Drew Gagnon Stats & Scouting Report

IP	35
ERA	7.457
WHIP	1.743
BB/9	3.086
SO/9	6.429

Full name Andrew M. Gagnon
Born 06/26/1990 in Columbia, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Long Beach State
Debut 07/10/2018
Drafted in the 3rd round (100th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011 (signed for $340,000).

View Draft Report

Though he has yet to post a winning season in college, Gagnon has improved each year at Long Beach, lowering his ERA from 6.28 to 3.28 to 2.80. He showed good feel for pitching in the Cape Cod League last summer, leading the circuit with five wins, and he carried that momentum into his junior year. Gagnon has a prototypical 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame and an easy arm action, but his delivery can get a bit too mechanical at times, and scouts would like to see him loosen up and just throw. He pitches heavily off a lively 90-93 mph fastball that has peaked at 94 this spring, and he pounds both sides of the strike zone with it. Gagnon has worked to improve his feel for his breaking stuff, as he throws both a slider and a curveball, and for much of his career they tended to blend into each other. At his best, he shows a 79-82 hammer curveball and an 82-85 slider, each with distinct shapes. His 82-85 changeup is also an average pitch. Gagnon is still learning to put hitters away with his secondary stuff (he has 183 strikeouts in 245 career innings) and still learning to win, but he has the ingredients to be a workhorse mid- to late-rotation starter in the big leagues.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Brewers were anxious to see how Gagnon would bounce back from a shaky 2013 season in which he struggled at both high Class A Brevard County and Double-A Huntsville. He had trouble controlling the ball, averaging nearly 4.0 walks per nine innings. Back at Huntsville in 2014, his control improved, with a 1.29 WHIP and .239 opponent average. The athletic Gagnon was a workhorse, ranking among the Southern League leaders in innings (155) and strikeouts (118). He uses an 88-92 mph fastball with good life and pounds the bottom of the zone. Gagnon's curveball is tough on righthanders and he did a better job of commanding it. He mixes in a fringe-average changeup with good arm action and also regularly uses a cutter to keep lefthanders off his fastball. He is prone to home runs because he pitches with little margin for error if he misses his spot in the zone. The lack of a plus pitch limits Gagnon's ceiling to back-end starter, and he faces a probable shift to the bullpen. His next stop will be Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2015.
After a strong 2012 season at two levels of Class A ball in 2012, Gagnon appeared primed for good things in 2013. Instead, he struggled upon returning to high Class A Brevard, didn't fare any better after moving up to Double-A Huntsville and was plagued by command issues throughout, averaging nearly four walks per nine innings. That was unusual for Gagnon, who when at his best pounds the zone with good life on an 88-92 mph fastball. His curveball can be tough on righthanders, but he was more erratic with it in 2013. Gagnon throws his fringe-average changeup with good arm action, and he mixes in a cutter that can be effective. He doesn't have the large margin for error of a power pitcher, and more experienced Double-A hitters took advantage, lighting him up for a 5.57 ERA and 12 homers in 16 starts. The lack of plus pitch limits Gagnon's ceiling to back-of-the-rotation starter. He probably will return to Huntsville to begin 2014.
Ten former Long Beach State pitchers saw big league action in 2012, and Gagnon is on his way to joining their ranks. He went through a dead-arm stage after signing for $340,000 as a third-round pick in 2011 and got roughed up in Rookie ball. He threw much better in instructional league that fall and found his groove last season at two Class A stops. Gagnon pounds the strike zone, walking few hitters and inducing early count outs. He has good life on an 88-92 mph fastball and has the ability to reach back for a little extra velocity when needed. He has abandoned a slider to go with a more conventional curveball that he regularly throws for strikes. His changeup still needs work but he delivers it with good arm speed, and he dabbles with a cutter that can be effective. Gagnon has a strong mound presence and knows how to set up hitters. He continued to perform after a midseason promotion to Brevard County and could be ready for Double-A in 2013. His lack of a plus pitch limits his ceiling, but he could be a very solid back-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues.
Gagnon went just 12-24 in three seasons at Long Beach State, but he improved each season and showed a truer glimpse of his potential when he led the Cape Cod League with five wins in the summer of 2010. A third-round pick last June, he went through a dead-arm stage after signing for $340,000 and got roughed up in his pro debut. He threw much better in instructional league and will be ready for Class A ball in 2012. Gagnon has good life on a 90-93 mph fastball that reaches 95 at times. He had issues in the past with his curveball and slider blending into a slurve, but he showed a quality 79-82 mph curve in instructional league. He also has an average changeup, though he's still learning how to put hitters away with his secondary pitches. Gagnon has good mound presence and likes to attack hitters with his fastball. The Brewers envision him become a workhorse who could fit in the No. 4 slot in a rotation.