Chris Stratton

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #22 prospect in 2017
  Blackburn has been on the cusp of a big league callup for two years, but that opportunity seems to be receding. He pitched well at Triple-A Sacramento in 2015 by avoiding the heart of the plate while dotting the corners with below-average stuff. Blackburn knows how to sink, run and cut his fastball, but as an 89-92 mph righthander, he's doing so with a below-average fastball. His slider is an average pitch, and he mixes in a fringe-average changeup. Blackburn succeeds with above-average command and by staying one pitch ahead of the hitter, but he has a very small margin for error. If he falls behind in the count, he has nothing to scare the hitter, and Pacific Coast League batters teed off in those situations in 2016 (.972 OPS). Blackburn will return to Triple-A in 2017, but now he has plenty of company in the rotation.
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #26 prospect in 2016
  After running up a 5.25 ERA in his first two years in the Mississippi State rotation, Stratton had a dominant 2012, going 11-2, 2.38 in a year capped off by a dominant 17-strikeout outing against Louisiana State which propelled him into the first round. Unfortunately for the Giants, his 2012 season now seems like the outlier. Stratton was sidelined with a concussion after being hit by a line drive in batting practice during his pro debut in 2012. It took him a long time to bounce back, but he has developed into a potential No. 5 starter as he has grown more comfortable with his delivery. Stratton sits in the low 90s with an average fastball that will bump 94 mph sporadically. His slider, once thought to be a potentially plus pitch, has proven to be more of an average offering that just doesn't have the power or depth to be a true out pitch. His changeup and curveball are both a tick below-average offerings. Stratton doesn't consistently miss bats, and his control and command are fringe-average as well, so he doesn't spot his pitches well enough to baffle hitters with average offerings. Added to the 40-man roster in November, Stratton will return to Triple-A Sacramento in 2016, but he just doesn't appear to have the upside the Giants once projected.
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #12 prospect in 2015
  Coming into his junior year at Mississippi State, Stratton was an enigma. He had the best stuff on the Bulldogs' staff, but he didn't capitalize it until his junior season. After a productive summer in the Cape Cod League, he became MSU's Friday starter, shutting down hitters with an excellent fastball and slider to vault into the first round of the 2012 draft. As a pro, Stratton has become an enigma again. He has rarely shown plus stuff, relying more on feel and guile. The Giants believe it's taken him a long time to fully recover from a concussion he suffered on a line drive that hit him in batting practice at short-season Salem-Keizer in 2012. After pitching at 89-92 mph in the first half of 2014, Stratton sat 90-94 again in the second half. He'll mix in two-seamers down in the zone and the occasional four-seamer up. His tight 83-85 mph slider doesn't break much, with more of a cutting action. He spots a fringe-average curveball for strikes early in the count. His fringy changeup doesn't miss bats, but it can generate weak contact. For a pitcher trying to find success by mixing pitches, he doesn't locate well enough, showing below-average control. Stratton should return to Double-A Richmond in 2015. He's shown flashes of the plus stuff required to be a mid-rotation arm, but he realistically projects as a back-end starter.
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #3 prospect in 2014
  The Giants had their eye on two college pitchers as their 21st overall selection neared in the 2012 draft. Stratton was one. Michael Wacha, who went 19th overall to the Cardinals, was the other. While Wacha was winning NLCS MVP honors, Stratton was resting up following his first full professional season at low Class A Augusta, a year after sustaining a concussion when he was struck by a line drive during batting practice at short-season Salem-Keizer. Stratton's fastball ranges anywhere from 89-93 mph and he has the ability to touch 95, but it's the downward movement of his two-seamer that makes him effective. He used a short slider as a strikeout pitch in college--he fanned 17 Louisiana State batters on the day Giants scouting director John Barr saw him--and it's gotten better as he had plenty of righthanded hitters lunging at it in the South Atlantic League. Stratton is a good athlete who doesn't have a lot of effort in his delivery. His curve and changeup will be priorities to improve as he advances. Stratton's combination of stuff and ability to pitch probably merited him a higher assignment, but the high Class A San Jose rotation was loaded, and Stratton didn't blow the doors off the SAL anyway. He'll start 2014 at San Jose to see if he can be a bit more consistently crisp with his stuff.
