IP 373
ERA 4.802
WHIP 1.619
BB/9 6.708
SO/9 6.539
  • Full name Jonathan Colt Griffin
  • Born 09/29/1982 in Longview, TX
  • Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Marshall
  • Drafted in the 1st round (9th overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2001 (signed for $2,400,000).
    View Draft Report
    Unknown before this season, Griffin became the most talked-about high school prospect in the country. Coming into this spring, he was mainly a first baseman/outfielder. He committed to Louisiana Tech and wasn't considered a huge catch, though one recruiter says he saw Griffin hit a homer 500 feet. Given a chance to pitch in Marshall's rotation, he had an audience of scouts for his second start--though they were there to see his opponent, Natchitoches (La.) High righthander Calvin Carpenter. Griffin, who threw 91 mph in sporadic outings in 2000, won them over immediately, throwing 98 mph as he unveiled a new high three-quarters arm angle. He became the first high school pitcher clocked at 100 mph, and there are reports that he reached 101. At this point, he's all fastball and body (6-foot-4, 220 pounds). His second pitch is a hard slider that's inconsistent. He'll need to develop better command and an offspeed pitch, and a two-seamer would give hitters something else to think about. No one can remember seeing a high school arm like Griffin's, which is why he won't last past the first 10 picks.

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