JJ Goss

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #17 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: An excellent senior season helped push Goss into consideration among the best prep pitchers in the 2019 draft class. Since then, he’s barely gotten to pitch. He did throw in the Florida Complex League in 2019, but he lost the 2020 season like most every minor leaguer. Then he was shut down with a shoulder impingement for most of the 2021 season. Goss is Jamey Jr., which is where his JJ nickname comes from.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluating Goss, much like fellow prominent prep pick Nick Bitsko, is difficult because he’s barely pitched in two full years. Goss did return to the mound for a quartet of outings with the Rays’ Florida Complex League team. His stuff was largely back to his pre-injury form (91-95 mph) and he generally threw strikes, but there was also plenty of rust. His fastball didn’t show much movement in his brief return to the mound. He has shown feel for spinning a slurve. His changeup, like that of many high school pitchers, has the most development to come.
  
  The Future: Goss has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter, but he’s now a 21-year-old with less than 30 pro innings. He needs to get regular work in 2022, most likely at Low-A Charleston.
  
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #12 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
  Track Record: Goss entered 2019 as the No. 2 starter on Houston’s Cypress Ranch High team, behind Matthew Thompson. He graduated to co-ace after a strong senior season as his stuff ticked up. At pick No. 36, Goss was drafted nine spots earlier than Thompson, but Thompson’s $2.1 million bonus edged out Goss’ $2,042,900.
  
  Scouting Report: Goss showed at instructional league that his stuff is only continuing to get better. His above-average 90-96 mph fastball in high school was sitting 92-95 and touching higher in instructs. He has solid feel and a steady maturity on the mound. His hard high-80s slider is average now and with his feel for spin it should eventually at least be above-average. His changeup isn’t as consistent and needs to add either a little more action or a little more separation but he has feel and comfort with it and it should continue to improve. Goss’ body has room to fill out further, which gives hope for further projection.
  
  The Future: Goss’ stuff is already major league-caliber, and it should just continue to get better. His delivery, knack for pitching and composure make him a safer bet to remain a starter than most young arms. He has potential to be a mid-rotation starter. He should be ready for full-season ball in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #13 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Goss began his senior season as the second-best pitcher on his high school team, but his team was anything but normal. Paired with righthander Matthew Thompson, the duo had a chance to become the second pair of first-round pitchers to be drafted from Houston's Cypress Ranch High. Goss and Thompson had to settle for both being drafted in the top 50 picks.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Until 2019, Goss was known for his feel for pitching, his projectability and a fast arm. His fastball took a big step forward his senior season as he went from pitching at 88-92 to sitting at 90-95 mph. His above-average fastball has carry up in the zone. He's a true three-pitch pitcher with a slider that projects as plus and a changeup that is advanced for his age and experience with solid deception and good fade. It flashes plus but is inconsistent. Goss is a strike-thrower who has smoothed out a head whack he once had as he got stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays have drafted seven prep pitchers in the top 100 picks in the 2010s. Six of them spent their second pro season in short-season or rookie ball. So it's realistic to think that Goss will be held back in extended spring training before heading to short-season ball. Goss has the athleticism, delivery and control to be a future No. 3 starter, although there's a lot of steps ahead for him to reach that upside.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #33 prospect in 2019 draft
  Goss entered his senior season as perhaps the best No. 2 pitcher on any high school team in the country, as righthander Matthew Thompson also plays for Houston's Cypress Ranch High. Thompson was a first-team Preseason All-American, while Goss was voted to the second team. This spring, however, Goss has been the more impressive arm, routinely throwing in the 90-96 mph range with his fastball, a plus slider and changeup. Goss' slider is in the low 80s with tight spin, and he has impressive feel for his mid-80s changeup with solid fading life. Prior to his senior season, Goss showed impressive strike-throwing ability and worked mostly in the upper 80s with excellent feel to spin, but a commitment to improving his body over the offseason has allowed his stuff to tick up to the point where his pure stuff is now comparable to the best high school pitchers in the class. With a 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame and plenty of athleticism--he also plays outfield for Cypress Ranch--Goss has room to add more weight as he continues to mature physically. The best of another deep crop of Texas A&M pitching recruits, Goss has played his way into Day 1 consideration, if he wasn't there already, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Goss drafted in the first round thanks to his ability to throw strikes and the recent improvement in his pure stuff.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: An excellent senior season helped push Goss into consideration among the best prep pitchers in the 2019 draft class. Since then, he&#39s barely gotten to pitch. He did throw in the Florida Complex League in 2019, but he lost the 2020 season like most every minor leaguer. Then he was shut down with a shoulder impingement for most of the 2021 season. Goss is Jamey Jr., which is where his JJ nickname comes from.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluating Goss, much like fellow prominent prep pick Nick Bitsko, is difficult because he&#39s barely pitched in two full years. Goss did return to the mound for a quartet of outings with the Rays&#39 Florida Complex League team. His stuff was largely back to his pre-injury form (91-95 mph) and he generally threw strikes, but there was also plenty of rust. His fastball didn&#39t show much movement in his brief return to the mound. He has shown feel for spinning a slurve. His changeup, like that of many high school pitchers, has the most development to come.
  
