Christopher Gruler
| IP | 92 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.087 |
| WHIP | 1.543 |
| BB/9 | 5.576 |
| SO/9 | 6.946 |
- Full name Christopher R Gruler
- Born 09/11/1983 in Cedar Rapids, IA
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Liberty Union
-
Drafted in the 1st round (3rd overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2002 (signed for $2,500,000).
View Draft Report
Gruler became the area's best draft prospect as he continued to get better through the spring. He thrived in his final start in front of nine members of the Reds' front office and scouts from several teams in the top 10, pumping 95 mph heat in the seventh inning. He sits in the 91-94 mph range, touching 94-95. He's been as high as 96-97 mph and his two-seamer has good riding life. His best pitch is a 12-to-6 hammer curveball that he spins for strikes, and he's shown a feel for a changeup and an occasional splitter. While his stuff has drawn comparisons to Denham, last year's top prep pitcher in Northern California, Gruler's mechanics are more advanced, and overall he's a more polished product. Scouts also like his mental toughness and makeup. He played on a weak high school team and wasn't fazed when mistakes were made behind him. Rated as a fringe first-rounder last summer when he threw in the high 80s, Gruler won't make it out of the top 10 now, and maybe not the top five.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
For Cincinnati fans who follow the draft, Gruler is a painful reminder of a missed opportunity. The Reds held the No. 3 pick in the 2002 draft, and Gruler's excellent workout and strong finish to the spring season swung the organization to pick him instead of Scott Kazmir. Three years later Kazmir is the top lefthanded pitching prospect in the game, while Gruler is fighting his way back from shoulder surgery performed in April 2003. Gruler had both a torn labrum and rotator cuff, requiring a long year of rehab. He hasn't regained his pre-injury stuff, which included an 89-95 mph fastball and a plus curveball. His command hasn't come back either, but he was pain-free and pushing 90 mph in instructional league. His fall performance and relative youth (21) make him more likely to return from his injury than other top Reds pitching prospects who have gone down, including lefthanders Phil Dumatrait and Ty Howington and righty Bobby Basham. None of those three pitched in 2004. Cincinnati's immediate goal is for Gruler to turn in a full, healthy 2005 season in low Class A. -
Rated as the Reds' top prospect entering 2003, Gruler never got the chance to build on that status. He was shut down with a sore shoulder during instructional league in 2002, but after an offseason of rest and rehab was pronounced ready for Dayton's rotation. After three disastrous starts, he had season-ending shoulder surgery. Reds special adviser Johnny Bench compared Gruler's stuff to Tom Seaver's after a predraft workout in 2002. He worked with a free and easy arm action and polished delivery, making his shoulder injury all the more surprising and frustrating. He generates 89-95 mph heat when healthy, and his hard curveball ranked among the best in the system. He's a hard worker, which will help in his comeback. Gruler has been healthy enough to tally just 50 pro innings. He's had little time to work on his changeup. When he returns, it may take time before he's as sharp as he was during his debut. Gruler has to prove his arm is sound. He has had only one minor setback with tendinitis, though his rehab will continue into the 2004 season. He should take the mound in low Class A by May. -
The Reds' scouting contingent was split on which high school pitcher to draft with the third overall pick in 2002: Gruler or Scott Kazmir. Then-scouting director Kasey McKeon led the Kazmir bandwagon, but he was outnumbered. The consensus in the game was that Kazmir had a higher ceiling, but his price tag was considered much higher as well. Gruler, who got a club-record $2.5 million bonus, wasn't purely a signability pick, though. After his predraft workout in Cinergy Field, Johnny Bench said Gruler's breaking ball and changeup were better than Tom Seaver's. Gruler's stock soared in the months leading up to the draft, as his velocity increased from the upper 80s to the mid-90s. With nine Reds scouts on hand for his final prep start, he hit 95 mph in the seventh inning. He finished with a 4-3, 1.49 record for a poor team, showing his dominance by fanning 135 in 66 innings. Upon reporting to Rookie-level Billings, Gruler was shut down after his first start as a minor precaution. He threw pain-free for the rest of the season, highlighted by six no-hit innings in the low Class A Midwest League. But he experienced shoulder soreness during instructional league and doctors discovered fraying in his rotator cuff. Instead of having surgery, Gruler was ordered not to throw for two months and concentrated on rebuilding his shoulder strength. Gruler already has two plus pitches to go with a clean and effortless delivery. His fastball explodes out of his hand and he consistently pumped 89-94 mph fastballs with boring action in on righties. He snaps off nasty curveballs from the same arm slot, generating hard downward bite through the zone. While he toyed with a splitter in high school, Gruler shelved it in favor of a changeup. He has been a sponge since signing, soaking up knowledge from veteran pitching instructor Sammy Ellis and video work. The biggest hurdle for Gruler to overcome is his rotator-cuff injury. The fear is that while he has avoided surgery for now, an operation is inevitable. As for his arsenal, he needs to hone the command of his fastball and continue to develop his changeup. Gruler's shoulder ailment could keep him out of action until May, and the Reds will monitor his pitch counts closely. Provided he returns at full strength, he'll likely return to low Class A Dayton after a stint in extended spring training. He should move fast starting in 2004.
