How Yankees' Trent Grisham slugged his way into starting role

From defensive option to starting lineup

Grisham found his way to the Bronx in December 2023 as part of the blockbuster trade that landed Juan Soto and sent Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Drew Thorpe and catcher Kyle Higashioka to the San Diego Padres.

Outshined by the star-studded outfield of Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo, Grisham, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, was seen mainly as a late-game defensive option off the bench in 2024.

However, after Soto signed a historic 15-year, $765 million contract with the cross-town rival Mets in the offseason, Grisham has received more playing time in 2025 and has made the most of it. 

"The Big Sleep" breaks out

Earning the nickname "The Big Sleep" based on his laidback personality and play style, Grisham mashed his way into the Bombers' starting gig earlier this season by launching 13 home runs and boasting an .879 OPS between March and May. Grisham is a career .219 hitter, and his previous career-high in home runs was 17 during the 2022 campaign. He's now at 30 dingers this season, along with a new career-best 64 RBI.

Grisham's offensive breakout hasn't been a matter of luck by any means, as he has been more disciplined than ever at the plate, bringing his strikeout percentage to a career low of 22% and his walk percentage to a career high of 13.7%.

His plate discipline isn't the only thing that has improved, as his contact skills have spiked, posting a career-high average exit velocity of 91 miles per hour. 

Elite company

Arguably, one of Grisham's most significant improvements this season is his ability to crush the fastball, which has helped land him in some elite company.

Grisham has been mediocre against fastballs during his seven-year career, having a .220 and .239 batting average against them in 2023 and 2024, respectively. This season, Grisham isn't letting any fastballs slip by him, as he has a .295 batting average against them. 

Along with the high average, "The Big Sleep" has blasted 20 of his 30 long balls on the year off of fastballs. This has helped him etch his name next to Yankees all-time greats such as Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle as one of only seven Yankee center fielders to hit 30 or more homers in a single season. 

Grisham also joins Aaron Judge and Juan Soto as the only outfielders this season with 30 big flies and a wRC+ of over 130, establishing him as a premier offensive outfielder. 

What's next for Grish?

Grisham couldn't have picked a better time to have a career season, as he is due to become a free agent following the season. Whether or not the Yankees plan to re-sign him, he has given the Bombers more than they bargained for. 

As for Grisham's next chapter, he may return to the Bronx or head to a new team, but one thing is for sure: he's definitely added a few more dollars to his pocket.