  The Future: Goss has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter, but he&#39s now a 21-year-old with less than 30 pro innings. He needs to get regular work in 2022, most likely at Low-A Charleston.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: An excellent senior season helped push Goss into consideration among the best prep pitchers in the 2019 draft class. Since then, he’s barely gotten to pitch. He did throw in the Florida Complex League in 2019, but he lost the 2020 season like most every minor leaguer. Then he was shut down with a shoulder impingement for most of the 2021 season. Goss is Jamey Jr., which is where his JJ nickname comes from.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluating Goss, much like fellow prominent prep pick Nick Bitsko, is difficult because he’s barely pitched in two full years. Goss did return to the mound for a quartet of outings with the Rays’ Florida Complex League team. His stuff was largely back to his pre-injury form (91-95 mph) and he generally threw strikes, but there was also plenty of rust. His fastball didn’t show much movement in his brief return to the mound. He has shown feel for spinning a slurve. His changeup, like that of many high school pitchers, has the most development to come.
  
  The Future: Goss has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter, but he’s now a 21-year-old with less than 30 pro innings. He needs to get regular work in 2022, most likely at Low-A Charleston.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
  Track Record: Goss entered 2019 as the No. 2 starter on Houston's Cypress Ranch High team, behind Matthew Thompson. He graduated to co-ace after a strong senior season as his stuff ticked up. At pick No. 36, Goss was drafted nine spots earlier than Thompson, but Thompson's $2.1 million bonus edged out Goss' $2,042,900.
  
  Scouting Report: Goss showed at instructional league that his stuff is only continuing to get better. His above-average 90-96 mph fastball in high school was sitting 92-95 and touching higher in instructs. He has solid feel and a steady maturity on the mound. His hard high-80s slider is average now and with his feel for spin it should eventually at least be above-average. His changeup isn't as consistent and needs to add either a little more action or a little more separation but he has feel and comfort with it and it should continue to improve. Goss' body has room to fill out further, which gives hope for further projection.
  
  The Future: Goss' stuff is already major league-caliber, and it should just continue to get better. His delivery, knack for pitching and composure make him a safer bet to remain a starter than most young arms. He has potential to be a mid-rotation starter. He should be ready for full-season ball in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
  Track Record: Goss entered 2019 as the No. 2 starter on Houston’s Cypress Ranch High team, behind Matthew Thompson. He graduated to co-ace after a strong senior season as his stuff ticked up. At pick No. 36, Goss was drafted nine spots earlier than Thompson, but Thompson’s $2.1 million bonus edged out Goss’ $2,042,900.
  
  Scouting Report: Goss showed at instructional league that his stuff is only continuing to get better. His above-average 90-96 mph fastball in high school was sitting 92-95 and touching higher in instructs. He has solid feel and a steady maturity on the mound. His hard high-80s slider is average now and with his feel for spin it should eventually at least be above-average. His changeup isn’t as consistent and needs to add either a little more action or a little more separation but he has feel and comfort with it and it should continue to improve. Goss’ body has room to fill out further, which gives hope for further projection.
  
  The Future: Goss’ stuff is already major league-caliber, and it should just continue to get better. His delivery, knack for pitching and composure make him a safer bet to remain a starter than most young arms. He has potential to be a mid-rotation starter. He should be ready for full-season ball in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
  Track Record: Goss entered 2019 as the No. 2 starter on Houston’s Cypress Ranch High team, behind Matthew Thompson. He graduated to co-ace after a strong senior season as his stuff ticked up. At pick No. 36, Goss was drafted nine spots earlier than Thompson, but Thompson’s $2.1 million bonus edged out Goss’ $2,042,900.
  
