Ross Stripling

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #23 prospect in 2016
  Stripling was on the fast track to the big leagues after the Dodgers drafted him in 2012. In his first full season in 2013, he pitched 94 innings in Double-A with a 2.78 ERA, showing polished command and a diverse pitch mix that put him in position to make his major league debut in 2014. Instead, Stripling had Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2015 on a limited workload and held his own, though his stuff hasn't completely returned. Before his operation, he threw 88-94 mph, but his velocity settled mostly toward the lower end of that range in 2015. He does have good sink and run on his fastball with downhill angle. He doesn't have a true out pitch, but his secondary pitches are average across the board. He throws a slider/cutter that he can run away from righties or jam lefties as well as a changeup and curveball. He is a strike-thrower, though his command wasn't as crisp as it was before T.J. A cerebral pitcher, Stripling has a target of hitting about 130 innings in 2016 as he aims to help the Dodgers at the back of the rotation.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #17 prospect in 2015
  Stripling was a fast mover who pitched well at Double-A Chattanooga in 2013, but he missed 2014 after having Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers hope he can return by midseason 2015. When healthy, Stripling filled up the strike zone with a sinking 88-94 mph fastball with good armside run, generating downhill plane and getting a lot of grounders. His stuff grades out around average across the board, with scouts split on whether they prefer his curveball or his short, mid-80s slider. He maintains his arm speed when he throws the changeup, which flashes average but lacks much movement. Stripling's polish had put him on the fast track, but the goal now is just for his stuff to return to where it was before surgery, pitch in 2015, then perhaps emerge as a back-end starter candidate in 2016.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #10 prospect in 2014
  Cardinals righthander Michael Wacha was a first-round pick in 2012, then played a key role for the Cardinals in their 2013 postseason run. Stripling, Wacha's college roommate, went four rounds later and progressed quickly in his first full season. The Dodgers liked Stripling's combination of solid stuff and polish coming out of the draft, both of which were on display in 2013. He throws strikes and delivers his stuff with downhill angle, starting with an 88-94 mph fastball with sink and run that he keeps down in the zone to generate groundballs. His four-pitch mix is steady across the board, with no one standout offering but a host of average pitches. Some scouts think his best secondary pitch is his curveball, while others think it's more of a show pitch and believe his mid-80s slider is more effective with short, quick action. He throws his changeup with good arm speed and it flashes average, though it's a fairly straight pitch and still inconsistent. Stripling doesn't have Wacha's upside, but with his polish and solid arsenal of stuff, he has the talent of a back-of-the-rotation starter. He probably heads to Triple-A to open 2014, but if the Dodgers need a starter in the middle of the year, Stripling likely gets the call.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #10 prospect in 2013
  Stripling didn't take up pitching full-time until his senior year of high school and originally joined Texas A&M as a walk-on. He blossomed in 2011, tying for the NCAA Division I lead with 14 wins, then spurned the Rockies as a ninth-round pick that summer. He threw a no-hitter against San Diego State on the day he was scheduled to graduate last May before signing a month later for $130,000 as a fifth-rounder. In his pro debut, Stripling impressed the Dodgers both with his stuff and his feel for using it. His fastball sat at 92-93 mph with run and sink last summer at Rookie-level Ogden. His velocity picked up from the 88-91 mph he showed in college, and Los Angeles believes there's more in there if can incorporate his lower half better in his delivery. Stripling's best pitch is a 12-to-6 curveball with plus potential, and he also has a fading changeup. He's extremely athletic, has a clean arm action and commands the ball to both sides of the plate. The Dodgers felt fortunate to get Stripling in the fifth round. They see the makings of a No. 3 starter who can climb through the system quickly. He could skip a level and begin his first full pro season in high Class A.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #167 prospect in 2012 draft
  Stripling was mostly a football and basketball player in high school in Texas before breaking his left leg as a senior. Bored during his rehab, he began fooling around on the mound with a cast on his leg, then went 14-0 in his first season as a pitcher, earning an academic scholarship and walking on at Texas A&M. He tied for the NCAA Division I lead with 14 wins and helped the Aggies reach the College World Series in 2011, then returned for his senior season after failing to sign with the Rockies as a ninth-rounder. On the day (May 12) he was scheduled to graduate with a degree in finance, he threw a no-hitter against San Diego State. The scouting report remains the same on Stripling. He's an athletic 6-foot-3, 190-pounder who works at 88-91 mph with his fastball and gets outs with his 12-to-6 curveball. He uses an over-the-top delivery, which he repeats well, and has a decent changeup. He has the stuff and command to make it as a starter, and he's intriguing as a reliever because he hit 94 mph and featured a sharper curve when he came out of the bullpen in past seasons.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pioneer League #15 prospect in 2012
  Stripling threw 126 innings during the spring at Texas A&M, so the Dodgers kept him on strict pitch counts after he signed. That didn't stop him from making his mark on the Pioneer League, as he breezed through opposing lineups in short stints and posted a 1.24 ERA with a 37-6 K-BB ratio. Stripling's stuff played up in two- and three-innings outings, with his fastball working at 92-94 mph (up from 88-91 with the Aggies) and peaking at 96. His 12-to-6 curveball shows flashes of being a plus pitch, and his changeup has a chance to become an average offering. While Stripling could make this list on stuff alone, he also has an advanced feel for pitching and keeps hitters off balance with his pitch selection. He's athletic and repeats his delivery well, allowing him to work all four corners of the strike zone. He could advance quickly through the minors.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Stripling didn't take up pitching full-time until his senior year of high school, and he originally joined Texas A&M as a walk-on. He blossomed in 2011, tying for the NCAA Division I lead with 14 wins, then spurned the Rockies as a ninth-round pick that summer. He went 10-4, 3.08 as a senior, which included a no-hitter against San Diego State on the day he was scheduled to graduate last May. He signed a month later for $130,000 as a fifth-rounder. Scouting Report: In his pro debut, Stripling impressed the Dodgers both with his stuff and his feel for using it. His fastball sat at 92-93 mph with run and sink last summer at Rookie-level Ogden. His velocity picked up from the 88-91 mph he showed in college, and Los Angeles believes there's more in there if can incorporate his lower half better in his delivery. Stripling's best pitch is a 12-to-6 curveball with plus potential, and he also has a fading changeup. The Dodgers see Stripling as a gutsy competitor. He's extremely athletic, has a clean arm action and commands the ball to both sides of the plate. The Future: The Dodgers felt fortunate to get Stripling in the fifth round. They see the makings of a No. 3 starter who can climb through the system quickly. He could skip a level and begin his first full pro season in high Class A.