Grace Christian’s Keith Eidson commits to play baseball at Milligan University
Published 3:37 pm Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Keith and his family posing for photos at his signing day.
Keith signing his letter of intent to play baseball at Milligan University next year, with his parents by his side.
Keith with his Cougar buddy.
Keith with coach Ryan RIles last year. Riles coached Eidson from seventh grade up until his junior year of high school.
Keith with his Milligan baseball jersey during his official visit.
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Wednesday, February 5th at 1:30 PM, Grace Christian Academy, celebrated senior baseball player Keith Eidson as he signed his letter of intent to play at the collegiate level at NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Milligan University. This event marks a significant milestone in Eidson’s athletic career. It’s a culmination of the work he has dedicated his life to when he started playing baseball at the age of five.
“Keith is a great fit for our institution, most notable because of his personality, and character,” Skyler Barnett, head coach for the Milligan University Buffaloes baseball team. “That’s first and foremost the number one thing we looked at in the recruiting process with Keith and also the chance to meet his family, all those things play an important role in him entering our program. What we see with Keith on the athletic side is the potential for an immediate impact on the mound,” Barnett said. “And that’s not something we can say all the time for incoming freshmen.”
His time with the Alabama Baseball Club during the Fall League has played a significant role in his velocity increase from the mound and his ability to be recruited. Eidson finished with a 1.40 earned-run-average, and 40 strikeouts in 15 innings during the A.B.C. Fall League.
“I knew if I get out there and throw to a batter and not just a net I’d see a jump in my velocity,” Eidson said. “I was able to get good video from that league to share with coaches and ultimately helped my recruiting process. It’s always good to see some good stats after I put in the hard work in the offseason, but my mindset is how can I improve myself by keeping my walk rate down.”
The offseason is a pivotal phase for any pitcher. Recovering, rebuilding, and refocusing are part of the to-do list. Focusing on mechanical issues and gradually increasing throwing volume for the season plays a factor. The offseason is the time when pitchers can make the largest improvements in their game.
“I’m focused on getting in the gym and lifting heavy weights, moving weight fast, and being athletic,” Eidson said. “Using the cages and throwing into the net, working on certain throws with my weighted ball to fix my mechanics and strengthen my arm.”
Eidson’s passion for baseball was evident by how young he started playing the game. He’s a four-year letter winner and played a major role as a freshman at Grace Christian Academy. He praised coach Ryan Riles as a tremendous assistance for him, Riles coached Eidson from seventh grade up until his junior year of high school. He graciously praised GCA’s small school environment for the opportunity to hit the ground running at the varsity level and develop thick skin pitching on the mound.
“Those early years as a freshman, facing challenges from upperclassmen, shaped me into who I am today,” he said. “Experiencing defeats early in my journey taught me valuable lessons on how to handle them later in life.”
His biggest milestone that hasn’t been achieved yet is to hit 90 miles per hour on the mound this season. Eidson has thrown 88 miles an hour but the 90’s club is a premier section of elite accolades.
“I’m hoping I can use all the work I put in the offseason in front of real batters,” he said. “In some high internal environments, see that number ninety pop-up on the radar gun.”
