Sawyer Gipson-Long Stats & Scouting Report

IP	3
ERA	3
WHIP	1
BB/9	0
SO/9	12

Full name Alec Sawyer Gipson-Long
Born 12/12/1997 in Lithia Springs, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Mercer
Drafted in the 6th round (179th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2019 (signed for $215,000).

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A big bodied, 6-foot-4, 220-pound righthander, Gipson throws a fastball that sits in the 88-93 mph range and tops out around 94 mph, though he did tick up his velocity late in the spring. Gipson doesn't have the most athleticism or the quickest arm, and there are some questions about whether or not he'll have a reliable out pitch, but he throws lots of strikes. During his junior season, Gipson posted a 4.90 ERA with impressive strikeout and walk rates, fanning 96 batters in 79 innings (10.9 per nine) with just 17 walks (1.9 per nine). While Gipson throws strikes, he does have a tendency to give up loud contact at times.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 40/Medium

Track Record: Yet another of the Twins’ many lower-round pitching finds, Gipson-Long was a sixth-round pick out of Mercer in 2019 despite never posting an ERA below 5.00 in his three-year college career. Traded to the Tigers in the 2022 Michael Fulmer deal, Gipson-Long made his MLB debut in September. He struck out 11 in five innings in just his second big league start, after reaching double-digits in strikeouts just twice in 73 minor league appearances.

Scouting Report: Gipson-Long succeeds by staying one step ahead of hitters. He doesn’t have a single above-average pitch, but at his best he keeps everything out of the middle of the zone. His excellent extension helps his fringe-average 92-94 mph four-seam fastball and sinker survive, but he’s mostly dependent on his average, mid-80s downer slider, which is effective against lefties and righties. He’s also improved his fringe-average 85-87 mph changeup, and he’ll toss in a fringe-average cutter as well. He wants to keep hitters from ever getting comfortable.

The Future: Gipson-Long’s four-start stint with Detroit saw him pitch better than he ever did at Double-A or Triple-A. He’s a crafty control specialist in an era of flamethrowers. It’s hard to project him as more than a depth up-and-down starter who spends most of his time in Triple-A, but he’s already exceeded a lot of expectations.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 45 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Cutter: 45 | Control: 60

Career Transactions

Detroit Tigers placed RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long on the 60-day injured list.
Detroit Tigers sent RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long on a rehab assignment to Lakeland Flying Tigers.
Detroit Tigers placed RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 25, 2024.
RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long assigned to Toledo Mud Hens from Erie SeaWolves.
RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long assigned to Toledo Mud Hens from Erie SeaWolves.
Erie SeaWolves activated RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long from the 7-day injured list.
Erie SeaWolves placed RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long on the 7-day injured list retroactive to June 18, 2023.
RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long assigned to Detroit Tigers.
RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long roster status changed by Detroit Tigers.