Chris Ellis Stats & Scouting Report

IP	64.1
ERA	9.09
WHIP	1.9
BB/9	6.3
SO/9	6.16

Full name Christopher John Ellis
Born 09/22/1992 in Birmingham, AL
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Mississippi
Debut 03/31/2019
Drafted in the 3rd round (88th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2014 (signed for $575,000).

View Draft Report

The Dodgers drafted Ellis in the 50th round in 2011 out of Birmingham's Spain Park High, and Ellis had a strong freshman season for Ole Miss after not signing. He struggled as a sophomore (5.57 ERA, 21 IP) as the Rebels' season spun out of control, but he made up for lost time with 38 innings for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League. Ellis seized the Friday starter role for Ole Miss in the fall and has gone to the post every week, winning all five of his decisions in Southeastern Conference play through eight league starts. At his best, Ellis pitches with a 90-93 mph fastball that reaches 95, and he uses a high arm slot to deliver a hard curveball at 81-82 mph that earns some raves, though most scouts consider both pitches above-average rather than true plus. At 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Ellis has a good pitcher's body, but his high slot tends to limit the life on his fastball and average changeup. He has solid control but lacks precise command and hasn't learned to finish hitters yet, leading to a pedestrian 5.7 K/9 ratio. He profiles as a No. 4 starter.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

A season that already had a few wrinkles gained another in November when, for a second time in less than 12 months, Ellis was traded. Acquired by Atlanta from the Angels as part of the Andrelton Simmons deal following the 2015 campaign, Ellis was one of three players sent to the Cardinals for lefty Jaime Garcia. Ellis had a tale of two half-seasons in 2016. The righthander had a stellar showing in the Southern League, where he limited opposing hitters to a .201 average. It was a different story after joining Gwinnett in mid-June. Ellis walked 52 batters and hit seven others in 67 2/3 innings. At his best, Ellis works off his fastball and slider and tries to keep hitters honest with his changeup. His fastball sits at 91-92 mph and has solid movement. His mid-80s power slider is a swing-and-miss pitch, but he can lose its feel. Ellis was a reliever at Ole Miss before moving to the rotation in his final season and guiding the Rebels to the College World Series. Many scouts believe as the Cardinals do that Ellis' future is in the pen, a new role that could come with a new organization in 2017.
Ellis transformed from reliever to Southeastern Conference ace as a junior at Mississippi in 2014, finishing third in the country in starts as the workhorse for the Rebels' first College World Series team in 42 years. After signing Ellis for $575,000, the Angels eased him into pro ball before pushing him hard in 2015, when they started him at high Class A Inland Empire and promoted him to Double-A Arkansas for the second half. Los Angeles traded him and lefthander Sean Newcomb to the Braves in the November 2015 Andrelton Simmons deal. Ellis had a solid if unspectacular three-pitch mix as a starter. His fastball has touched 95 mph and sits in the 90-94 range, usually in the lower end of that register, but has solid sink and some angle as well. His slider is more notable for its 82-84 mph power than its consistency, but it has flashed plus at its best, helping his lead the high Class A California League in strikeouts at the time of his promotion. He improved the fade and life on his changeup in the first half, helping the pitch grade solid-average as well. While he's not a pure strike-thrower, he also isn't afraid to challenge hitters with his best stuff. He has a clean arm and held up well over a challenging first-year workload. Ellis has polish to add, such as learning to hold runners, to reach his No. 3 starter's ceiling. With the Braves' newfound depth, he could consolidate last season's gains by opening 2016 near his old college stomping grounds at Double-A Mississippi.
Originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 50th round out of high school, Ellis instead headed to Mississippi, pitching out of the bullpen and battling an abdominal strain that interrupted his sophomore season. After a successful summer in the Cape Cod League, he became the Rebels' Friday-night starter in 2014, helping them reach the College World Series while becoming a third-round pick. He signed for $575,000. Ellis has a good pitcher's body that gives his pitches downward angle. His live, sinking fastball, which gets up to 95 mph and sits at 90-92 when working as a starter, runs in on batters. He throws a sharp-breaking, hard slider at 83-85 mph, which gets power from his high-three-quarters arm slot, and he's toyed with a slider in the past that he may add again as a pro. Ellis' 79-81 mph changeup also is an above-average pitch with good fade. He has enough feel and confidence to throw his changeup to both lefthanders and righthanders. He showed durability as a junior in his first full season as a starter. The Angels hope to keep Ellis in the rotation, and he profiles as a No. 3 or 4 starter. After being handled carefully in his pro debut at Rookie-level Orem, where he worked no more than three innings per appearance, he'll debut in full-season ball in 2015, probably at low Class A Burlington.

Draft Prospects

The Dodgers drafted Ellis in the 50th round in 2011 out of Birmingham's Spain Park High, and Ellis had a strong freshman season for Ole Miss after not signing. He struggled as a sophomore (5.57 ERA, 21 IP) as the Rebels' season spun out of control, but he made up for lost time with 38 innings for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League. Ellis seized the Friday starter role for Ole Miss in the fall and has gone to the post every week, winning all five of his decisions in Southeastern Conference play through eight league starts. At his best, Ellis pitches with a 90-93 mph fastball that reaches 95, and he uses a high arm slot to deliver a hard curveball at 81-82 mph that earns some raves, though most scouts consider both pitches above-average rather than true plus. At 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Ellis has a good pitcher's body, but his high slot tends to limit the life on his fastball and average changeup. He has solid control but lacks precise command and hasn't learned to finish hitters yet, leading to a pedestrian 5.7 K/9 ratio. He profiles as a No. 4 starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

Ellis led the Cal League with 70 strikeouts at the time the Angels promoted him to Double-A Arkansas in early June. He's a polished college righthander who mastered the biggest key to succeeding in the unforgiving Cal League--keeping the ball down. Ellis pounds the lower half of the zone, and both sides of the plate, with fastballs that range 92-94 mph. "When he's on the mound, he's not afraid," Inland Empire manager Denny Hocking said. "He's very confident in his ability. He just wants to attack hitters." Ellis' projectable slider has nice shape and late bite when he's got it going well, though it was inconsistent at times with Inland. His changeup is fringy but also has the makings of a third average pitch. He's got an athletic build and an easy delivery, which is key to his strike-throwing ability.

Career Transactions

Reno Aces released RHP Chris Ellis.
RHP Chris Ellis assigned to Reno Aces.
Reno Aces activated RHP Chris Ellis.
Arizona Diamondbacks signed free agent RHP Chris Ellis to a minor league contract.