got something important to say,” said Tim Hill, a teammate in San Diego and New York. “But Trent’s good people. He’s an old soul.”
Added Aaron Judge: “He’s a quiet leader. He may not be the guy that’s vocal or doing a lot of certain things, but he speaks up when he needs to. He also leads by example.”
Judge also said that Grisham is an excellent card player – Texas Hold’em is naturally his game of choice – but even that is something the latter won’t dive into.
“I don’t like talking about it, because that’s when the luck dries up,” Grisham said, sharing a philosophy that seemingly applies to his on-field exploits.
While several Yankees mentioned Grisham’s muted nature, he pushed back against his soft-spoken rep. But he also couldn’t provide a better description.
“Self-evaluation is very hard,” Grisham noted with a smile.
Boone pegged Grisham as “mild-mannered and low-key.” But the Eagles-supporting manager – who gets lots of “fodder” from the Cowboys logo on Grisham’s glove – also finds the veteran to be a good source of humor and conversation.
“I really enjoy him,” Boone said. “He’s been one of my favorites.”
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When challenging plays make their way to Grisham in center, Boone will tell Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus, “Don’t panic.”
Boone is always kidding when he says this, as Grisham never panics.
“[He’s] one of the slowest heartbeat guys I’ve ever been around, in a great way,” Boone said.
Easier plays spark a louder comment from the skipper.
“Every time a flyball goes out to center field, and he’s just kind of cruising to it, camping under it,” Boone said, “I scream out as it’s coming down, ‘BOR-ING!’”
It’s an apt summary of Grisham’s game.
While he will occasionally play with some panache – he recently flipped his bat to himself on a game-tying, pinch-hit homer against the Padres – Grisham agrees that he’s far from flashy.
Trent Grisham’s bat flip last night was one of the best you’ll see all season.pic.twitter.com/i9ED3BB0mR
— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) May 8, 2025
He’s not sure how he got to be that way, as he said his younger brother, Tate, is “the exact opposite,” a lover of attention who “beats to his own drum.” Grisham has also played with some colorful characters over the years – including Soto, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jazz Chisholm Jr. – but their style hasn’t rubbed off on him, and he’s always flown under the radar.
“I get the sense that he just doesn’t really care,” Williams said. “He’s here to play baseball, and he’s happy with that.”
Funny enough, Grisham said that he’s “always loved” watching “old school” Yankees teammate DJ LeMahieu, whose knack for saying so little is well-documented. Grisham didn’t know LeMahieu well before becoming coworkers, but he admired his all-business approach from afar.
“I guess we’re both kind of laid back a little bit. I respect Grish a lot,” said LeMahieu, whose Yankee Stadium locker is right next to his similarly silent teammate’s.
LeMahieu added that last season “wasn’t the easiest” for Grisham, and Boone said that he did the two-time Gold Glover a “disservice” by not playing him more.
However, Grisham didn’t talk to Boone about wanting more playing time this season, and he didn’t make a fuss over his infrequent opportunities last year.
“That could rub somebody the wrong way,” Judge said. “But we never saw it as teammates. He never treated us any different. He never acted different here in the clubhouse or on the field. When he got his name called, he was out there ready to go. And when he didn’t, he was right there on the bench, all nine innings, ready to go.”
This year, Grisham has heard his name called constantly.
While the Yankees’ cluttered outfield has led to more off days than a typical starter might receive, his bat has made him a regular presence. That hasn’t been the case for Grisham in recent years, but the club believes his production is sustainable.
So does he, so long as he continues to think in a positive manner. Grisham said doing so is “a constant battle,” but he feels more prepared for that fight than he has in years past.
“You’re gonna have a bad thought,” Grisham said. “You’re a human being. When you have bad thoughts, it’s not about the first thought. It’s about the second thought: What am I doing to respond to that?”
