Elijah Grant’s baseball career is back on track at GTCC, leading to record-setting season and Division I scholarship

“We gave everything we had every game. We came together as a team and pushed one another every day,” Grant said.

Elijah Grant came to Guilford Technical Community College last fall hoping to revive his baseball career. In the end, he helped revive the program, too.

The 5-foot-6 outfielder from Clinton, South Carolina, set two team records and nearly broke two more while earning National Junior College Athletic Association Region X honors in two categories.

“I have a high motor. I’m like a spark plug. I felt too fast when I got here. I had to get acclimated and learn to be a leader the right way,” Grant said. “At first, I stuck out like a sore thumb. I wasn’t used to the pace ... my teammates were calm and relaxed.”

The business major’s stellar season caught the attention of several major four-year colleges. He recently chose to continue his baseball and academic career at Presbyterian College, one of several NCAA Division I schools that recruited him.

Grant’s 15 home runs and 65 runs scored this spring are both school records. His 50 RBIs and 22 stolen bases were both close to record marks.

Grant downplays those numbers. He hit .361, third best on the team, but notes he did not lead the Titans in batting average.

Grant also earned National Junior College Athletic Association Region X honors as an outfielder and was named to the Region X all-defensive team.

The season marked a sharp turnaround for Grant, who struggled in his first year at Gaston Community College, where he had 44 at-bats and hit .159.

“I didn’t have the season I wanted at Gaston,” Grant said.

Grant was ranked among the nation’s top 500 players as a high school senior and committed to the University of South Carolina. However, a coaching change there ended that opportunity.

“After the year I had at Gaston, I let everyone know I was moving on,” Grant said.

Grant discovered GTCC and baseball coach T.J. Wharton through his brother, a college baseball coach, and said the move changed both his career and his life.

“T.J. and I had many talks this season. He took me under his wing. He changed my life. He helped me learn to let things play out,” said Grant.

“GTCC was a complete turnaround for me. The way T.J. is, life is always bigger than the game, and you have to keep the faith and move on. He wanted to teach us how to be good humans, how to do everything the right way. Learning that changed my mindset completely,” said Grant.

The Titans finished 23-25, two games under .500. It was by far the program’s best record over the past three years. Grant expects the team to keep building.

“We gave everything we had every game. We came together as a team and pushed one another every day,” Grant said. “T.J. is an amazing coach. Big things are ahead for GTCC baseball, and this season was just a stepping stone.”

In his second full season leading GTCC baseball, Wharton said he was honored to have Grant as a team leader.

“It’s not very often for a recruit of Elijah’s caliber to be humble enough to join a rebuilding program,” said Wharton. “To have the ability to come into our program and grind through difficult times speaks to Elijah’s character. To sit back and watch him play this season was a true pleasure. At all levels, he is one of my favorite baseball players to watch play the game.”