Cory Abbott Stats & Scouting Report

IP	3
ERA	9
WHIP	2
BB/9	6
SO/9	6

Full name Cory James Abbott
Born 09/20/1995 in San Diego, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 217 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Loyola Marymount
Debut 06/05/2021
Drafted in the 2nd round (67th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2017 (signed for $901,900).

View Draft Report

Abbott was a generic college righthander coming into the year, but learned a slider grip after watching video of Noah Syndergaard and rocketed to new heights. With his new slider proving to be unhittable almost immediately, Abbott pitched the first perfect game in Loyola Marymount history against BYU on March 25 and put together one the most impressive seasons in the country, going 11-1, 1.58 with 119 strikeouts and 25 walks in 91.1 innings in the regular season. Abbot's fastball sits 90-93 mph and his 86-88 mph slider draws average grades for its velocity and movement, but both play way up with deception. Abbott moved to the third base side of the rubber and features both a leg kick and slight turn of his back, hiding the ball well and making it difficult to pick up. With a strong 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame two pitches that play above-average and a dominant season on his resume, Abbott is a candidate to go in the top five rounds.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: Abbott pitched the first perfect game in Loyola Marymount history and shot up draft boards to the second round in 2017, where the Cubs picked him 67th overall. He led the Double-A Southern League in strikeouts in 2019, but he took a step back during the coronavirus shutdown and struggled at both the alternate training site and instructional league. His struggles continued in 2021 with a 5.91 ERA at Triple-A and a 6.75 ERA in his major league debut.

Scouting Report: Abbott relies on precision more than stuff. His fastball is a fringy pitch that sits 92 mph and plays on the edges of the strike zone, but it gets crushed when he leaves it over the plate. His best pitch is a short, above-average 86-89 mph slider that gets swings and misses both in and out of the zone. His vertical mid-80s curveball is an average pitch with solid depth and he rounds out his arsenal with a rarely-used, below-average changeup. Despite his lack of big stuff, Abbott racks up strikeouts with his ability to locate to both sides of the plate. He has average control.

The Future: Abbott will likely settle in as a swingman but has an outside chance to be a back-of-the-rotation starter. He’ll return to the majors in 2022.
TRACK RECORD: Abbott didn't attract much attention in college until he learned a new slider grip from watching videos of Noah Syndergaard. Armed with his new slider, Abbott became an All-American his junior year and threw the first perfect game in Loyola Marymount history. The Cubs drafted him 67th overall and signed him for just over $900,000. Abbott continued his ascent in pro ball and led the Double-A Southern League in strikeouts in 2019. He spent 2020 at the Cubs' alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: Abbott's success starts with his slider. It's a short, firm offering at 86-88 mph he commands to both sides of the plate. Lefties struggle with the break and righties don't pick it up out of his slightly crossfire delivery, allowing Abbott to get both swings and misses and called strikes with it. He also has a hard, 12-to-6 curveball that gets batters swinging over the top. Abbott's fastball sits 90-92 mph and tops out at 94, but it plays well up in the zone with an elevated spin rate. His changeup is a nonfactor. Abbott is competitive, durable and adjusts quickly. He commands all his pitches and moves the ball around the strike zone.

THE FUTURE: Abbott is in line for his major league debut in 2021. He projects as a solid, durable starter or swingman.
TRACK RECORD: Abbott's draft stock took off after he watched a video of Mets ace Noah Syndergaard throwing his slider and began replicating the pitch. He threw a perfect game in 2017 at Loyola Marymount, then was selected by the Cubs in the second round. He mastered both Class A levels in his first full season as a pro, then rung up 166 strikeouts at Double-A in 2019. That figure ranked 11th in the minor leagues and tops among Cubs farmhands.

SCOUTING REPORT: Abbott starts his arsenal with a fastball in the 89-93 mph range that can touch a few ticks higher when needed. The pitch is commanded well and has the characteristics to get swings and misses up in the zone. He backs it up with a hard curveball with 12-to-6 break that he uses to tunnel off of his fastball. He still uses the slider, which has the potential to be an above-average pitch with cutterish break, as a way to give hitters a look at something that breaks from east to west. His changeup is present but is a clear fourth pitch that needs further polish before it can project even as average. He's made considerable improvements to his body, especially his lower half, and the Cubs are fans of the cerebral, competitive mentality he brings to the mound.

