Drew Gray Stats & Scouting Report

IP	80
ERA	4.39
WHIP	1.58
BB/9	8.21
SO/9	10.91

Full name Andrew Gray
Born 05/09/2003 in Richmond Heights, MO
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
Drafted in the 3rd round (93rd overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2021 (signed for $900,000).

View Draft Report

Gray would have ranked as the top prep prospect in Illinois this spring if he hadn’t transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he was able to play better competition and be scouted much more heavily with one of the more talented prep teams in the country. Gray is committed to Arkansas—where his brother Evan currently plays—as a two-way player, but his pro upside is greater on the mound. His stuff made a jump last summer and he now throws a fastball in the 90-94 mph range with big spin rates (2600-2700 rpm) that allows the pitch to generate plenty of whiffs up in the zone. The pitch looks like a potential plus offering when Gray spots it up in the zone, but he will occasionally get out of sync with his lower and upper half, and he also is more erratic in his command at the higher range of his velocity. Gray throws two breaking balls, including a mid-70s downer curve with top-to-bottom shape that looks like a potential chase pitch. His other breaking ball is a slider in the low 80s with more sweeping action. Gray will need to refine his control a bit more to make the most of his stuff, but with a still projectable, 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame he has room for more in the tank in the future.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 50/Extreme

Track Record: Gray starred at Belleville East (Swansea, Ill.) High before transferring to IMG Academy, where his teammates included fellow Cubs pitching prospect Jackson Ferris. Gray excelled as both a hitter and pitcher at the premier program and was drafted by the Cubs in the third round as a pitcher, and signed for an over-slot bonus of $900,000. Gray’s first full season was delayed when he had Tommy John surgery during 2022 spring training, but he returned midway through the 2023 season and showed loud stuff in short bursts at Low-A Myrtle Beach.

Scouting Report: Gray is a lean, athletic lefthander who oozes potential. His high-spin fastball sits 91-93 mph with late carry at the top of the strike zone and plays up with the angle he generates from his low, three-quarters arm slot. He has a natural feel to spin a 77-79 mph, downer curveball and a sweeping, low-80s slider that both flash above-average. He also has a below-average, 85-88 mph changeup he rarely throws. Gray has plenty of room to add weight and strength to his frame and should add velocity as he fills out. He repeats his delivery well but occasionally falls out of sync and loses his release point, leading to fringy control. He has yet to throw more than three innings in a start and must improve his durability.

The Future: Gray requires lots of projection, but he has a chance to be a mid-rotation starter if he makes the necessary strength gains. He’s a breakout candidate in 2024.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45
Track Record: Gray grew up in Illinois and became the state’s top player in his class before he transferred to IMG Academy in Florida. The move paid off when the Cubs drafted him in the third round, No. 93 overall, and signed him for an above-slot $900,000 to forgo an Arkansas commitment. Gray made his pro debut in the Arizona Complex League and struck out nine of the 16 batters he faced before continuing to impress in instructional league.

Scouting Report: Gray is an excellent athlete who starred as both an outfielder and pitcher in high school and was set to play both ways in college. His high-spin fastball ranges from 90-94 mph and gets swings and misses at the top of the zone when he locates it. He complements his heater with a high-spin, downer curveball in the mid 70s he buries for chase swings and a sweeping, low-80s slider that has a chance to be average. His below-average changeup is a fourth pitch he rarely uses. Gray struggles to keep his delivery in sync and repeat his release point at times, leading to bouts of below-average control. His body control and velocity should both improve as he fills out his projectable 6-foot-3 frame.

The Future: Gray requires projection but has promising ingredients. The Cubs view him as a potential breakout prospect in 2022.

Draft Prospects

Gray would have ranked as the top prep prospect in Illinois this spring if he hadn’t transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he was able to play better competition and be scouted much more heavily with one of the more talented prep teams in the country. Gray is committed to Arkansas—where his brother Evan currently plays—as a two-way player, but his pro upside is greater on the mound. His stuff made a jump last summer and he now throws a fastball in the 90-94 mph range with big spin rates (2600-2700 rpm) that allows the pitch to generate plenty of whiffs up in the zone. The pitch looks like a potential plus offering when Gray spots it up in the zone, but he will occasionally get out of sync with his lower and upper half, and he also is more erratic in his command at the higher range of his velocity. Gray throws two breaking balls, including a mid-70s downer curve with top-to-bottom shape that looks like a potential chase pitch. His other breaking ball is a slider in the low 80s with more sweeping action. Gray will need to refine his control a bit more to make the most of his stuff, but with a still projectable, 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame he has room for more in the tank in the future.

Scouting Reports

Track Record: Gray grew up in Illinois and became the state’s top player in his class before he transferred to IMG Academy in Florida. The move paid off when the Cubs drafted him in the third round, No. 93 overall, and signed him for an above-slot $900,000 to forgo an Arkansas commitment. Gray made his pro debut in the Arizona Complex League and struck out nine of the 16 batters he faced before continuing to impress in instructional league.

Scouting Report: Gray is an excellent athlete who starred as both an outfielder and pitcher in high school and was set to play both ways in college. His high-spin fastball ranges from 90-94 mph and gets swings and misses at the top of the zone when he locates it. He complements his heater with a high-spin, downer curveball in the mid 70s he buries for chase swings and a sweeping, low-80s slider that has a chance to be average. His below-average changeup is a fourth pitch he rarely uses. Gray struggles to keep his delivery in sync and repeat his release point at times, leading to bouts of below-average control. His body control and velocity should both improve as he fills out his projectable 6-foot-3 frame.

The Future: Gray requires projection but has promising ingredients. The Cubs view him as a potential breakout prospect in 2022.