Thatcher Hurd Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Thatcher Hurd
Born 12/09/2002 in Berkeley, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School UCLA
Drafted in the 3rd round (89th overall) by the New York Yankees in 2024 (signed for $836,400).

View Draft Report

School: LSU
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.6
BA Grade: 50/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 60. Curveball: 55. Control: 45.

Hurd was a high-profile pitching prospect out of high school, but made it to campus at UCLA where he had a standout 2022 freshman season with a 1.06 ERA over 34 innings with 48 strikeouts. Hurd then entered the transfer portal and moved to LSU, where he showed flashes of brilliance, but also struggled with consistency, command and ultimately lost his 2024 starter job and was moved to the bullpen. In 2024 Hurd posted a 6.55 ERA over 44 innings, including nine starts and nine relief appearances, with a 16.2% strikeout rate and 11.2% walk rate. Hurd looks the part with a great pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and a relatively clean and easy delivery. He averages 94-95 mph with his fastball and has pushed the pitch up to 97-98 and has a pair of high-spin breaking balls. The slider is his best offering, a mid-80s sweeping breaking ball that features impressive movement and power and has real plus potential. The curveball is about five mph slower at around 80 and features tons of depth and 12-to-6 shape and could give him a second above-average breaking ball with spin rates that push 3,000 rpm. Because of his pure stuff and athleticism many scouts think Hurd will be a better pro pitcher than college pitcher, but he’ll need to refine his command and figure out how to avoid the pileup innings that plagued him in Baton Rouge.

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Draft Prospects

School: LSU Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.6
BA Grade: 50/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 60. Curveball: 55. Control: 45.

Hurd was a high-profile pitching prospect out of high school, but made it to campus at UCLA where he had a standout 2022 freshman season with a 1.06 ERA over 34 innings with 48 strikeouts. Hurd then entered the transfer portal and moved to LSU, where he showed flashes of brilliance, but also struggled with consistency, command and ultimately lost his 2024 starter job and was moved to the bullpen. In 2024 Hurd posted a 6.55 ERA over 44 innings, including nine starts and nine relief appearances, with a 16.2% strikeout rate and 11.2% walk rate. Hurd looks the part with a great pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and a relatively clean and easy delivery. He averages 94-95 mph with his fastball and has pushed the pitch up to 97-98 and has a pair of high-spin breaking balls. The slider is his best offering, a mid-80s sweeping breaking ball that features impressive movement and power and has real plus potential. The curveball is about five mph slower at around 80 and features tons of depth and 12-to-6 shape and could give him a second above-average breaking ball with spin rates that push 3,000 rpm. Because of his pure stuff and athleticism many scouts think Hurd will be a better pro pitcher than college pitcher, but he’ll need to refine his command and figure out how to avoid the pileup innings that plagued him in Baton Rouge.