Garrett Stubbs

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #24 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Stubbs has long been one of the most athletic catchers around—he also has played in the outfield and middle infield sporadically in college and as a pro. A star at Southern Cal, he's one of the smallest catchers in pro ball, and his workload has reflected that—he's never caught 100 games in a season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Most backup catchers are awful hitters, but have plus power for when they do run into a pitch. Stubbs has a chance to be an average hitter with a simple stroke that is low-maintenance—he can handle sitting on the bench for two or three days without getting rusty. It's a somewhat one-plane swing. He has very little power. Most catchers are bottom-of-the-scale runners. Stubbs is a plus runner. Defensively, he's athletic and moves well with an above-average and accurate arm (he's thrown out 43 percent of basestealers for his career). But his framing metrics are poor, which makes him much less appealing as a backup.
  
  THE FUTURE: Stubbs will likely get a much better shot to be the backup with the Astros catching situation scrambled. If given at-bats, he has a chance to hit for average and provide some versatility as he can also play in the outfield.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #14 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Stubbs is one of the smallest and skinniest catchers in the game, but he brings a rare athleticism for the position. Stubbs led all Pacific Coast League catchers by throwing out 45 percent of basestealers, and the Astros added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Stubbs is a better hitter than slugger, and he's athletic enough to play a little bit of everywhere if needed. He runs better than most catchers and has successfully swiped 22 bases since his last caught stealing. Stubbs' low target and athleticism help his ability to block pitches in the dirt, and his receiving is viewed as average. He has an above-average arm and it's accurate. Stubbs uses the entire field when he's locked in at the plate. He's an above-average hitter who could post .300 averages in his best years, although his power is limited to lining balls to the gaps and the sporadic yanked home run.
  
  The Future: Stubbs' biggest remaining focus area to be big league ready is to get stronger, which probably relies on him getting a little bigger. His defense and bat are ready if the Astros need a backup.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #18 prospect in 2018
  Statistically, 2017 was the worst season Stubbs has had as a pro. A hamstring injury that sidelined him early in the season played a part, but his main issue is that his swing got a little bigger as he seemed to be trying to hit more home runs. That's not his game. At his best, he's an above-average line-drive hitter with very modest power. Stubbs has always faced skepticism from scouts because of his small size. His frame is skinnier than almost any other pro catcher, which brings both advantages and disadvantages. He is extremely flexible and moves like a middle infielder in catcher's gear. He's an excellent pitch framer. But he battled nagging injuries while catching a career-high 83 games and showed signs of wearing down as the season dragged on, even with that modest workload. Stubbs' normally above-average arm didn't seem as strong in the second half of 2017 and he threw out only three of his final 19 base stealers. With the trade of Jake Rogers, Stubbs is the Astros' most viable big league catching option in the minors. His size may limit him to a backup role, but as he heads back to Triple-A Fresno, he knows he'll have to hit to handle even that role.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #10 prospect in 2017
  Stubbs played center field, left field, second base and catcher at Southern California before he became too valuable behind the plate to play elsewhere. A first-team All-American as a senior, he still slid to the eighth round because of his size. Stubbs' skinny, 5-foot-10 frame raises durability questions but also is one of his greatest assets. He is an outstanding pitch-framer in part because he can get lower than most catchers, allowing him to get his hand under balls other catchers have to flip their mitts to snag. His agility also pays off in blocking balls in the dirt and helps his above-average arm play up thanks to excellent footwork. He threw out 51 percent of basestealers in 2016. Though he called pitches in college, it remains the weakest part of his catching. At the plate, Stubbs has a pretty straightforward lefthanded stroke geared more for contact than power. He can square up a good fastball and has some pull power. He projects as a near-average hitter with well below-average power. He runs well for a catcher and is an average runner. Stubbs' size is the biggest impediment to him becoming a big league regular. No regular backstop today weighs as little as Stubbs, but he could be a solid contributor even if limited to a part-time role behind the plate.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #336 prospect in 2015 draft
  Stubbs lacks prototypical catcher size at a listed 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, and he may not be durable enough to handle an everyday role. But he's skilled and plays with energy, blocking balls well, showing average speed and plenty of base running savvy (20-for-27 on steals in 2015). He's athletic enough to play the outfield (he started there earlier in his Trojans career) and has a solid-average arm. Stubbs also hit as a senior, relying on a contact-oriented approach to hit .342 and lead USC to a regional berth after a nine-year absence. He lacks power and fits as a senior sign and organizational soldier who has the makeup to become a bit more.

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Stubbs has long been one of the most athletic catchers around—he also has played in the outfield and middle infield sporadically in college and as a pro. A star at Southern Cal, he’s one of the smallest catchers in pro ball, and his workload has reflected that—he’s never caught 100 games in a season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Most backup catchers are awful hitters, but have plus power for when they do run into a pitch. Stubbs has a chance to be an average hitter with a simple stroke that is low-maintenance—he can handle sitting on the bench for two or three days without getting rusty. It’s a somewhat one-plane swing. He has very little power. Most catchers are bottom-of-the-scale runners. Stubbs is a plus runner. Defensively, he’s athletic and moves well with an above-average and accurate arm (he’s thrown out 43 percent of basestealers for his career). But his framing metrics are poor, which makes him much less appealing as a backup.
  
  THE FUTURE: Stubbs will likely get a much better shot to be the backup with the Astros catching situation scrambled. If given at-bats, he has a chance to hit for average and provide some versatility as he can also play in the outfield.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Stubbs has long been one of the most athletic catchers around—he also has played in the outfield and middle infield sporadically in college and as a pro. A star at Southern Cal, he's one of the smallest catchers in pro ball, and his workload has reflected that—he's never caught 100 games in a season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Most backup catchers are awful hitters, but have plus power for when they do run into a pitch. Stubbs has a chance to be an average hitter with a simple stroke that is low-maintenance—he can handle sitting on the bench for two or three days without getting rusty. It's a somewhat one-plane swing. He has very little power. Most catchers are bottom-of-the-scale runners. Stubbs is a plus runner. Defensively, he's athletic and moves well with an above-average and accurate arm (he's thrown out 43 percent of basestealers for his career). But his framing metrics are poor, which makes him much less appealing as a backup.
  
  THE FUTURE: Stubbs will likely get a much better shot to be the backup with the Astros catching situation scrambled. If given at-bats, he has a chance to hit for average and provide some versatility as he can also play in the outfield.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Stubbs played center field, left field, second base and catcher at Southern California before he became too valuable behind the plate to play elsewhere. A first-team All-American as a senior, he still slid to the eighth round because of his size. Scouting Report: Stubbs' skinny, 5-foot-10 frame raises durability questions but also is one of his greatest assets. He is an outstanding pitch-framer in part because he can get lower than most catchers, allowing him to get his hand under balls other catchers have to flip their glove to snag. His agility also pays off in blocking balls in the dirt and helps his above-average arm play up thanks to excellent footwork. He threw out 51 percent of basestealers in 2016. Though he called pitches in college, it remains the weakest part of his catching. At the plate, Stubbs has a pretty straightforward lefthanded stroke geared more for contact than power. He can square up a good fastball and has some pull power. He projects as a near-average hitter with well below-average power. He runs well for a catcher and is an average runner. The Future: Stubbs' size is the biggest impediment to him becoming a big league regular. No regular backstop today weighs as little as Stubbs, but he could be a solid contributor even if limited to a part-time role behind the plate.