Johnny Ray

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #349 prospect in 2021 draft
  In 2021, Ray found out that velocity isn’t everything. There are few pitchers in the 2021 draft class who can throw harder. Ray sat 94 mph and touched 96-98 for Texas Christian. But as fast as his fastballs came in, they left just as quickly. He generated only 38 swings and misses on his fastball while giving up 11 home runs on his heater. Ray’s curveball has tight 1-to-7 break at its best and flashes above-average potential, but he has a tendency to rush his delivery and loses feel for locating it. Ray failed to retire a batter in his final two outings of the season and finished with a 6.50 ERA. Ray once looked like a potential early Day Two pick, but his inconsistency means he’ll now be on the fringe of Day Three.
• Ranked #220 prospect in 2020 draft
  The 2020 season was supposed to be Ray’s chance to finally show what he could do after two injury-plagued seasons in college ball. Ray did not pitch as a freshman at Illinois State because of Tommy John surgery. He transferred to juco power John A. Logan (Ill.) JC in 2019, but an oblique injury meant he threw only eight innings all season. As a redshirt sophomore, Ray impressed in the fall with TCU and earned the Horned Frogs’ Friday starter role. Ray impressed in his Opening Day start against Kentucky and was even better in a highly-scouted matchup against Max Meyer and Minnesota (9 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 SO), but he wasn’t as effective and his stuff wasn’t as impressive in his final two starts before the season was shut down. Ray has toned down what used to be a violent delivery, but he still throws into a stiff front side. He can touch 96-97 mph with his fastball, but generally sits 91-93. None of his four pitches are plus offerings, but his above-average fastball, above-average slider and average changeup pair well together. He shows the potential to have average control. In a normal season, Ray would have had a chance to pitch himself into third-round consideration, but with only 29.1 innings over three seasons of work, his lack of track record may work against him in a five-round draft.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  In 2021, Ray found out that velocity isn’t everything. There are few pitchers in the 2021 draft class who can throw harder. Ray sat 94 mph and touched 96-98 for Texas Christian. But as fast as his fastballs came in, they left just as quickly. He generated only 38 swings and misses on his fastball while giving up 11 home runs on his heater. Ray’s curveball has tight 1-to-7 break at its best and flashes above-average potential, but he has a tendency to rush his delivery and loses feel for locating it. Ray failed to retire a batter in his final two outings of the season and finished with a 6.50 ERA. Ray once looked like a potential early Day Two pick, but his inconsistency means he’ll now be on the fringe of Day Three.