Northwood League’s best hitter is on temporary contract with the Border Cats

THUNDER BAY – Grant McKown made a strong impression in his very first Thunder Bay Border Cats at-bat.

The 20-year-old, who arrived in Thunder Bay on a temporary contract, hit a towering grand slam over the left field porch at Tbaytel Park in his debut plate appearance on May 26.

Since then the Lakeland, Fla. native has been on a tear, leading the Northwoods League with a .452 batting average heading into the Border Cats Tuesday night contest with the Willmar Stingers and carrying a circuit-best 14-game hitting streak while sitting in second with 18 runs batted in.

“It got my confidence up to get off to a good start. I was feeling good after that first at-bat and I’ve been keeping it going the rest of the time I’ve been here,” he said after his team’s 10-9 loss to the Stingers on Monday night.

The hot start gave Border Cats manager Danny Benedetti with no choice but to keep him, as McKown has been given a full-time roster spot.

While the permanence of a guaranteed spot provides some relief, he knows it can’t change how he approaches each game and each at-bat like it could be his last.

“Now that I’m on a full contract I have to keep that same mentality. It’s a long season so one good 20 games won’t win you a championship,” he said.

“It’s a great feeling knowing I’m staying the rest of the summer.”

McKown completed his sophomore season at Florida Tech, a NCAA Division II school.

While he said he doesn’t carry a chip on his shoulder, he still knew he needed to prove he has just as much talent as players from higher profile schools.

“There was no doubt in my mind I can compete with these guys. I’m out here, I’m hitting very well right now and my confidence is up. My mind is in a good spot.”

His manager said McKown has shown he belongs.

“He’s a phenomenal player. You can see it with the bat already and playing a little bit of first base and the outfield,” Benedetti said.

“Just because you’re at a Division II or Division III school it doesn’t mean you’re not just as good as some of the guys in this league because they’re Division I.”

McKown isn’t the only player to turn an audition into a full-time gig.

Pitcher Yuji Suzuki, who began the season on a temporary deal for the second straight campaign, will be retained for the summer after going 1-1 in four games with three starts and sporting a respectable 2.57 earned run average.

Even during the last collegiate season at Concordia University, Suzuki made it a personal goal to come back to the Border Cats.

“At the end of last season I knew I wanted to come back,” he said.

“I’ve been working really hard in the offseason, lifting really hard, working on mechanics with my coaches at school and I wanted to come back and show everybody I can compete in this league.”

The Toronto native has definitely done that.

“He came in here last year and did well and this year he’s come in and been phenomenal for us in his last two starts,” Benedetti said.
Thunder Bay takes on Willmar again on Tuesday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.