Graham Ashcraft

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #9 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: After a college career marred by injuries to both of his hips and a modest 2019 pro debut, Ashcraft was a revelation in 2021. He was the minors’ hottest pitcher for much of the first half of the season and had a seven-start, 43-inning stretch when his only run was allowed via catcher’s interference.
  
  Scouting Report: Ashcraft’s dominance and his struggles both stem from his all-power, all-the-time approach. At his best, Ashcraft can dominate a lineup with a 65-grade fastball, an above-average cutter and a plus slider. Everything is hard, but when he’s throwing mid-90s fastballs with plenty of cut, knowing what’s coming may not be enough for a hitter. But when Ashcraft is missing his spots, his simple approach allows hitters to simply look for a pitch to drive. Ashcraft is able to throw to the strike zone and let the movement of his fastball take care of the rest. He’s unlikely to ever be a pitcher with the command to hit his spots, but he can throw strikes. His changeup is more a concept than a pitch right now, and he’ll also flip over an early-count, well below-average curve.
  
  The Future: Ashcraft reached Double-A, but he has plenty of development of his secondaries left if he’s going to be a starter. He’d have a quicker path as a reliever, where he could ride his pure power approach for one-inning stints. The dominance he demonstrates at his best is impressive, but he has to show he can sustain success. He also has to continue to demonstrate durability. It’s been better as a pro, but it was an issue for him during his college career.
  
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #30 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Ashcraft was one of the top high school players in Alabama in 2016. He led the state with 16 home runs as a junior, but then impressed even more on the mound as a senior as he touched 99 mph. He made five starts for Mississippi State as a freshman, then missed the next year and a half due to hip injuries. He flashed more potential at Alabama-Birmingham in 2019 and pitched reasonably effectively in the Rookie-level Appalachian League after signing.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ashcraft has the potential for two plus pitches. He may not touch 99 mph anymore but he will bump it up to 97, and his plus curveball is better than his fastball. The shutdown did Ashcraft no favors. More than anything, he needs regular innings to develop. He has thrown less than 140 innings combined since high school. Ashcraft's command and control remain below-average, but they have made strides in pro ball—he walked six batters per nine during his abbreviated college career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ashcraft's stuff is as good as almost any Reds pitching prospect's arsenal, but his injuries and the pandemic have left him behind on the development curve. A full, healthy 2021 in full season ball would be a big step.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #350 prospect in 2019 draft
  When Ashcraft turned down the Dodgers as a 12th-round pick out of high school, it was reasonable to surmise that he might turn himself into a first- or second-rounder with a strong career at Mississippi State. After all, he was a strong, powerful pitcher who had touched 99 mph in high school, and he had also shown plenty of power at the plate--he hit 16 home runs to lead the state of Alabama as a high school junior. Nothing has been easy for Ashcraft since then. He showed a blazing, mid-90s fastball as a freshman with the Bulldogs, but his season ended early because he needed hip surgery. Ashcraft then missed all of the 2018 season recovering from surgery on his other hip. He decided to transfer for his redshirt sophomore year, and began this season in Alabama-Birmingham's rotation. But his stuff has lacked the same consistency this year. He occasionally showed a mid-90s fastball, but his command was lacking. He lost his rotation spot and had a 16.20 ERA and 13 hits allowed in just 6.2 innings in six appearances over the final month of the season. Ashcraft still has plenty of potential, but he may be better off returning to school--he has two years of eligibility remaining--to prove he's better than his late-season swoon.
• Ranked #175 prospect in 2016 draft
  As a junior at Huntsville High, Ashcraft led the state of Alabama with 16 home runs. But it is his powerful right arm that interests scouts. Ashcraft touched 99 mph with his fastball this spring, comfortably sitting in the low- to mid-90s, and he pairs it with a wipeout slider. Listed at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, he has a good pitcher's frame and plenty of arm strength. But Ashcraft hasn't consistently had his best stuff this spring and struggles at times to control his premium stuff. He is more of a thrower than a pitcher at this point and he'll have to improve his control and feel for pitching to remain a starter in the long run. That development may begin at Mississippi State, where he is committed.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: After a college career marred by injuries to both of his hips and a modest 2019 pro debut, Ashcraft was a revelation in 2021. He was the minors’ hottest pitcher for much of the first half of the season and had a seven-start, 43-inning stretch when his only run was allowed via catcher’s interference.
  
