Ryley Gilliam Stats & Scouting Report

IP	92
ERA	5.967
WHIP	1.5
BB/9	4.5
SO/9	12.033

Full name Ryley Carswell Gilliam
Born 08/11/1996 in Marietta, GA
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Clemson
Drafted in the 5th round (140th overall) by the New York Mets in 2018 (signed for $550,000).

View Draft Report

Gilliam had a breakout sophomore season for Clemson in 2017, seizing the closer's role early in the year and then going on to pitch for both USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team and in the Cape Cod League during the summer. Gilliam has been even better in 2018, finishing the regular season with a stingy 0.79 ERA, 11 saves and 50 strikeouts to 19 walks in 34.1 innings. Despite his smallish, 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame, Gilliam generates mid-90s velocity thanks to his lightning-quick arm speed. He works comfortably at 91-94 mph and can reach back for 95-96 when needed out of his upper three-quarters slot. A hard, high-spin power curveball is Gilliam's out-pitch of choice--a plus, upper-70s hammer that Gilliam can spot on the corners or bury below the zone. With his electric fastball-curveball combo and a strong track record of closing games in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Gilliam could make a quick ascension through pro ball as a high-floor power reliever.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

TRACK RECORD: Gilliam led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 11 saves as Clemson's closer in 2018. He has remained a reliever since the Mets drafted him in the fifth round after that year and appeared in 29 games in 2019, including 10 for Triple-A Syracuse. Gilliam has struck out 14 batters per nine innings as a pro but has walked 5 per nine and allowed opponents to hit .250, resulting in a 1.50 WHIP.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gilliam's pitch attributes jump off the page. His performance in pro ball has not. Gilliam sits in the mid 90s with his plus, high-spin fastball. He loves to bury his plus, high-spin curveball for swings and misses. He runs into trouble because his command is poor. He wastes too many pitches and doesn't locate his curve in the zone enough, meaning that experienced hitters just eliminate spin and focus on his fastball. He has worked to develop a mid-80s slider to give him an east-west weapon he can throw for strikes.

THE FUTURE: Gilliam's short stature and twitchy, tightly wound actions consign him to the bullpen. His upside remains high because of the caliber of his fastball and curveball, but he needs to locate both in the zone more often to make progress.
TRACK RECORD: The Mets were attracted to Gilliam in the fifth round of the 2018 draft because of his electric arm speed and high-spin breaking ball. He served as a closer at Clemson and continued in a bullpen role in pro ball, beginning his first full season at high Class A St. Lucie and reaching Triple-A Syracuse in June. His season concluded with seven appearances in the Arizona Fall League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gilliam is a 5-foot-10 reliever with a chance for two plus pitches. His 93-96 mph fastball has good riding life up in the zone and gets on hitters quick because of how well he hides the ball in his delivery. His top-to-bottom curveball has 78-80 mph velocity and dramatic late break and spin. If Gilliam learns to command the pitch for called strikes he can be a high-leverage reliever.

THE FUTURE: Gilliam has advanced weaponry but a stuff-over-feel pitching profile. By finishing 2019 in the AFL, he has a chance to earn a major league look in 2020.
Track Record: Gilliam ascended to the role of closer as a Clemson junior in 2018 and led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 11 saves. The previous summer he pitched for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, totaling nine strikeouts in 8.1 innings while not allowing an earned run. He struck out 16.1 per nine innings over 17 appearances in his pro debut at short-season Brooklyn.

Scouting Report: Gilliam combines big stuff with a smaller, 5-foot-10 stature. His 12-to-6 curveball with tight rotation was one of the best breaking pitches in the 2018 draft. He commands his 78-82 mph curve for called strikes and as a chase pitch. Gilliam sits in the mid-90s and bumps 97 mph with a high spin rate that generates swings and misses up in the zone. He throws from a high arm slot and tends to work north and south. The biggest thing holding Gilliam back is control. He issued 13 walks in 17 pro innings after walking 5.2 per nine innings at Clemson.

The Future: With two plus swing-and-miss pitches, Gilliam has a chance to advance rapidly in pro ball as a power reliever, especially if he can find a way to work ahead of batters more frequently.

Draft Prospects

Gilliam had a breakout sophomore season for Clemson in 2017, seizing the closer's role early in the year and then going on to pitch for both USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team and in the Cape Cod League during the summer. Gilliam has been even better in 2018, finishing the regular season with a stingy 0.79 ERA, 11 saves and 50 strikeouts to 19 walks in 34.1 innings. Despite his smallish, 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame, Gilliam generates mid-90s velocity thanks to his lightning-quick arm speed. He works comfortably at 91-94 mph and can reach back for 95-96 when needed out of his upper three-quarters slot. A hard, high-spin power curveball is Gilliam's out-pitch of choice--a plus, upper-70s hammer that Gilliam can spot on the corners or bury below the zone. With his electric fastball-curveball combo and a strong track record of closing games in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Gilliam could make a quick ascension through pro ball as a high-floor power reliever.
Gilliam's battery mate Tyler Stephenson grabbed much of the buzz this spring as the catcher shot up draft boards, but Gilliam drew some attention of his own. He has good arm strength and throws his fastball 88-94 mph with good spin on the pitch. He gets some bite on his breaking ball and has the makings of a viable changeup. But Gilliam's professional potential is limited because he is listed at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds and throws with a lot of effort to create his above-average velocity. That combination makes it likely that ends up as a reliever in the professional ranks. Gilliam is committed to Clemson.

