Grae Kessinger, a 26-year-old infielder for the Houston Astros, is carrying on a family legacy in baseball. His grandfather, Don Kessinger, was a shortstop for the Chicago Cubs for 11 seasons before becoming the baseball coach at Ole Miss.
Don Kessinger is Grae’s biggest fan and mentor. He watches all of Grae’s games and talks to him regularly. Don is proud of Grae’s accomplishments, but he is also realistic about the challenges that Grae faces as a bench player on a struggling team.
“He’s an elite defender, but he’s not getting a lot of at-bats right now,” Don said. “I understand that totally. The Astros kind of remind me of — we had a pretty good infield — and they don’t like days off. They like to play.”
Despite the challenges, Grae remains focused on improving his defense and learning from his grandfather.
“He’s always just a phone call away,” Grae said. “I love him a lot.”
The Kessinger family is a close-knit family that is proud of Grae’s accomplishments. They are all rooting for him to succeed in his baseball career.
“We all went,” Don said about the time Grae played in the Under Armour All-America game at Wrigley Field. “It was really strange for me sitting in the stands — good seats, though — and it was exciting and great for us. I felt like, ‘If he’s going to play in my dirt, I’m going to be there.’ ”
Don and Carolyn are planning to catch Grae in Houston during the Astros’ homestand that follows this series. After all, Minute Maid Park, not Wrigley, is Grae’s home turf. It’s his career, not his Pop’s. But the old Cub is watching, and is he ever tickled and proud.
