Grant Berkovitz, Sheboygan A's

Berkovitz Elected to A’s Hall of Fame

Posted: March 6, 2023

Years ago, when he was a young boy, he played baseball on the very first Sheboygan Diamonds team. It was step one in a journey that would take him to the Sheboygan A’s Hall of Fame. There would be noteworthy stops at North High School, the Sheboygan American Legion, and UW-Milwaukee – all helping build a resume that would land him recognition as one of the top shortstops ever to play for the Sheboygan A’s.

Grant Berkovitz will be inducted into the Sheboygan A’s Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 15th between games of the A’s/Lombard Orioles Wisconsin State League doubleheader.

“This is a huge honor. When I received the call I was very happy, I wasn’t too sure I was going to be considered. It is an awesome feeling to get inducted into your hometown’s Hall of Fame. I’m happy and grateful. It sure brings back a lot of memories,” Berkovitz said.

While he was at North High school the Raiders won 74% of the games he played in, two conference championships, three regional championships, three sectional finals, and made one state tournament appearance. He was a 2-year captain, a two-time all-Fox Valley Association player of the year, and was rated #5 pro prospect of the year in the State of Wisconsin by Baseball America in the spring of 2004.

“He hit in the two hole as a freshman and never left the top of the lineup,” his high school coach Chris Wright said. “Following his high school years, he came to North and helped younger players, most notably Colon Willis, who would go on to sign a pro contract. He dedicated himself to the game.”

In two summers of Legion ball, he hit .512 and .511 and was first-team all-league both years.

Then it was on to College: UW-Milwaukee – the state’s only Division I program.

He made 32 starts and got in 37 games as a freshman, hitting .285. As a sophomore, he .hit 298 in 43 games, and in his junior season, he hit .337 in 44 games. There were many memorable moments in those three years. Among them:

  • 2005: Made 32 starts as a freshman earning All-Horizon League second-team honors; hit .395 in the league; went 3-for-4 in his first collegiate start; had two hits and stole two bases in a 2-1 win over Butler.
  • 2006: Started the season red-hot, hitting safely in 14 of the team’s first 15 games including a 12-game hitting streak; went 3-for-5 with one run scored and two runs batted in an upset of #20 Missouri; collected four hits and four runs and two RBI in a win over Akron; enjoyed a 9-game hitting streak late in the season.
  • 2007: Hit a career-high .335 in 52 starts and led the team with 39 runs scored and with 37 runs batted in; earned second-team all-conference honors; was named Player of the Week after going 14-for-29 in seven games, scoring 12 runs and knocking in nine; went 21-for-44 in a 10-game hitting streak; had 28 multi-hit games.

After three years at UWM the dream beckoned again and Berkovitz left college baseball to take a shot with the independent Reno Silver Sox. He went to spring training with them but didn’t stick.

Berkovitz joined the A’s following his senior Legion season in 2004 and played six seasons. While they were only six seasons, they were among the most impactful six seasons ever recorded by an A’s player. In those six seasons, he accomplished the following:

  • Most Valuable Player: 2006, 2007
  • Most Valuable Defensive Player: 2006, 2007, 2011
  • Manager’s Award: 2008
  • Sine Qua Non Award: 2008
  • All-Wisconsin State League second-team shortstop, 2005, 2006

Berkovitz lead the team in:

  • Plate Appearances: 226 (2005)
  • Runs Scored: 39 (2005); 46 (2007)
  • Hits: 65 (2005), 65 (2006), 70 (2007)
  • Runs Batted In: 25 (2006), 52 (2007), 54 (2008)
  • Stolen Bases: 13 (2005), 15 (2007), 23 (2008)
  • Doubles: 13 (2006), 16 (2007)
  • Triples: 5 (2006)
  • Total Bases: 90 (2005), 78 (2006), 100 (2007)
  • Assists: 172 (2005), 163 2006)
  • Total Chances: 241 (2007)
  • Double Plays: 21 (2007)

He also holds the single-season club record for assists with 172 in 2005.

His best years with the A’s were 2005, 2006, and 2007 when he hit .365, .347, and .355.

“He was one of the better ones we ever had,” former A’s General Manager Denny Moyer said. “I can still see him fielding that little chopper in front of second base on the dead run and firing a strike to first. He made that play as good as anyone in baseball.”

The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on FacebookTwitterInstagram and YouTube.