Player with bionic hand returns to baseball after losing hand in firework accident

At 18, Jamie Grohsong was living a dream that many young athletes have pursued for years. He was a three-time all-conference shortstop, a Division I college prospect and a player who lived for the game. Then one night on July 4, 2023, everything changed. A firework exploded in his hand. In a matter of seconds, Jamie lost his pitching hand, his season, and what seemed to be his entire future in baseball. The path he had worked on since his childhood disappeared. For a moment, Jamie accepted this reality. Baseball, the sport that shaped his identity, was over.

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive offers straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM bulletin.

AI-POWERED BAT TRACKING COULD GIVE BASEBALL PLAYERS THE ADVANTAGE

Jamie Grohsong throws a baseball using a bionic prosthetic hand after losing his throwing hand in a fireworks accident. His comeback shows how technology can help athletes reclaim what they love. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

When technology reopens a closed door

Two years later, Jamie returned to a baseball field wearing something he never imagined he would use. A bionic prosthesis known as the Ability Hand.

“The fact that I could feel everything and feel in great detail opened my mind to the possibility of how much could actually be done,” he told CyberGuy.

The goal was not to recreate the past. It was about discovering what was still possible.

Engineers who make advanced prosthetic hands saw Jamie’s story and asked him a simple question. What if he doesn’t have to give up the game completely? This question sparked an extraordinary journey involving courage, patience and cutting-edge engineering.

“When creating Ability Hand, we prioritized real-world use,” Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, founder and CEO of PSYONIC, told CyberGuy. “Even though we’ve already put our hand through its fair share of stress tests, baseball is a whole different ball game.”

Baseball is definitely a brutal test for any piece of equipment. The throw requires precise release timing. Hitting requires strength, stability and follow-through. At the beginning, nothing was easy.

Relearn to throw

Throwing a baseball with a bionic hand isn’t about brute force. It’s all about timing and grip. The Ability Hand uses muscle sensors that detect subtle arm movements. When throwing, many muscles are activated at the same time, which can cause the hand to open too early. The first pitches are gone. Some felt good. Others did not.

Instead of forcing the hand to grip harder, the PSYONIC team adjusted the technique. Jamie learned to hold the ball lightly and let his momentum release it naturally. Small changes in grip made a real difference. Slowly, the throws began to land. Then they became reproducible. For Jamie, every free throw rebuilt the confidence he had been lacking for two years.

3D-PRINTED CORNEA RESTORES SIGHT IN A WORLD FIRST

Former Division I baseball prospect Jamie Grohsong returns to the field with a bionic hand, redefining what’s possible after a life-altering injury. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The surprise moment at Oracle Park

Just as Jamie started throwing again, another door opened. He received an invitation to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park. This was the team he grew up watching. The schedule was tight. He had just over a week left to prepare.

The terrain was not perfect. It never mattered. Standing on a Major League Baseball field with a bionic hand, Jamie proved something bigger than accuracy. He showed that the game was still a part of him. He later said that this experience taught him that life does not require perfection to be meaningful.

FULLY IMPLANTABLE BRAIN CHIP AIMS TO RESTORE TRUE SPEECH

Wearing a multi-jointed bionic hand, Jamie Grohsong proves that baseball is still part of his identity two years after a devastating accident. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Can you actually punch with a bionic hand?

Throwing was only part of the challenge. Hitting posed an even bigger question.

“Swinging a bat was a feeling I didn’t think I’d ever feel again,” Jamie said.

Engineers have discovered that bat placement is more important with prosthetics than with natural hands. When the bionic hand serves as the bottom hand on the bat, the impact spreads to all fingers. When placed on it, stress is concentrated on the thumb. Jamie hits left-handed, which places the prosthesis in a safer position. He told CyberGuy: “I can definitely hit with this thing.”

Then came the first twists and turns. The feeling was unfamiliar. The contact was strange. Yet the bat met the ball. One swing turned into another. Soon the balls started flying deep into the field. Then it happened. Jamie sent one over the fence.

A world first

These swings marked what many believe to be the first documented home runs using a multi-jointed bionic hand. For Jamie, it was more than a technical step. It was both an emotional closure and a new beginning. He wasn’t trying to prove that prosthetics made athletes better. It proved that they could help people reconnect with what they love. The bionic hand did not replace his identity. It gave him a new way to express it.

SMART FABRIC MUSCLES COULD CHANGE THE WAY WE MOVE

Jamie Grohsong learns to throw and hit again with a bionic prosthetic, combining determination and cutting-edge engineering. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What this story says about resilience and design

Jamie’s return highlights a larger truth about modern assistive technology. Ideally, the design focuses on real-world use rather than laboratory conditions. Despite this, advanced prosthetics remain expensive and imperfect, and they can break under stress. For this reason, users need time, training and patience to adapt. Yet stories like this show how powerful thoughtful engineering can be when paired with human determination. Ultimately, it’s not about superhero moments but about access, perseverance, and refusing to let one moment define a life.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Do you think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get personalized analysis of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my quiz here: Cyberguy.com.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Kurt’s Key Takeaways

Jamie Grohsong’s return to baseball isn’t about beating the odds. It’s a story of redefining them. Through support, innovation and relentless effort, he found his way back to the field on his own terms. Technology has not given him back his old life. This helped him create a new one that still includes the game he loves.

Has technology ever helped you reconnect with something you thought you had lost? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive offers straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM bulletin.

Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.