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #3 prospect in 2013
  The first Mississippi State player taken by the Giants in the first round since 1985, Stratton went 20th overall in June and signed for $1.85 million. He probably won't make the same franchise-altering impact that Will Clark did, but Stratton has solid No. 2 starter potential. Undrafted out of high school, he went from bullpen arm to legitimate ace with the Bulldogs, winning Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year honors in 2012. San Francisco scouting director John Barr was on hand when Stratton struck out 17 against Louisiana State, showing size, athleticism and feel for four pitches. He pitches to both sides of the plate with a 91-93 mph fastball that touches 95 and has easy, late carry. He has a short slider that he can throw for strikes or use as a chase pitch. Stratton worked more on his changeup after signing and was told he could throw it to righthanders. His body, delivery, stuff and savvy remind longtime Giants coaches of 1999 first-round pick Kurt Ainsworth. Stratton sustained a concussion and was hospitalized overnight after he was struck by a batting-practice line drive in mid-August, ending his pro debut and knocking him out of instructional league. He's expected to make a complete recovery before spring training. There's a good chance he'll skip a level and open his first full pro season in high Class A.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #18 prospect in 2012 draft
  Undrafted out of high school, Stratton just missed being eligible as a sophomore last year; he'll turn 22 in August, so he's a bit old for his class. Stratton went just 10-10, 5.25 in his first two seasons but gained needed confidence last summer in the Cape Cod League. He has a perfect pitcher's frame at 6-foot-2, 197 pounds, and has shown flashes of three above-average pitches this spring. He had everything working in a mid-March start against LSU, striking out 17, and has maintained a similar quality of stuff since then. His fastball sits in the 91-93 mph range with his fastball, regularly touching 95 and at times reaching back for a bit more. His fastball also features natural, late tailing action that he has learned to harness. His slider is his best secondary pitch, a true plus offering, but Stratton also throws a solid-average curve that at times is above-average as well, if a bit shy of plus. Scouts laud his poise and improved feel for pitching. He's able to throw his slider both for strikes and as a chase pitch, leading scouts to give him average to slightly above-average grades for his overall command.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #19 prospect in 2016
  Stratton, San Francisco's first round pick in 2012, has quietly moved through the organization after a couple of rough years to start his career. After a strong season at Triple-A Sacramento followed by his first taste of the big leagues, Stratton turned in a nice AFL season with a 3.12 ERA and a 21-5 strikeout-to-walk rate. His AFL velocity was back to where he pitched in his college days at Mississippi State, sitting 92-96 mph and averaging 94. All four pitches were solid offerings, especially his curveball. He throws strikes and competes well, with a chance to be a number four starter in the big leagues.

• August, 2016 Scouting Report
  Stratton, San Francisco's first round pick in 2012, has quietly moved through the organization after a couple of rough years to start his career. After a strong season at Triple-A Sacramento followed by his first taste of the big leagues, Stratton turned in a nice AFL season with a 3.12 ERA and a 21-5 strikeout-to-walk rate. His AFL velocity was back to where he pitched in his college days at Mississippi State, sitting 92-96 mph and averaging 94. All four pitches were solid offerings, especially his curveball. He throws strikes and competes well, with a chance to be a number four starter in the big leagues.
• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The first Mississippi State player taken by the Giants in the first round since 1985, Stratton went 20th overall in June and signed for $1.85 million. He probably won't make the same franchise-altering impact that Will Clark did, but Stratton has solid No. 2 starter potential. Undrafted out of high school, he went from bullpen arm to legitimate ace with the Bulldogs, winning Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year honors in 2012. Scouting Report: San Francisco scouting director John Barr was on hand when Stratton struck out 17 against Louisiana State, showing size, athleticism and feel for four pitches. He pitches to both sides of the plate with a 91-93 mph fastball that touches 95 and has easy, late carry. He has a short slider that he can throw for strikes or use as a chase pitch. Stratton worked more on his changeup after signing and was told he could throw it to righthanders. His body, delivery, stuff and savvy remind longtime Giants coaches of former first-round pick Kurt Ainsworth. The Future: Stratton sustained a concussion and was hospitalized overnight after he was struck by a batting-practice line drive in mid-August, ending his pro debut and knocking him out of instructional league. He's expected to make a complete recovery before spring training. There's a good chance he'll skip a level and open his first full pro season in high Class A.