Grayson Greiner primed and ready for regional

What a difference a year makes.

Last season, a knee injury that led to surgery kept Grayson Greiner from playing in the NCAA regional or Super Regional before he was able to return for the College World Series. He was forced to decline the opportunity to play for Team USA last summer to take more time to heal properly.

The sophomore catcher is healthy and ready to go as the Gamecocks (39-18) begin play Friday night against Saint Louis (41-19) in their regional opener at Carolina Stadium. And he has played well enough to again earn a roster spot on Team USA.

To say he’s more prepared for the experience than a year ago would be an understatement. He has gone from a skinny kid hitting .222 and banged up from the grind of his first full college season to the confident player that made second-team All-SEC by hitting .291 with 10 doubles, four homers and 35 RBIs. Although he hasn’t reached his power numbers of last season — when he had 13 doubles and six homers — his slugging percentage and on-base percentage are up.

But he’s most proud of striking out just 25 times this season after striking out 48 a year ago. Last season, he often got himself out by swinging at pitches in counts that were favorable to pitchers. He’s more comfortable hitting with two strikes this season.

“It helps the team much more with me getting on base. You can’t do much in this game unless you get on base,” Greiner said. “My strikeouts are way down, which I’m much happier with, and my strikeout-to-walk ratio, which is something we preach about big-time around here, is much more favorable.”

The offensive improvement is significant because Greiner’s defense already was solid. Even at 6-foot-5, 220-pounds, his skill behind the plate was evident. His throwing arm has gunned down enough opposing base-stealers to keep teams honest. Although he had to overcome a slight hitch in his motion throwing back to the pitcher last season, that’s nowhere to be seen this season.

“I’ve said all along that I think Grayson is the best defensive catcher in the country,” USC coach Chad Holbrook said. “I haven’t seen them all, so I’m biased, but I haven’t seen anyone with his ability behind the plate. I think it’s unmatched.”

The USC pitchers agree. Senior left-hander Nolan Belcher loves Greiner’s big frame as a target.

“He blocks everything,” Belcher said. “He controls the running game. Honestly, when I’m out there, I don’t think too much about runners because if you stay quick to the plate, more than likely he’s going to make a good throw and have a chance to throw the runner out.”

That’s what Greiner likes to hear. During an era in which taller catchers are becoming a little more commonplace — major leaguers Joe Mauer and Matt Wieters are 6-5 — he realizes he must be strong defensively if he hopes to keep wearing the gear at the professional level.

“I’ve attacked it with the mindset that I’m going to do it until someone tells me that I’ve got to move positions or until someone tells me that I can’t play baseball any more. I feel like I do it well enough to continue to do it,” Greiner said. “They’re moving toward more athletic guys with strong arms who can manage the game back there. I consider myself a smart player, and I love catching because you’re in on every play.”

Smart is one way to describe Greiner on and off the field. He entered USC with 27 college credits after graduating from Blythewood High, a figure that has helped him pile up a total of 93 hours with a GPA of just under 3.6 in two years on campus as he works toward a major in accounting. He hopes to be close to graduating by the time he finishes his junior season and awaits the MLB draft.

“Baseball is not going to be here forever. It can be taken away like that,” he said. “The last day I put on a jersey, hopefully, I’ll have a degree in my hand and be ready to continue my life.”

The son of a former USC basketball player and grandson of a former USC football player, Greiner was born to be a Gamecock. He loves that his family and friends across the Columbia area get the opportunity to see him play on a frequent basis.

His play has opened eyes across the country, and it will receive even greater exposure this summer. The nation’s top college players will travel to Japan in early July and are scheduled to play Cuba in mid-July in various cites in the United States. His coach called him worthy of the honor.

“He’s a great kid. He’s got a great baseball demeanor,” Holbrook said. “I would think he will do very, very well this summer, and that will set him up, because of him playing on the USA team, to be a very high draft pick next June.”

Opposing coaches in this regional are well aware of his skills, too.

“He’s very consistent. He blocks the ball well and throws the ball well,” Clemson coach Jack Leggett said. “Offensively, he’s got some power so you’ve got that factor in the back of your mind that he can hit one out at any moment. He’s become a real good player for them and seems to be a mainstay behind the plate. I have a lot of respect for how he plays.”

Greiner knows that a unique opportunity awaits him this summer.

“It’s a pretty unifying feeling to put the American flag on my sleeve and represent our country to the best of my ability,” he said.

But first he has a regional to play, something that escaped him last season. Belcher, Friday’s starting pitcher, is glad to have his battery mate back there.

“He came in last year as a freshman and was really advanced,” Belcher said. “We knew right when he stepped on campus that he was going to be special.”

This story was originally published May 30, 2013 at 8:37 PM.