Derick Grigsby

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #29 prospect in 2004
  Grigsby didn't look like the same pitcher Houston drafted when he made his pro debut last year. In junior college he threw a 95-96 mph fastball and power slider from a high three-quarters slot. In 2003, his arm angle dropped slightly and his stuff dropped a lot. Grigsby showed only an average fastball, though it did have good life when he kept it down in the strike zone, and his slider morphed into a slurve. His changeup remains raw, and his command was only slightly better. Grigsby showed signs of getting more aggressive in instructional league, where his stuff began to rebound. The Astros will handle him carefully because he's reserved and has had to deal with tough family circumstances. Grigsby's mother died unexpectedly during routine surgery in 2001. He used part of his $1.125 million bonus to buy his father a motorcycle, and his dad was seriously injured (including losing toes on his left foot) in a motorcycle accident when Grigsby reported to instructional league last year. Grigsby will try to recover his previous form in high Class A in 2004.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #11 prospect in 2003
  Grigsby came out of Marshall (Texas) High a year ahead of fireballer Colt Griffin, who was more of a first baseman when they were teammates. Grigsby attended the University of Texas as a freshman in 2001, but he pitched just 11 innings before leaving school when his mother unexpectedly died during routine surgery. He transferred to Northeast Texas CC, where he became the top junior college prospect in the 2002 draft. Grigsby signed late for $1.125 million, missing the regular season thanks to Astros owner Drayton McLane's temporary draft embargo. On the day of Houston's first instructional league workout, he learned that his father had been seriously injured in an accident while riding a motorcycle Grigsby had bought him with part of his bonus money. By the time his father recovered and Grigsby returned, his arm wasn't in shape, so Houston hasn't seen much of him on the mound since he turned pro. At Northeast Texas, Grigsby routinely threw 95-96 mph with a smooth arm action, and he also showed a power slider. His changeup and command will need much more work, and he's quite raw. The Astros are going to take their time with Grigsby and will decide where to send him this year after seeing more of him this spring. It's possible he'll go to extended spring training before reporting to either short-season Tri-City or Rookie-level Martinsville in June.