Randal Grichuk

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #4 prospect in 2015
  Taken one spot ahead of Mike Trout by the Angels in the 2009 draft, Grichuk redefined himself as something else entirely for the Cardinals: starting right fielder. The prospect St. Louis landed from Los Angeles in a trade that featured David Freese and Peter Bourjos finished 2014 as the Cardinals' right fielder in October. Power has been Grichuk's signature tool since hitting four homers during the 2004 Little League World Series. Wrist, thumb, and knee injuries robbed Grichuk of at-bats after the draft, but in 2013 he led the Double-A Texas League in extra-base hits with 57. Grichuk earned playing time ahead of Oscar Taveras in the postseason mainly because of his defensive reliability in right field and those flickers of power. He is one of the finer athletes in the organization and his agility gives him the skills for center field. His arm is above-average for that position, catapulting from a lithe strength in the same way the ball does from his bat. Grichuk is not a hulking hitter, just one gifted with bat speed. He'll have to tame his strikeout rate to turn his starts in 2014 into a longer engagement. Though the Cardinals have a starter at all three outfield positions, Grichuk comes to spring with a chance to be a righthanded-hitting alternative in center and right.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #10 prospect in 2014
  Grichuk always will be the guy the Angels took one spot ahead of Mike Trout in the 2009 draft, but he started making his own pro legacy in 2013, first with a career-high 22 home runs in his first crack at Double-A, then in the offseason, when he was traded to the Cardinals. St. Louis insisted on Grichuk's inclusion in the trade that brought Peter Bourjos to St. Louis and sent David Freese to Anaheim. Grichuk's calling card has been power since he hit four home runs during the 2004 Little League World Series, and he led the Texas League in extra-base hits (57) in 2013. The biggest key for Grichuk's success was health. He'd missed time in 2010 and 2011 with thumb, wrist and knee injuries, which limited him to just 117 games in those two seasons combined. He has wiry strength and excellent bat speed that helps him catch up to good fastballs, and while he's aggressive, he's made contact at an acceptable rate for a power hitter. Grichuk could use a bit more patience at the plate and more polish defensively, where he's solid and profiles as an average right fielder with a solid-average arm. He runs enough to man an outfield corner but won't steal many bases. Power is Grichuk's game. Triple-A Memphis should be his first assignment as a Cardinal.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #6 prospect in 2013
  Taken one pick ahead of Mike Trout in the 2009 draft, Grichuk signed for $1.242 million as the 24th overall selection. He battled thumb and wrist injuries in 2010, then hurt both of his knees in 2011. His ability to stay healthy for a full season in 2012 was a step in the right direction, and he nearly doubled his career at-bat total. Grichuk has strong wrists, a quick bat and above-average raw power. His swing can get complicated, but he has made adjustments with his set-up, widening his base and quieting his hands. He wraps his bat, which adds length to his stroke, but he has good hands and accelerates the barrel into contact well. He hits breaking balls when he maintains a gap-to-gap approach, but he's vulnerable to them when he flies open with his swing. He doesn't strike out excessively but needs more discipline at the plate after putting up just a .335 on-base percentage in 2012. Grichuk is coachable and has made huge strides with his defense and baserunning, both of which were poor when he entered pro ball. He's now a reliable right fielder with a solid, accurate arm. Trout and Grichuck are friends, and their proximity in the 2009 draft drives Grichuk to join Trout in the majors. His free-swinging approach will be tested in Double-A in 2013.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #17 prospect in 2012
  Grichuk led the Arizona League with 76 hits after signing for $1.242 million as the 24th overall pick in the 2009 draft, but little has gone right for him since. Injuries have limited him to just 117 games in the last two years. He lost time in 2010 when he tore a ligament in his right thumb in early May and broke his wrist when he ran into an outfield wall in August. His 2011 season got off on the wrong foot when he fouled a ball off his kneecap and cracked it in spring training, and then he sprained the medial collateral ligament in his other knee during a slide in extended spring. He returned to action on July 10 and climbed to high Class A to finish the year. When healthy, Grichuk shows the plus bat speed and strong wrists that got him drafted in the first round, but he needs at-bats to learn to identify breaking balls and iron out his plate discipline. He has the raw pop to hit 25-30 homers annually in the big leagues. Grichuk entered pro ball as a one-dimensional slugger, and he has worked hard to improve his arm strength and defense in right field. Both now grade as average, as does his baserunning. With a clean bill of health, Grichuk is ready to tackle the California League for real in 2012.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #12 prospect in 2011
