Andrew Abbott

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #11 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Reds plan with Abbott was to let him settle in and pitch at High-A Dayton for quite a while. Abbott blew up that plan by allowing just two runs in five starts while striking out 40 in 27 innings. He was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga in mid-May and struck out 12 in five innings in his debut, but that level ended up proving to be a tougher test. He struggled until September when he rattled off three straight scoreless starts to end the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Abbott's fastball was good enough to dominate in Class A because of how well he located it, but once Double-A hitters saw Abbott a few times, they realized he didn't have confidence in his changeup and he would rarely come inside with his fastball. Abbott has an average 91-94 mph fastball and low-80s slider, and the slider is more effective now that he's made it a little sweepier. But he is going to need to improve the feel for his below-average mid-80s changeup to give righthanded batters an additional look. Abbott is a strike-thrower with plus control.
  
  The Future: Abbott finished the season strong. He will likely return to Chattanooga to prove he's conquered the level, but if he does, Louisville should be calling before long. He's a back-of-the-rotation starter with a smart, cerebral and even-keeled approach.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 40. Control: 60.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #22 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: A little lefty, Abbott was coached in high school by an even smaller lefty in seven-time all-star Billy Wagner. Abbott doesn’t throw nearly as hard as Wagner, but like Wagner, he was an excellent reliever. Abbott spent three years as a multi-inning, high-leverage reliever at Virginia. He was passed over in the shortened 2020 draft, which gave him a chance to start in 2021. After going 9-6, 2.87 for the Cavaliers, he vaulted into the second round.
  
  Scouting Report: Abbott doesn’t have a clear plus pitch, but three average to above-average offerings and plus control give him plenty of chances to compete. Working as a starter gave Abbott a chance to further refine and improve his average changeup, which pairs well with his above-average, high-70s, 12-to-6 curveball. Abbott’s fastball has ticked up a little bit to sit 92-93 mph and he will touch 96-97 sporadically. His fastball has solid carry up in the strike zone. All three pitches work well together because he mixes them well. Coaches have long raved about Abbott’s competitiveness and he has excellent durability.
  
  The Future: Virginia has had 10 pitchers taken in the top 100 picks this century. Just two—Sean Doolittle and Daniel Lynch—have put down significant roots in the big leagues. Abbott has a chance to be the third, although more likely as a No. 5 starter or multi-inning reliever.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #66 prospect in 2021 draft
  Abbott ranked as the No. 132 prospect in the 2020 class and was one of many players who expected to hear his name called but got squeezed out of the shortened five-round draft. He might look back one day and be thankful for that, as Abbott has transitioned into Virginia’s Friday night role after being an excellent reliever for three years and tremendously improved his draft stock. Abbott posted a 2.85 ERA in 15 starts and 94.2 innings, while sitting near the top of the leaderboard in the country with 142 strikeouts (13.5 K/9) compared to just 29 walks (2.8 BB/9). He doesn’t have a classic starter’s frame—listed at 6 feet, 180 pounds—but has a solid three-pitch mix fronted by a fastball/curveball combination that has proven lethal in the ACC. Abbott sits around 90-91 mph with his fastball but has been up in the 95-98 mph range a handful of times. The pitch plays up thanks to some of the best riding life in the class, though, and he has some of the best whiff rates against his fastball of any college arm in the class. His go-to secondary is an upper-70s, 12-to-6 breaking ball that plays well off his fastball and is at least an above-average offering and this spring he’s more than doubled the usage of a mid-80s changeup that has developed well and gives him a solid third pitch. Abbott was coached by big league reliever Billy Wagner in high school and has the mentality to succeed in the bullpen, but there’s no reason a team shouldn’t try him out as a starter given his success this spring. It would be surprising to see him get past the third round.
• Ranked #132 prospect in 2020 draft
  Abbott has been a fixture in Virginia’s bullpen since he stepped on campus, posting a 3.18 ERA in 51 innings as a freshman and a 3.89 ERA in 44 innings as a sophomore. With Team USA last summer Abbot also performed and was the team’s most reliable reliever, posting a 2.25 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 12 innings. Abbott has an undersized frame at 6-foot, 175 pounds, but he can run his fastball up into the 94-95 mph range and spins a solid-average 12-to-6 curveball. His fastball has a tick of running and sinking life, but is more in the 89-93 mph range consistently, while his breaking ball is in the mid-and-upper-70s with solid depth. Abbott’s competitive mentality on the mound is praised by coaches, who have said he looks more like a 6-foot-5 pitcher when he takes the mound simply by how aggressively he attacks hitters. He’s struck out about 13 batters per nine innings over his Virginia career, and while there might be some questions about his durability in pro ball because of his size, Abbott has been used frequently in multi-inning stints and on back-to-back days and performed well.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Reds plan with Abbott was to let him settle in and pitch at High-A Dayton for quite a while. Abbott blew up that plan by allowing just two runs in five starts while striking out 40 in 27 innings. He was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga in mid-May and struck out 12 in five innings in his debut, but that level ended up proving to be a tougher test. He struggled until September when he rattled off three straight scoreless starts to end the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Abbott's fastball was good enough to dominate in Class A because of how well he located it, but once Double-A hitters saw Abbott a few times, they realized he didn't have confidence in his changeup and he would rarely come inside with his fastball. Abbott has an average 91-94 mph fastball and low-80s slider, and the slider is more effective now that he's made it a little sweepier. But he is going to need to improve the feel for his below-average mid-80s changeup to give righthanded batters an additional look. Abbott is a strike-thrower with plus control.
  
