Scott Griggs Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Scott B. Griggs
Born 05/13/1991 in La Jolla, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School UCLA
Drafted in the 8th round (266th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 (signed for $135,100).

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Griggs ranked as the No. 135 prospect in the BA Top 200 coming out of high school in 2009, based on his raw arm strength and upside. He struggled with his mechanics and control in his first two seasons at UCLA and pitched sparingly, issuing 29 walks in 26 innings. He made progress repeating his delivery and this year emerged as the Bruins' closer, going 1-1, 2.08 with a school-record 13 saves. His 52 strikeouts in 30 innings are an indication of his electric stuff is, but his 29 walks are illustrative of control that scouts still grade as well below-average. Griggs sits in the 91-93 mph range and tops out at 94-95, but an inconsistent delivery can make it difficult for him to command his fastball. He actually commands his curveball better, and it is a true power pitch in the 79-82 range with depth and bite. He dabbles with a changeup but rarely uses it in games. Griggs has made major strides with the mental side of the game as well, though he still needs to convince scouts he has the toughness to throw strikes consistently in big spots. Griggs comes with risk, and many scouts are convinced he'll never have enough command to be a big league closer, but his stuff will likely get him drafted in the top three to five rounds.

Top Rankings

Griggs long has frustrated scouts with electric stuff but poor command. He turned down the Mariners as a 34th-round pick in 2009 to go to UCLA, where he saw little action his first two years but broke through in 2012, taking over as the Bruins' closer and setting a school record with 15 saves to go with a 2.65 ERA. The Dodgers took him in the eighth round and signed him for a $135,100 bonus. Scouts who saw Griggs on the right night last spring envisioned a surefire future big leaguer. He has the power arm to ramp his fastball up to 98 mph and sit at 94-95. He backs it up with a hard, late-breaking curveball. He also has a changeup that he toys with but doesn't use much in games. He has a good frame and a clean delivery when everything's in sync, driving his fastball down through the zone with good downhill plane. Los Angeles doesn't believe Griggs' control problems come from mechanical flaws, but rather when he tries to do too much and overthrows. They aren't new, as he walked 60 in 63 college innings prior to issuing 21 free passes in 23 pro frames. He has the raw ability to move through the system quickly and be a major league closer, but he must throw strikes to reach that ceiling. He'll begin his first full pro season with one of the Dodgers' Class A affiliates.

Griggs ranked as the No. 135 prospect in the BA Top 200 coming out of high school in 2009, based on his raw arm strength and upside. He struggled with his mechanics and control in his first two seasons at UCLA and pitched sparingly, issuing 29 walks in 26 innings. He made progress repeating his delivery and this year emerged as the Bruins' closer, going 1-1, 2.08 with a school-record 13 saves. His 52 strikeouts in 30 innings are an indication of his electric stuff is, but his 29 walks are illustrative of control that scouts still grade as well below-average. Griggs sits in the 91-93 mph range and tops out at 94-95, but an inconsistent delivery can make it difficult for him to command his fastball. He actually commands his curveball better, and it is a true power pitch in the 79-82 range with depth and bite. He dabbles with a changeup but rarely uses it in games. Griggs has made major strides with the mental side of the game as well, though he still needs to convince scouts he has the toughness to throw strikes consistently in big spots. Griggs comes with risk, and many scouts are convinced he'll never have enough command to be a big league closer, but his stuff will likely get him drafted in the top three to five rounds.