Best Tools List

Rated Best Curveball in the New York Mets in 2019

Scouting Reports

TRACK RECORD: Gilliam led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 11 saves as Clemson's closer in 2018. He has remained a reliever since the Mets drafted him in the fifth round after that year and appeared in 29 games in 2019, including 10 for Triple-A Syracuse. Gilliam has struck out 14 batters per nine innings as a pro but has walked 5 per nine and allowed opponents to hit .250, resulting in a 1.50 WHIP.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gilliam's pitch attributes jump off the page. His performance in pro ball has not. Gilliam sits in the mid 90s with his plus, high-spin fastball. He loves to bury his plus, high-spin curveball for swings and misses. He runs into trouble because his command is poor. He wastes too many pitches and doesn't locate his curve in the zone enough, meaning that experienced hitters just eliminate spin and focus on his fastball. He has worked to develop a mid-80s slider to give him an east-west weapon he can throw for strikes.

THE FUTURE: Gilliam's short stature and twitchy, tightly wound actions consign him to the bullpen. His upside remains high because of the caliber of his fastball and curveball, but he needs to locate both in the zone more often to make progress.
TRACK RECORD: Gilliam led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 11 saves as Clemson's closer in 2018. He has remained a reliever since the Mets drafted him in the fifth round after that year and appeared in 29 games in 2019, including 10 for Triple-A Syracuse. Gilliam has struck out 14 batters per nine innings as a pro but has walked 5 per nine and allowed opponents to hit .250, resulting in a 1.50 WHIP.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gilliam's pitch attributes jump off the page. His performance in pro ball has not. Gilliam sits in the mid 90s with his plus, high-spin fastball. He loves to bury his plus, high-spin curveball for swings and misses. He runs into trouble because his command is poor. He wastes too many pitches and doesn't locate his curve in the zone enough, meaning that experienced hitters just eliminate spin and focus on his fastball. He has worked to develop a mid-80s slider to give him an east-west weapon he can throw for strikes.

THE FUTURE: Gilliam's short stature and twitchy, tightly wound actions consign him to the bullpen. His upside remains high because of the caliber of his fastball and curveball, but he needs to locate both in the zone more often to make progress.
TRACK RECORD: Gilliam led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 11 saves as Clemson's closer in 2018. He has remained a reliever since the Mets drafted him in the fifth round after that year and appeared in 29 games in 2019, including 10 for Triple-A Syracuse. Gilliam has struck out 14 batters per nine innings as a pro but has walked 5 per nine and allowed opponents to hit .250, resulting in a 1.50 WHIP.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gilliam's pitch attributes jump off the page. His performance in pro ball has not. Gilliam sits in the mid 90s with his plus, high-spin fastball. He loves to bury his plus, high-spin curveball for swings and misses. He runs into trouble because his command is poor. He wastes too many pitches and doesn't locate his curve in the zone enough, meaning that experienced hitters just eliminate spin and focus on his fastball. He has worked to develop a mid-80s slider to give him an east-west weapon he can throw for strikes.

THE FUTURE: Gilliam's short stature and twitchy, tightly wound actions consign him to the bullpen. His upside remains high because of the caliber of his fastball and curveball, but he needs to locate both in the zone more often to make progress.
TRACK RECORD: The Mets were attracted to Gilliam in the fifth round of the 2018 draft because of his electric arm speed and high-spin breaking ball. He served as a closer at Clemson and continued in a bullpen role in pro ball, beginning his first full season at high Class A St. Lucie and reaching Triple-A Syracuse in June. His season concluded with seven appearances in the Arizona Fall League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gilliam is a 5-foot-10 reliever with a chance for two plus pitches. His 93-96 mph fastball has good riding life up in the zone and gets on hitters quick because of how well he hides the ball in his delivery. His top-to-bottom curveball has 78-80 mph velocity and dramatic late break and spin. If Gilliam learns to command the pitch for called strikes he can be a high-leverage reliever.

THE FUTURE: Gilliam has advanced weaponry but a stuff-over-feel pitching profile. By finishing 2019 in the AFL, he has a chance to earn a major league look in 2020.
TRACK RECORD: The Mets were attracted to Gilliam in the fifth round of the 2018 draft because of his electric arm speed and high-spin breaking ball. He served as a closer at Clemson and continued in a bullpen role in pro ball, beginning his first full season at high Class A St. Lucie and reaching Triple-A Syracuse in June. His season concluded with seven appearances in the Arizona Fall League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gilliam is a 5-foot-10 reliever with a chance for two plus pitches. His 93-96 mph fastball has good riding life up in the zone and gets on hitters quick because of how well he hides the ball in his delivery. His top-to-bottom curveball has 78-80 mph velocity and dramatic late break and spin. If Gilliam learns to command the pitch for called strikes he can be a high-leverage reliever.

THE FUTURE: Gilliam has advanced weaponry but a stuff-over-feel pitching profile. By finishing 2019 in the AFL, he has a chance to earn a major league look in 2020.