  Scouting Report: Goss showed at instructional league that his stuff is only continuing to get better. His above-average 90-96 mph fastball in high school was sitting 92-95 and touching higher in instructs. He has solid feel and a steady maturity on the mound. His hard high-80s slider is average now and with his feel for spin it should eventually at least be above-average. His changeup isn’t as consistent and needs to add either a little more action or a little more separation but he has feel and comfort with it and it should continue to improve. Goss’ body has room to fill out further, which gives hope for further projection.
  
  The Future: Goss’ stuff is already major league-caliber, and it should just continue to get better. His delivery, knack for pitching and composure make him a safer bet to remain a starter than most young arms. He has potential to be a mid-rotation starter. He should be ready for full-season ball in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Goss began his senior season as the second-best pitcher on his high school team, but his team was anything but normal. Paired with righthander Matthew Thompson, the duo had a chance to become the second pair of first-round pitchers to be drafted from Houston’s Cypress Ranch High. Goss and Thompson had to settle for both being drafted in the top 50 picks.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Until 2019, Goss was known for his feel for pitching, his projectability and a fast arm. His fastball took a big step forward his senior season as he went from pitching at 88-92 to sitting at 90-95 mph. His above-average fastball has carry up in the zone. He’s a true three-pitch pitcher with a slider that projects as plus and a changeup that is advanced for his age and experience with solid deception and good fade. It flashes plus but is inconsistent. Goss is a strike-thrower who has smoothed out a head whack he once had as he got stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays have drafted seven prep pitchers in the top 100 picks in the 2010s. Six of them spent their second pro season in short-season or rookie ball. So it’s realistic to think that Goss will be held back in extended spring training before heading to short-season ball. Goss has the athleticism, delivery and control to be a future No. 3 starter, although there’s a lot of steps ahead for him to reach that upside.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Goss began his senior season as the second-best pitcher on his high school team, but his team was anything but normal. Paired with righthander Matthew Thompson, the duo had a chance to become the second pair of first-round pitchers to be drafted from Houston's Cypress Ranch High. Goss and Thompson had to settle for both being drafted in the top 50 picks.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Until 2019, Goss was known for his feel for pitching, his projectability and a fast arm. His fastball took a big step forward his senior season as he went from pitching at 88-92 to sitting at 90-95 mph. His above-average fastball has carry up in the zone. He's a true three-pitch pitcher with a slider that projects as plus and a changeup that is advanced for his age and experience with solid deception and good fade. It flashes plus but is inconsistent. Goss is a strike-thrower who has smoothed out a head whack he once had as he got stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays have drafted seven prep pitchers in the top 100 picks in the 2010s. Six of them spent their second pro season in short-season or rookie ball. So it's realistic to think that Goss will be held back in extended spring training before heading to short-season ball. Goss has the athleticism, delivery and control to be a future No. 3 starter, although there's a lot of steps ahead for him to reach that upside.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Goss entered his senior season as perhaps the best No. 2 pitcher on any high school team in the country, as righthander Matthew Thompson also plays for Houston's Cypress Ranch High. Thompson was a first-team Preseason All-American, while Goss was voted to the second team. This spring, however, Goss has been the more impressive arm, routinely throwing in the 90-96 mph range with his fastball, a plus slider and changeup. Goss' slider is in the low 80s with tight spin, and he has impressive feel for his mid-80s changeup with solid fading life. Prior to his senior season, Goss showed impressive strike-throwing ability and worked mostly in the upper 80s with excellent feel to spin, but a commitment to improving his body over the offseason has allowed his stuff to tick up to the point where his pure stuff is now comparable to the best high school pitchers in the class. With a 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame and plenty of athleticism--he also plays outfield for Cypress Ranch--Goss has room to add more weight as he continues to mature physically. The best of another deep crop of Texas A&M pitching recruits, Goss has played his way into Day 1 consideration, if he wasn't there already, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Goss drafted in the first round thanks to his ability to throw strikes and the recent improvement in his pure stuff.