Graham Ashcraft Stats & Scouting Report College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Track Record: After a college career marred by injuries to both of his hips and a modest 2019 pro debut, Ashcraft was a revelation in 2021. He was the minors’ hottest pitcher for much of the first half of the season and had a seven-start, 43-inning stretch when his only run was allowed via catcher’s interference.

Scouting Report: Ashcraft’s dominance and his struggles both stem from his all-power, all-the-time approach. At his best, Ashcraft can dominate a lineup with a 65-grade fastball, an above-average cutter and a plus slider. Everything is hard, but when he’s throwing mid-90s fastballs with plenty of cut, knowing what’s coming may not be enough for a hitter. But when Ashcraft is missing his spots, his simple approach allows hitters to simply look for a pitch to drive. Ashcraft is able to throw to the strike zone and let the movement of his fastball take care of the rest. He’s unlikely to ever be a pitcher with the command to hit his spots, but he can throw strikes. His changeup is more a concept than a pitch right now, and he’ll also flip over an early-count, well below-average curve.

The Future: Ashcraft reached Double-A, but he has plenty of development of his secondaries left if he’s going to be a starter. He’d have a quicker path as a reliever, where he could ride his pure power approach for one-inning stints. The dominance he demonstrates at his best is impressive, but he has to show he can sustain success. He also has to continue to demonstrate durability. It’s been better as a pro, but it was an issue for him during his college career.

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