Brad Boxberger

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #15 prospect in 2013
  The third prospect acquired by the Padres from the Reds--along with Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal--in the trade that sent Mat Latos to Cincinnati before the 2012 season, Boxberger served three tours of duty in San Diego in 2012, each one more successful than the last. During his September callup, he fanned 13 in 12 innings, while allowing five walks and a .150 opponent average. As a Reds farmhand, Boxberger learned the virtue of not overthrowing and maintaining a consistent arm slot, but the lesson seemed to take only after initial struggles at a new level of competition. San Diego hopes history repeats for Boxberger, who struck out 10.7 batters per nine innings but also walked 5.9 per nine as a major league rookie. He uses a 91-93 mph fastball that features sharp cutting action and tops out near 95, and he favors a changeup almost to the exclusion of an average slider. The change of pace generates the highest percentage of swings and misses, but the Padres would like to see Boxberger incorporate his slider more frequently and continue to pitch as aggressively as he did in September, when he went right after batters with his fastball. If he can keep the baserunners in check, he can be an important part of San Diego's bullpen because he has strikeout stuff.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #10 prospect in 2012
  Rod Boxberger was the College World Series MVP and a first-round pick in 1978, and his son nearly matched his draft status 21 years later. Signed for $857,000 as the 43rd overall pick in 2009, Brad fell apart after a midseason promotion and move to the bullpen in 2010. Once he stopped overthrowing in an attempt to rush to the big leagues, he progressed to Triple-A in 2011. Boxberger has learned that when he throws with less effort, his stuff is crisper and he can find the strike zone more consistently. It also helps him maintain his release point, which he lost in 2010. Boxberger's success depends mostly on a 92-95 mph fastball that has sharp cutting action. His average slider is effective when he throws it for strikes. He also throws a fringy changeup but doesn't need it much in his relief role. He also threw a spike curveball when he was a starter, but he has junked it since moving to the bullpen. Boxberger's control deserted him in Triple-A and has been an issue during his two years in pro ball. If he can throw strikes like he did in the Arizona Fall League, he has a good chance to earn a big league bullpen job in spring training. He profiles as a set-up man who could close in the right situation.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #18 prospect in 2011
  When the Reds drafted Boxberger out of Southern California, they planned on using the same approach they had mapped out for Zach Stewart in his first professional season--half the season in the rotation, then to the bullpen to limit his innings. It worked out with Stewart, who was traded to the Blue Jays in the Scott Rolen deal, but didn't go nearly as well with Boxberger. The son of 1978 College World Series MVP Rod Boxberger, Brad showed excellent stuff in the first half of the season in high Class A. He used a 91-93 mph fastball, an average slider and an improving changeup to rank among the Carolina League's ERA leaders at the time of his promotion. At that point, his season fell apart. When he moved up and into the pen, Boxberger tried too much to blow his fastball past hitters. He lost the feel for his slider and changeup, dropped his release point and struggled to throw strikes. He allowed at least one earned run in his first 10 Double-A appearances. Boxberger started to regain his stuff in the final weeks of the season and looked better in instructional league, but he has to prove that he can maintain his stuff over a full season. He'll return to Carolina, this time in the rotation.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #9 prospect in 2010
  Boxberger followed in his father Rod's footsteps by pitching at Southern California, for whom his dad was the College World Series MVP in 1978. He nearly emulated his dad as a first-round pick as well, going 43rd overall in the 2009 draft and signing at the Aug. 17 deadline for $857,000. Boxberger has the best fastball in the system. He sat at 91-93 mph as a starter and worked at 94-96 mph as a reliever in college. He has the makings of four pitches, with his slightly above-average slider his second-best offering. He also throws a spike curveball and is developing feel for a changeup. There's a lot of debate in scouting circles whether Boxberger profiles better in the rotation or bullpen. Like they did with since-traded Zach Stewart, the Reds will give him a chance to succeed as a starter. In that role, his velocity sometimes dips to 88-91 mph in later innings and he tends to battle his command. He hasn't proven yet that he can command his curve well enough to make pro hitters take it seriously. If Boxberger moved to the pen, his fastball would pave the way for a quick trip to the big leagues. After getting his feet wet in the Arizona Fall League, Boxberger is polished enough to begin 2010 in high Class A.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Rod Boxberger was the College World Series MVP and a first-round pick in 1978, and his son nearly matched his draft status 21 years later. Signed for $857,000 as the 43rd overall pick in 2009, Brad fell apart after a midseason promotion and move to the bullpen in 2010. Once he stopped overthrowing in an attempt to rush to the big leagues, he progressed to Triple-A in 2011. Scouting Report: Boxberger has learned that when he throws with less effort, his stuff is crisper and he can find the strike zone more consistently. It also helps him maintain his release point, which he lost in 2010. Boxberger's success depends mostly on a 92-95 mph fastball that has sharp cutting action. His average slider is effective when he throws it for strikes. He also throws a fringy changeup but doesn't need it much in his relief role. He also threw a spike curveball as a starter, but he has junked it since moving to the bullpen. The Future: Boxberger's struggled with walks in Triple-A and has been an issue during his two years in pro ball. If he can throw strikes like he did in the Arizona Fall League, he has a good chance to earn a big league bullpen job in spring training. He profiles as a set-up man who could close in the right situation.