Grant County senior right-handed pitcher Braiden Beach admits hes superstitious before taking the mound in a game.And yet it may be difficult to discover another high school baseball pregame routine like what the 6-foot-5 star c ompletes before the first windup.I listen to Beethoven before I pitch, Beach said last week before practice. Its calming. Its relaxing and I close my eyes and visualize me pitching.Beach, 18, started listening to Beethoven on Spotify during summer of 2025 and sees no reason to change at this moment.I think it relaxes me and gets me in the zone obviously, said Beach, who is committed to Gulf Coast State College (Panama City, Fla.).Its different. Ive never heard anyone else do it. I see myself pitching and relaxing. When you visualize things, you visualize success," Beach said.That vision has led to success. Beach excels for the Braves.WATCH: Grant County senior Braiden Beach pitches for a special purpose Grant County senior Braiden Beach pitches for a special purposeHe surpassed 200 career strikeouts during a game against visiting Great Crossing April 24. Grant County coach Rocky Tucker isnt aware of another Grant County pitcher with as many career strikeouts.He is dominant, Tucker said. Hes focused. He listens. He takes direction. We make a call he hits his spots. Ever since Ive been the head coach here, hes pitched in every one of my district games. Couldnt ask for a better dawg thats what we call him.Beach is also known as a loving son who has a significant work ethic. Hes an inspiration to those around him whether on the diamond or at home.When he takes the field, you can tell hes out there for a purpose, Tucker said. Hes been like that since hes been a kid.Beach first picked up a baseball some 14 or 15 years ago. The game has a different meaning these days. Its helped him persevere in life.Stacey Harris, who is Beach's mother, was diagnosed in February with metastatic melanoma in the lining of her abdomen.(If) she didnt see me playing baseball I dont know where she would be at, Beach said. She says that gives her a purpose to get up and get moving out of the house, even on the days that she might not really feel like it.Besides baseball, Beach helps his mom with household chores and keeping her spirits up during difficult days. They have daily conversations about life, too.Im so proud of how hard he works, Harris said. Hes such a loving person. I draw strength from him every day because of who he is. Family is always on Braidens mind before he takes the mound. His pitching has been clocked at 90-plus miles per hour. His future will be at a junior college with the hope of an NCAA Division I program in the future.I always had the goal and the dream of being a big-time baseball player and having an impact on a lot of people, Beach said. My dad pushed me at a young age. One thing that has truly helped me is my dad.Stacy Beach, Braidens father, is proud of his son as a baseball player but most importantly as a person. Stacy just wants Braiden to be happy in life.He wants to be in the MLB, Stacy said. I want him to reach his dreams. Braiden is well on his way to writing another chapter in his baseball journey while making family and those closest to him proud. He also thinks about his 4-year-old self just starting in the game he loves.Looking back, Am I the baseball player that I would look up to nowadays?' And thats a big inspiration for me, Braiden said. And also just succeeding and making my mom, my dad and all my family happy.SIGN UP: Subscribe to our high school sports newsletter ...read more read less