Josh Osich

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #23 prospect in 2014
  Osich will forever be remembered by Oregon State fans for the no-hitter he threw in 2011 to beat Trevor Bauer and UCLA. Health has been the issue for Osich, who signed for second-round money despite a Tommy John surgery in his past and arm soreness in the weeks leading up to the 2011 draft. He worked to lower his arm angle while logging 32 innings over 27 appearances at high Class A San Jose in 2012, and the changes appeared to help, as he combined to throw 70 innings over 56 appearances at high Class A San Jose and Double-A Richmond in 2013. Osich has a big league arm when healthy, touching 98 mph with a solid-average slider and a functional changeup. He has a big, strong body and generates a ton of late life on his fastball. He struggled against lefthanders early, and his first experience in big league spring training didn't go well, but he moved to the other side of the rubber and that helped him locate the fastball away. Though Osich has the potential to start, the Giants plan to build his innings incrementally.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #20 prospect in 2013
  The Giants knew they'd have to use kid gloves with Osich, who signed for second-round money ($450,000) despite a Tommy John surgery in his recent past and more health concerns in the weeks leading up to the 2011 draft. He didn't pitch on back-to-back days and ended up logging just 32 innings over 27 appearances in high Class A, including two starts. When more arm soreness presented itself, Osich began to work with coaches to lower his arm angle. He felt encouraged by the new delivery but skipped instructional league as a precaution. If healthy, Osich is a big league arm with a mentality to match. He throws consistently in the upper 90s and can touch 98 with a solid slider and changeup while keeping everything around the zone. His fastball has movement in addition to heat, with a lot of late life. Osich has all the tools to develop as a starter. As an amateur, he threw a no-hitter to beat Trevor Bauer and UCLA, the first no-no by an Oregon State pitcher since 1947. More likely, San Francisco will monitor his innings as a reliever while keeping all options open down the road.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #23 prospect in 2012
  Osich was positioned to go in the first two rounds of the 2011 draft before his velocity disappeared in the last month of the college season because of elbow and back discomfort. He was pulled from an NCAA regional playoff game after one inning the day before the draft, and he also had a history of arm problems that included Tommy John surgery in 2010. After taking Oregon State teammate Andrew Susac in the second round, the Giants couldn't pass up Osich when he was still available in the sixth. He signed for $450,000, the equivalent of second-round money, in August after he passed his physical. When healthy last spring, Osich threw a heavy 93-95 mph fastball that peaked at 97. He can get outs with both his changeup and slider, though he didn't throw his breaking ball much last year, perhaps a concession to his health issues. He was at his best on April 30, when he threw the Beavers' first no-hitter since 1947 to beat No. 3 overall pick Trevor Bauer and UCLA. San Francisco believes Osich just might have hit a dead-arm phase in his recovery last June, but limited him to rehab work in instructional league just to be cautious. Osich has all the equipment to be a No. 2 starter if he could stay healthy. He'll probably begin his pro career in relief as the Giants watch his innings, and it's easier to project that as his long-term role.