Logan Gregorio has always been willing to push himself to the next level. This Where Are They Now segment is presented by Grow Sports Psychology.
Since graduating from Waubonsie Valley in 2022, the standout catcher has suited up for three different schools and nine different baseball teams.
A chance to start a pro career close to home
His latest opportunity is less than an hour from his hometown. The Schaumburg Boomers of the Frontier League signed him to his first professional contract.
“They ended up having an injury. And, you know, this summer I was planning on laying low and just focusing on training and getting better, but they ended up needing a catcher and an outfielder. So Jamie, the head coach, called my number and we were able to get something organized where I joined the team, and it’s been cool; those guys there are great,” said Gregorio.
Despite ending up on the injured list himself, it’s been a series of steps to get there.
A standout for the Warriors on the diamond
After helping the Warriors win their first DVC championship in program history as a senior, he began his collegiate journey at Benedictine University…a similar path to his father and older brothers Cole and Luke, who all played Division III baseball at North Central College.
“I just wanted to follow in their footsteps,” said Waubonsie Valley alum Logan Gregorio. “It was always a fun little competition. I wanted to be better than them, but they were also very helpful to me, and without them I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
While he thought he had found his home for the next four years, his play on the diamond at BU allowed him the chance to elevate his game.
“I just want to continue to level myself up every year. And I ended up getting to a point where I figured that I could transfer and move on to the Division I level. That was a dream of mine when I was here,” said Gregorio.
Making the leap from D-III to Division 1
Back-to-back All-American seasons with the Eagles opened the door to an opportunity at Northern Illinois University, a move from Division III to Division I that, he says, required a leap of faith.
“It was very nerve-wracking. There were a lot of decisions I could have made, and I didn’t really want to leave Benedictine. I just wanted to shoot up and move on to the next level, because I love those guys there, and I still have a great relationship with the coaching staff there now and a lot of my former teammates, but I had to pray about it and talk to God a lot about where my journey should go. And I felt like NIU was kind of yelling at me. I had Adam O’Malley, actually, reach out to me, a former coach of Benedictine. He reached out to me about NIU and told me it would be a great fit there. And it was,” said Gregorio.
Transferring to Northern Illinois for his junior season in 2025, Gregorio proved that he belonged in the Division I ranks by recording one of the best campaigns in program history. Starting all 54 games behind the plate, he led the Huskies in batting average (.332), doubles (19), home runs (18), and RBI (69).
“I think if you’re a good hitter, you’ll be able to hit anywhere as long as you keep a good mentality on you and going to Division I. Obviously things were harder; pitches were faster, and breaking balls were breaking more. But for me, if I kept my fundamentals of hitting and my fundamental approach together, everything kind of just went smoothly. My eyes adjusted as I got more live at-bats, and I got adjusted to the speed of the game as things went on,” said Gregorio.
His second-team All-Conference performance led to another opportunity to level up for his senior season.
The SEC comes calling
After connecting with the coaching staff regarding baseball, faith, and family, Gregorio selected SEC powerhouse Auburn University as his next home…fulfilling a longtime aspiration.
“If I were to get an offer from Auburn when I was in high school, I probably would pass out. It was my dream to play Division I. I never thought that I could get all the way up to the SEC level, and just to be able to be a part of that is an extremely, extremely amazing blessing,” said Gregorio.
Logan appeared in 25 games for the Tigers, who emerged as one of the top teams in the country this spring, winning a regional championship in front of their home fans and advancing to the Super Regionals, falling just shy of the 2026 College World Series after being eliminated by Ole Miss.
“Oh, it was awesome. I mean, I had my personal struggles and, you know, I wish I could have contributed to the team a little bit more. But the guys were great, and I’m glad I could rally around them,” said Gregorio.
Despite the stress that came with being a D-1 athlete, Gregorio always tried to keep things in perspective.
“You know, at the end of the day, it’s a game. And if it’s your passion, you will work hard at it. But you don’t have to make it everything. And if you go into the game thinking that, you know, this is all that you got, and it’s life or death, you’re not going to enjoy it. And because you don’t enjoy it, you’re not going to play well,” said Gregorio.
Ready to face his next opportunity
After working to prove he could play alongside the best of the best, Gregorio has prepared himself mentally and physically for the next step in his journey on the diamond, wherever it may be.
“Everybody wants to be a Major League Baseball player, but I want to keep my focus of control centered on me. And I know that a lot of that stuff’s out of my control. So my goal is a simple goal. I just want to be better. Better than the year before. Better than what I was in high school and better than I was yesterday. And wherever that takes me, I’ll let it,” said Gregorio
For Naperville Sports Weekly, I’m Justin Cornwell.