CJ Griggs is coming off an impressive sophomore season for Hofstra University, in which he posted a statistical leap across the board, improving in runs, hits, home runs, and RBIs. It was an impressive feat when considering he came back from a broken ankle, an injury that occurred as a freshman. He was sliding into second base in a game against Elon University when he broke his ankle.

The return to playing was grueling for Griggs early on, especially mentally, as he was on crutches and in a boot, unable to do the things he enjoyed doing. “It was such a mental battle, you are waking up, and you can’t go do what you love,” Griggs said. “Can’t lift or hit, you can’t go play summer ball, it was brutal at first, and then you fall in love with the process of getting better each day.”

When he returned to the field, overcoming the fear of sliding was something Griggs had to hurdle early in the season. In a game against Mississippi State University, he successfully completed a slide, and he said he was able to take a sigh of relief. He was then able to put the injury behind him and play baseball without any reservations.

Griggs has seen tremendous growth in his time at Hofstra, which is exactly what he envisioned when he committed two years ago. He wanted the opportunity to learn from individuals who have played in the major leagues. Head coach Frank Catalanotto played 14 seasons in the MLB.

As a freshman, he was trying to find his way in the new environment, noting how timid he felt. “I was like a scared little puppy, I was in a shell getting my feet wet,” Griggs said. “I didn’t really know what I was capable of.”

That changed for Griggs this past season. He remembers his mentality shift early in the season, when he became confident in his skills and knew he would come back strong from the injury. “I knew what I was always capable of, and it was just a mindset shift,” Griggs said. “Opening weekend, I got the first two home runs of my career, and I was like, ‘I can do this against anybody.’”

While Griggs’ individual season was strong, it was an up-and-down season for Hofstra as a team. The Pride finished the season with a 22-29 record, but ultimately lost to Campbell University and then Northeastern University as they neared the Coastal Athletic Association championship.

They started the season losing their first seven games, and then hovered around .500 for the rest of the year.

Hofstra’s inconsistent season has shown Griggs and the team how they can be better next season. The biggest things are coming out with the right energy on a game-by-game basis and not being fazed by adversity.

Griggs plays an important role for Hofstra, as he is not only relied upon as a hitter, but also as the catcher. A catcher plays many different roles within a game, as they are the ones to receive pitches, call the game, and control the tempo.

Griggs has to be the vocal and emotional leader for Hofstra. He knows the importance of keeping a level head as his teammates will feed off his energy, so he makes it a point to always uplift everyone. “When you’re catching, you have such a big responsibility,” Griggs said. “Your heart rate and your mind need to be cooler than everybody else’s. You need to just slow the game down for everyone, that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned.”

Griggs has gotten a lot of training over the years to improve at the position, both physically and mentally. 

From a physical standpoint, his work with Velo University coaches has given him the requisite strength to throw the ball with force, as he saw a jump from 68 to 86  mph over a few years. 

Mentally, for Griggs, it’s been about learning the nuances of catching, dealing with different types of pitches, and overall scouting opponents.

Now for Griggs, it’s about continuing to put in the work as he enters his junior year and is draft-eligible next year. He feels like after the experiences he has been through, especially with the surgery, he can accomplish anything. “I’m capable of anything that I set my mind to,” Griggs said.

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