  Scouting Report: Ashcraft’s dominance and his struggles both stem from his all-power, all-the-time approach. At his best, Ashcraft can dominate a lineup with a 65-grade fastball, an above-average cutter and a plus slider. Everything is hard, but when he’s throwing mid-90s fastballs with plenty of cut, knowing what’s coming may not be enough for a hitter. But when Ashcraft is missing his spots, his simple approach allows hitters to simply look for a pitch to drive. Ashcraft is able to throw to the strike zone and let the movement of his fastball take care of the rest. He’s unlikely to ever be a pitcher with the command to hit his spots, but he can throw strikes. His changeup is more a concept than a pitch right now, and he’ll also flip over an early-count, well below-average curve.
  
  The Future: Ashcraft reached Double-A, but he has plenty of development of his secondaries left if he’s going to be a starter. He’d have a quicker path as a reliever, where he could ride his pure power approach for one-inning stints. The dominance he demonstrates at his best is impressive, but he has to show he can sustain success. He also has to continue to demonstrate durability. It’s been better as a pro, but it was an issue for him during his college career.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Ashcraft was one of the top high school players in Alabama in 2016. He led the state with 16 home runs as a junior, but then impressed even more on the mound as a senior as he touched 99 mph. He made five starts for Mississippi State as a freshman, then missed the next year and a half due to hip injuries. He flashed more potential at Alabama-Birmingham in 2019 and pitched reasonably effectively in the Rookie-level Appalachian League after signing.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ashcraft has the potential for two plus pitches. He may not touch 99 mph anymore but he will bump it up to 97, and his plus curveball is better than his fastball. The shutdown did Ashcraft no favors. More than anything, he needs regular innings to develop. He has thrown less than 140 innings combined since high school. Ashcraft's command and control remain below-average, but they have made strides in pro ball—he walked six batters per nine during his abbreviated college career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ashcraft's stuff is as good as almost any Reds pitching prospect's arsenal, but his injuries and the pandemic have left him behind on the development curve. A full, healthy 2021 in full season ball would be a big step.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Ashcraft was one of the top high school players in Alabama in 2016. He led the state with 16 home runs as a junior, but then impressed even more on the mound as a senior as he touched 99 mph. He made five starts for Mississippi State as a freshman, then missed the next year and a half due to hip injuries. He flashed more potential at Alabama-Birmingham in 2019 and pitched reasonably effectively in the Rookie-level Appalachian League after signing.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ashcraft has the potential for two plus pitches. He may not touch 99 mph anymore but he will bump it up to 97, and his plus curveball is better than his fastball. The shutdown did Ashcraft no favors. More than anything, he needs regular innings to develop. He has thrown less than 140 innings combined since high school. Ashcraft's command and control remain below-average, but they have made strides in pro ball—he walked six batters per nine during his abbreviated college career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ashcraft's stuff is as good as almost any Reds pitching prospect's arsenal, but his injuries and the pandemic have left him behind on the development curve. A full, healthy 2021 in full season ball would be a big step.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Ashcraft was one of the top high school players in Alabama in 2016. He led the state with 16 home runs as a junior, but then impressed even more on the mound as a senior as he touched 99 mph. He made five starts for Mississippi State as a freshman, then missed the next year and a half due to hip injuries. He flashed more potential at Alabama-Birmingham in 2019 and pitched reasonably effectively in the Rookie-level Appalachian League after signing.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ashcraft has the potential for two plus pitches. He may not touch 99 mph anymore but he will bump it up to 97, and his plus curveball is better than his fastball. The shutdown did Ashcraft no favors. More than anything, he needs regular innings to develop. He has thrown less than 140 innings combined since high school. Ashcraft's command and control remain below-average, but they have made strides in pro ball—he walked six batters per nine during his abbreviated college career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ashcraft's stuff is as good as almost any Reds pitching prospect's arsenal, but his injuries and the pandemic have left him behind on the development curve. A full, healthy 2021 in full season ball would be a big step.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  When Ashcraft turned down the Dodgers as a 12th-round pick out of high school, it was reasonable to surmise that he might turn himself into a first- or second-rounder with a strong career at Mississippi State. After all, he was a strong, powerful pitcher who had touched 99 mph in high school, and he had also shown plenty of power at the plate--he hit 16 home runs to lead the state of Alabama as a high school junior. Nothing has been easy for Ashcraft since then. He showed a blazing, mid-90s fastball as a freshman with the Bulldogs, but his season ended early because he needed hip surgery. Ashcraft then missed all of the 2018 season recovering from surgery on his other hip. He decided to transfer for his redshirt sophomore year, and began this season in Alabama-Birmingham's rotation. But his stuff has lacked the same consistency this year. He occasionally showed a mid-90s fastball, but his command was lacking. He lost his rotation spot and had a 16.20 ERA and 13 hits allowed in just 6.2 innings in six appearances over the final month of the season. Ashcraft still has plenty of potential, but he may be better off returning to school--he has two years of eligibility remaining--to prove he's better than his late-season swoon.