  The Future: Abbott finished the season strong. He will likely return to Chattanooga to prove he's conquered the level, but if he does, Louisville should be calling before long. He's a back-of-the-rotation starter with a smart, cerebral and even-keeled approach.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 40. Control: 60.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Reds plan with Abbott was to let him settle in and pitch at High-A Dayton for quite a while. Abbott blew up that plan by allowing just two runs in five starts while striking out 40 in 27 innings. He was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga in mid-May and struck out 12 in five innings in his debut, but that level ended up proving to be a tougher test. He struggled until September when he rattled off three straight scoreless starts to end the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Abbott's fastball was good enough to dominate in Class A because of how well he located it, but once Double-A hitters saw Abbott a few times, they realized he didn't have confidence in his changeup and he would rarely come inside with his fastball. Abbott has an average 91-94 mph fastball and low-80s slider, and the slider is more effective now that he's made it a little sweepier. But he is going to need to improve the feel for his below-average mid-80s changeup to give righthanded batters an additional look. Abbott is a strike-thrower with plus control.
  
  The Future: Abbott finished the season strong. He will likely return to Chattanooga to prove he's conquered the level, but if he does, Louisville should be calling before long. He's a back-of-the-rotation starter with a smart, cerebral and even-keeled approach.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 40. Control: 60.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record:: A little lefty, Abbott was coached in high school by an even smaller lefty in seven-time all-star Billy Wagner. Abbott doesn&#39t throw nearly as hard as Wagner, but like Wagner, he was an excellent reliever. Abbott spent three years as a multi-inning, high-leverage reliever at Virginia. He was passed over in the shortened 2020 draft, which gave him a chance to start in 2021. After going 9-6, 2.87 for the Cavaliers, he vaulted into the second round.
  
  Scouting Report: Abbott doesn&#39t have a clear plus pitch, but three average to above-average offerings and plus control give him plenty of chances to compete. Working as a starter gave Abbott a chance to further refine and improve his average changeup, which pairs well with his above-average, high-70s, 12-to-6 curveball. Abbott&#39s fastball has ticked up a little bit to sit 92-93 mph and he will touch 96-97 sporadically. His fastball has solid carry up in the strike zone. All three pitches work well together because he mixes them well. Coaches have long raved about Abbott&#39s competitiveness and he has excellent durability.
  
  The Future: Virginia has had 10 pitchers taken in the top 100 picks this century. Just two—Sean Doolittle and Daniel Lynch—have put down significant roots in the big leagues. Abbott has a chance to be the third, although more likely as a No. 5 starter or multi-inning reliever.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 60. Slider: 50. Control: 60.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: A little lefty, Abbott was coached in high school by an even smaller lefty in seven-time all-star Billy Wagner. Abbott doesn’t throw nearly as hard as Wagner, but like Wagner, he was an excellent reliever. Abbott spent three years as a multi-inning, high-leverage reliever at Virginia. He was passed over in the shortened 2020 draft, which gave him a chance to start in 2021. After going 9-6, 2.87 for the Cavaliers, he vaulted into the second round.
  
  Scouting Report: Abbott doesn’t have a clear plus pitch, but three average to above-average offerings and plus control give him plenty of chances to compete. Working as a starter gave Abbott a chance to further refine and improve his average changeup, which pairs well with his above-average, high-70s, 12-to-6 curveball. Abbott’s fastball has ticked up a little bit to sit 92-93 mph and he will touch 96-97 sporadically. His fastball has solid carry up in the strike zone. All three pitches work well together because he mixes them well. Coaches have long raved about Abbott’s competitiveness and he has excellent durability.
  
  The Future: Virginia has had 10 pitchers taken in the top 100 picks this century. Just two—Sean Doolittle and Daniel Lynch—have put down significant roots in the big leagues. Abbott has a chance to be the third, although more likely as a No. 5 starter or multi-inning reliever.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Abbott ranked as the No. 132 prospect in the 2020 class and was one of many players who expected to hear his name called but got squeezed out of the shortened five-round draft. He might look back one day and be thankful for that, as Abbott has transitioned into Virginia's Friday night role after being an excellent reliever for three years and tremendously improved his draft stock. Abbott posted a 2.85 ERA in 15 starts and 94.2 innings, while sitting near the top of the leaderboard in the country with 142 strikeouts (13.5 K/9) compared to just 29 walks (2.8 BB/9). He doesn't have a classic starter's frame—listed at 6 feet, 180 pounds—but has a solid three-pitch mix fronted by a fastball/curveball combination that has proven lethal in the ACC. Abbott sits around 90-91 mph with his fastball but has been up in the 95-98 mph range a handful of times. The pitch plays up thanks to some of the best riding life in the class, though, and he has some of the best whiff rates against his fastball of any college arm in the class. His go-to secondary is an upper-70s, 12-to-6 breaking ball that plays well off his fastball and is at least an above-average offering and this spring he's more than doubled the usage of a mid-80s changeup that has developed well and gives him a solid third pitch. Abbott was coached by big league reliever Billy Wagner in high school and has the mentality to succeed in the bullpen, but there's no reason a team shouldn't try him out as a starter given his success this spring.