Nigel Belgrave Stats & Scouting Report

IP	13.1
ERA	6.75
WHIP	1.43
BB/9	6.08
SO/9	12.15

Full name Nigel William Belgrave
Born 05/12/2002 in Worcester, MA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Maryland
Drafted in the 15th round (443rd overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2023 (signed for $150,000).

View Draft Report

School: Maryland Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
Belgrave redshirted in 2021 with Maryland, then appeared in 16 games in 2022 out of the bullpen, where he struggled mightily with control, with a 23.4% walk rate. He took a big step forward in that department over the summer in the Cape Cod League in 2022, and that also carried over to the 2023 season, though Belgrave remains a below-average strike-thrower overall. He posted a 6.42 ERA over 33.2 innings out of the bullpen for Maryland in 2023, with a 24.9% strikeout rate and a 16.8% walk rate. A 6-foot-4, 195-pound righthander, Belgrave has a fast arm and simple delivery. He pitches in the 93-95 mph range with his fastball and has touched 97, and also throws a low-80s sweeping slider that flashes above-average and generated a 54% miss rate this spring. Belgrave’s slider has solid late turn and depth, with spin rates in the 2,600 rpm range, and at the 2023 MLB Draft Combine he also mixed in a 91-92 mph cutter. Belgrave has a great pitcher’s frame and plenty of arm talent, but his control needs to improve significantly to make the most of it in a professional bullpen.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 45/Extreme

Track Record: While no back of the baseball card stats jump out when looking at Belgrave, he was a decent reliever during his time at Maryland and struck out nearly 12 hitters per nine innings pitched. He went on to be selected in the 15th round of the 2023 draft and enjoyed a strong start to his professional career. While he threw just 8.1 innings, Belgrave at Low-A Jupiter posted a 2.16 ERA with 14 strikeouts.

Scouting Report: Belgrave has a lean build at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds and features an effective fastball-slider combination. He has a short arm stroke and attacks from a low three-quarters slot. Belgrave’s fastball sits in the 94-97 range and features some running and sinking life at times, although it has a bit of a dead zone profile. Improving the shape of the pitch will be a key going forward. Belgrave’s mid-80s slider is a legit sweeper and is by far his best pitch. He has above-average feel for the pitch and during the 2023 college season, it generated an impressive miss rate of 54%. Belgrave has below-average command, but it plays in his favor at times given his effectively wild track record.

The Future: Belgrave is a reliever through and through, but he profiles as a quality one who could potentially ascend quickly through the system. Adding more life to his fastball and improving his strike- throwing ability would go a long way for Belgrave. He figures to begin 2024 at Low-A Jupiter, but has a chance to pitch his way to Double-A Pensacola by season’s end.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 40 | Slider: 60 | Control: 45

Draft Prospects

School: Maryland Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
Belgrave redshirted in 2021 with Maryland, then appeared in 16 games in 2022 out of the bullpen, where he struggled mightily with control, with a 23.4% walk rate. He took a big step forward in that department over the summer in the Cape Cod League in 2022, and that also carried over to the 2023 season, though Belgrave remains a below-average strike-thrower overall. He posted a 6.42 ERA over 33.2 innings out of the bullpen for Maryland in 2023, with a 24.9% strikeout rate and a 16.8% walk rate. A 6-foot-4, 195-pound righthander, Belgrave has a fast arm and simple delivery. He pitches in the 93-95 mph range with his fastball and has touched 97, and also throws a low-80s sweeping slider that flashes above-average and generated a 54% miss rate this spring. Belgrave’s slider has solid late turn and depth, with spin rates in the 2,600 rpm range, and at the 2023 MLB Draft Combine he also mixed in a 91-92 mph cutter. Belgrave has a great pitcher’s frame and plenty of arm talent, but his control needs to improve significantly to make the most of it in a professional bullpen.