  Taken with back-to-back picks in the first-round of the 2009 draft, Grichuk and Mike Trout teamed in the Arizona League in their pro debuts. Signed for $1.242 million, Grichuk led the AZL in hits (76) and ranked second in extra-base hits (30), while Trout batted .360. But while Trout ascended to the ranks of the game's elite prospects in 2010, Grichuk got off to a slow start and then tore a ligament in his right thumb in early May while diving back into third base, forcing him to miss nearly two months. He hit much better after returning from the disabled list in August, batting .366/.385/.645 in 93 at-bats. Both before and after the thumb injury, though, Grichuk showed the same undisciplined hitting approach. He did improve at identifying and making contact with offspeed pitches after missing them by a foot at times in 2009 and the start of 2010. Scouts like his bat speed but wonder if the lack of contact and the handsiness of his swing will allow him to hit for high averages. Grichuk's raw power is well above-average, and he appeared more multidimensional last season. His throwing and baserunning had improved to average, though he'll need more work to become average in right field. Grichuk lost further development time right before the Midwest League playoffs when he broke a bone in his left wrist while bracing his hand against the outfield wall to make a defensive play. Wrist injuries are always a concern for power hitters, and Grichuk's future value is predicated on hitting for power--and lots of it. After he played in just 52 games at low Class A, a promotion to begin 2011 is far from a given.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #7 prospect in 2010
  Grichuk thrived on the showcase circuit, bashed 21 homers in 75 at-bats as a high school senior and then dazzled the Angels at a predraft workout. Using the first of its five picks before the second round, Los Angeles selected him 24th overall and signed him quickly for $1.242 million. He led the Arizona League with 76 hits and 10 triples and ranked second with 30 extra-base hits and 53 RBIs in his pro debut. A noted pull hitter in high school--he blasted a 475-foot shot at Tropicana Field during one showcase-- Grichuk showed impressive opposite fielder in his debut. His strong hands and leveraged, quick swing should produce above-average power. His work ethic and passion are quite strong, allaying concerns about his fringe-average range and arm. To hit for average, Grichuk will have to improve his plate discipline and pitch recognition. He'll continue to see a steady diet of breaking balls until he proves he can hit them. He's just a fair athlete who figures to lose a bit of his fringy speed as he ages, so his bat will have to carry the day. Though he played some center field in the AZL, his future is in left. He doesn't look comfortable running the bases and needs to use his legs more in making throws. The Angels view Grichuk as a premium hitter with power. He and fellow first-rounder Mike Trout will advance together to low Class A in 2010 and could form the heart of Los Angeles' lineup of the future.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Texas League #17 prospect in 2013
  Grichuk will long be an answer to a trivia question: Which player was drafted one pick ahead of Mike Trout in 2009? The Angels were spot-on with Trout, but Grichuk didn?t have the same immediate success as he dealt with thumb, wrist and knee injuries in 2010 and ?11. Finally healthy last year, he continued to stay healthy in 2013, when he reached a career-best in home runs. Grichuk?s power at the plate manifested this season, proving that his 2012 season in the hitter-friendly high Class A California League was no fluke. With strong arms, he drove balls in the gaps and got enough lift to hit almost as many home runs (22) as doubles (27). He?ll need to add walks to his profile to get the most out of his raw hitting ability, but he shows enough balance and bat control to hit .260 or better in the big leagues. Playing mostly right field and some center, Grichuk showed an average arm but covered enough territory to easily profile on a corner. Scouts remarked that Grichuck didn?t let his good athletic frame sit idle. He hustled and played the game hard, and seemed to be focused through nine innings.
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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #5 prospect in 2009
  The first of the Angels' five picks before the second round in the 2009 draft, Grichuk went one spot ahead of Trout. He had a reputation as a pull hitter in high school but used the entire field and showed power to both gaps in the AZL. Grichuk batted .322, led the league with 76 hits and 10 triples and ranked second with 30 extra-base hits. Power is his calling card, and it was first evident when he led the 2004 Little League World Series with four homers. He can get overly aggressive at the plate (hence his 64-9 strikeout-walk ratio), but he has strong hands and good bat speed. Grichuk isn't a bad athlete, but his bat will have to carry him. His speed and arm strength are fringy, which probably will limit him to left field. He can improve his throwing mechanics, which may allow him to shift to right.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Taken one pick ahead of Mike Trout in the 2009 draft, Grichuk signed for $1.242 million as the 24th overall selection. He battled thumb and wrist injuries in 2010, then hurt both of his knees in 2011. His ability to stay healthy for a full season in 2012 was a step in the right direction, and he nearly doubled his career at-bat total. Scouting Report: Grichuk has strong wrists, a quick bat and above-average raw power. His swing can get complicated, but he has made adjustments with his set-up, widening his base and quieting his hands. He wraps his bat, which adds length to his stroke, but he has good hands and accelerates the barrel into contact well. He hits breaking balls when he maintains a gap-to-gap approach, but he's vulnerable to them when he flies open with his swing. He doesn't strike out excessively but needs more discipline at the plate after putting up just a .335 on-base percentage in 2012. Grichuk is coachable and has made huge strides with his defense and baserunning, both of which were poor when he entered pro ball. He's now a reliable right fielder with a solid, accurate arm. The Future: Trout and Grichuck are friends, and their proximity in the 2009 draft drives Grichuk to join Trout in the majors. His free-swinging approach will be tested in Double-A in 2013.