Nevin Griffith
| IP | 321 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.159 |
| WHIP | 1.651 |
| BB/9 | 6.196 |
| SO/9 | 6.196 |
- Full name Nevin Griffith
- Born 03/23/1989 in Tampa, FL
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Middleton
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Drafted in the 2nd round (89th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2007 (signed for $382,500).
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The quintessential projectable high school pitcher, Griffith showed all the ingredients of a premium prospect as an underclassman and put it all together this spring. He solidified his status as a high-round pick by dominating in two showdowns with crosstown rival Michael Burgess and Hillsborough High, the first of which was the buzz of amateur baseball for weeks. Griffith is long, lean and athletic with a whippy arm action. He has improved his balance over the rubber and better incorporated his lower half in his delivery, and his velocity spiked, touching 96 mph and humming along at 90-92 with sink on most nights. His 80-84 mph slider is a plus pitch at times, and he throws a more traditional curveball as well. He has feel for a changeup that he can keep down in the zone. Outside of inconsistency and fatigue, there isn't much to knock on Griffith, who profiles as a middle-of-the-rotation starter and should be drafted in the supplemental round.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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On one hand, it seems like the White Sox have been waiting forever for Griffith to pitch significant innings. On the other, he'll still only be 21 this season. One of the top high school pitchers in Florida in the 2007 draft, Griffith blew out his elbow a year after signing as a second-round pick and had Tommy John surgery. He has pitched just 98 innings in his first three pro seasons, but took a huge step forward by finishing 2009 as a full-time member of the Kannapolis rotation. He followed up with a strong showing in instructional league. Griffith has added strength to his frame and shortened a delivery that produces easy heat. He has a 92-95 mph fastball and a curveball that's a plus pitch at times but flattens out at others. His changeup is a work in progress. Improving his secondary pitches is Griffith's major challenge, as low Class A lefthanders hit .370 against him and he doesn't miss as many bats as he should. He'll move up to Winston-Salem in 2010 as Chicago waits for him to begin his long-awaited rise through the system. -
Griffith was regarded as a premium prospect as an underclassman in Florida, and his stock spiked after he pitched well in two outings against Tampa-area rival Hillsborough High and outfielder Michael Burgess, a supplemental first-round pick by the Nationals. A second-rounder in his own right, Griffith signed for $382,500. He's long, lean and athletic with a whippy arm action. He improved his balance over the rubber and incorporated his lower half more in his delivery as a high school senior, causing his velocity to spike. He can reach the mid-90s with a four-seamer that's very straight, or he can work at 90-92 mph with natural sink with a two-seamer. All of Griffith's other pitches need work. His slider can be tough to hit but lacks consistency. Ditto for his curveball and his changeup, which needs more work than the breaking pitches. His command is a question as well, with the White Sox working to smooth out a long delivery. The raw stuff is there and he's in an organization with a history of helping pitchers develop consistency. He'll try to win a spot in the low Class A rotation to open 2008.
