Greg Reynolds
| IP | 123 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 7.024 |
| WHIP | 1.65 |
| BB/9 | 3.073 |
| SO/9 | 3.878 |
- Full name Gregory Adam Reynolds
- Born 07/03/1985 in Pacifica, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'7" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Stanford
- Debut 05/11/2008
-
Drafted in the 1st round (2nd overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2006 (signed for $3,250,000).
View Draft Report
Reynolds entered Stanford hyped as the next great Cardinal starter, and after struggling for most of two seasons he began to justify that billing this spring. He put together a four-start stretch that included consecutive complete games against Arizona State, California (beating Brandon Morrow) and Washington (beating Tim Lincecum). The Arizona State start opened eyes, as Reynolds pumped his fastball up to 94 mph as late as the ninth inning. One veteran scout brought up Mark Prior when discussing Reynolds because of his rare above-average fastball command for a college pitcher and for his size. At his best, Reynolds throws a high-80s two-seam fastball that tails away from righthanded hitters, then shows the ability to bust them inside with a 90-94 mph four-seamer. His newfound aggressiveness has impressed scouts and opposing coaches, who thought Reynolds (a former high school quarterback) was too soft and not aggressive enough with his fastball. His curveball and changeup both get solid-average major league grades. Reynolds, who has grown an inch in college, has become comfortable in his large frame and repeats his balanced delivery well.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Recruited to play quarterback by several college programs, Reynolds opted instead to pitch at Stanford. That decision paid off when he went second overall in the 2006 draft and signed for $3.25 million. He made just eight starts in 2007 because of rotator- cuff inflammation that led to minor surgery in August. Reynolds has a 91-93 mph that he can spot to both sides of the plate and elevate in the strike zone when he wants. His curveball gives him a second plus pitch, and his changeup is an effective third offering. He's athletic and repeats his delivery easily, giving him good command. He has a good sense of himself and how good he can become. After working once a week in college, Reynolds must adapt to pitching every fifth day in pro ball. He can aggravate his shoulder problem when he puts too much torque on the joint when he throws his curveball. His fastball doesn't have a great deal of movement, so he doesn't get a lot of strikeouts. If he hadn't gotten hurt, Reynolds would have been called up to Colorado for the stretch drive. A likely No. 3 starter, he's expected to be fully healthy for spring training and could open the season in Triple-A. -
Coming out of high school, Reynolds had offers to play quarterback at Division I-A college programs. His decision to stick with baseball paid off, as he received a $3.25 million bonus as the No. 2 overall pick in 2006. Reynolds maintained his 90-94 mph velocity on his fastball and the command of his solid-average curveball and changeup throughout his pro debut. He throws strikes with ease because he repeats his clean, athletic delivery so well. He doesn't try to overpower hitters, getting easy outs and keeping his pitch counts down. He competes well. Though he has the stuff to do so, Reynolds doesn't manage to miss many bats, which could become an issue at higher levels, especially in Colorado. He had no problems in the hitter's havens of the California League, however. In the past, he fell into ruts where he wasn't aggressive with his fastball, though that was less of an issue in 2006. Reynolds figures to move into the Double-A rotation at the start of this season. His experience and mound savvy give him a chance to move quickly, with a shot at the big league rotation in 2008.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
Drafted second overall in 2006--one pick ahead of Evan Longoria--Reynolds rebounded from rotator-cuff inflammation last year to make his major league debut this July. However, he went just 2-8, 8.31 with the Rockies, prompting questions as to whether his true ceiling is as a No. 4 or 5 starter, rather than a No. 3. Reynolds' best asset is his athletic 6-foot-7 frame, which enables him to generate a good downhill plane for his pitches. He also repeats his delivery very easily for a pitcher his size. His fastball was clocked in the 88-91 mph range, down from the 91-93 mph velocity he had before his minor shoulder surgery last year. Reynolds lacks a pitch that allows him to miss bats on a consistent basis. His curveball, a plus offering in the past, was viewed as only average this year, and his changeup was ordinary as well. Major leaguers hit .285 against him, and PCL hitters battered him at a staggering .328 clip. -
Reynolds overmatched hitters as much as any pitcher in the league this season, his first full year after the Rockies gave him a $3.25 million bonus as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 draft. The problem was that he made just eight starts before undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery in August. Doctors found no significant damage and he's expected to be back at full health in spring training. Managers and scouts were impressed by Reynolds' power stuff, which includes a fastball that peaked in the mid-90s and a curveball that was a plus pitch at times, along with a good changeup. He also throws a heavy ball and induced a lot of ground balls. He doesn't rack up a lot of strikeouts, but he doesn't allow hitters to make hard contact either. Reynolds' makeup was just as impressive as his stuff. "For a guy in his first professional season, his preparation and attitude surprised me," Tulsa manager Stu Cole said. -
Reynolds began to establish himself as a potential first-round pick during the Pacific-10 Conference season, beating fellow first-rounders Tim Lincecum and Brandon Morrow, and his stock kept on climbing right up until draft day. The Rockies made him the No. 2 overall pick and sent him to the Cal League, where his pitch count was strictly monitored, helping account for his low win total (two) in 11 starts. Reynolds has a clean, repeatable delivery despite a big 6-foot-7 frame, and his repertoire is as polished as his mechanics. He has very good command of a 92-94 mph four-seam fastball, a high-80s two-seamer with good movement, a solid-average curveball and a changeup. He doesn't strike out as many batters as might be expected considering his size and stuff, but he keeps opponents at bay nonetheless. "We couldn't hit him," Subero said. "You could see he was a polished guy--not 'wow'--but his fastball is not straight, it cuts. His curve is pretty good, he can throw a changeup, all three pitches for strikes. It's not lightning stuff, but he has a good head on his shoulders. He's on the fast track."