THE FUTURE: After finding success in the Southern League, Abbott will move to the hitter's Hades of the Pacific Coast League in 2020. He has the upside of a back-end starter.
Track Record: Abbott's stock rose during his junior year at Loyola Marymount after watching a video of Noah Syndergaard explaining how he throws his slider. He copied those instructions and saw his own slider take off as a result. He threw a perfect game on March 25, and shot all the way to the second round. He got his feet wet at short-season Eugene in 2017 before earning the organization's pitcher of the year honors in 2018.

Scouting Report: Abbott starts his mix with a low-90s fastball with heavy sink that he commands to all sectors of the zone. He pairs the pitch with a short, late-breaking slider in the mid-80s that he uses to get the bulk of his swings and misses. The pitch grades as a 60 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. His changeup, which he throws in the 83-85 mph range, shows flashes of a plus offering as well. He also throws a below-average curveball that's more of a get-me-over pitch at this point. He throws all four pitches for strikes and fills up the zone with aplomb. His 2.50 ERA was the best in the organization and his 131 strikeouts were second behind Matt Swarmer.

The Future: Abbott should head to Double-A Tennessee in 2019 and has the upside of a No. 4 starter.
Abbott was a key recruit for Loyola Marymount and pitched regularly for the Lions for his first two seasons before having a first-team All-America season as a junior. In late March, he threw the first perfect game in school history en route to an 11-2, 1.74 season. He ranked 10th in the country in ERA and strikeouts (130 in 98.1 innings), and he was the 67th overall pick in the draft. Abbott hadn't pitched for three weeks before signing and was slowly built up before his five short starts as a pro. He threw quality strikes with short-season Eugene, though he didn't have his sharp predraft stuff after his time off. Abbott took off this year after studying video of Noah Syndergaard, adopting his slider grip and suddenly throwing 85-88 mph sliders that earn average grades. He hides the ball in his delivery with a hip turn, and his slider and 89-93 mph fastball both play above-average with his deception and command. Abbott will have to throw his changeup more as a pro to gain conviction in it. Old for his draft class, Abbott has the command to potentially earn a spot at high Class A Myrtle Beach.

Draft Prospects

Abbott was a generic college righthander coming into the year, but learned a slider grip after watching video of Noah Syndergaard and rocketed to new heights. With his new slider proving to be unhittable almost immediately, Abbott pitched the first perfect game in Loyola Marymount history against BYU on March 25 and put together one the most impressive seasons in the country, going 11-1, 1.58 with 119 strikeouts and 25 walks in 91.1 innings in the regular season. Abbot's fastball sits 90-93 mph and his 86-88 mph slider draws average grades for its velocity and movement, but both play way up with deception. Abbott moved to the third base side of the rubber and features both a leg kick and slight turn of his back, hiding the ball well and making it difficult to pick up. With a strong 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame two pitches that play above-average and a dominant season on his resume, Abbott is a candidate to go in the top five rounds.

Best Tools List

Rated Best Slider in the Chicago Cubs in 2020
Rated Best Control in the Chicago Cubs in 2019

Scouting Reports

Track Record: Abbott pitched the first perfect game in Loyola Marymount history and shot up draft boards to the second round in 2017, where the Cubs picked him 67th overall. He led the Double-A Southern League in strikeouts in 2019, but he took a step back during the coronavirus shutdown and struggled at both the alternate training site and instructional league. His struggles continued in 2021 with a 5.91 ERA at Triple-A and a 6.75 ERA in his major league debut.

Scouting Report: Abbott relies on precision more than stuff. His fastball is a fringy pitch that sits 92 mph and plays on the edges of the strike zone, but it gets crushed when he leaves it over the plate. His best pitch is a short, above-average 86-89 mph slider that gets swings and misses both in and out of the zone. His vertical mid-80s curveball is an average pitch with solid depth and he rounds out his arsenal with a rarely-used, below-average changeup. Despite his lack of big stuff, Abbott racks up strikeouts with his ability to locate to both sides of the plate. He has average control.

The Future: Abbott will likely settle in as a swingman but has an outside chance to be a back-of-the-rotation starter. He’ll return to the majors in 2022.
TRACK RECORD: Abbott didn't attract much attention in college until he learned a new slider grip from watching videos of Noah Syndergaard. Armed with his new slider, Abbott became an All-American his junior year and threw the first perfect game in Loyola Marymount history. The Cubs drafted him 67th overall and signed him for just over $900,000. Abbott continued his ascent in pro ball and led the Double-A Southern League in strikeouts in 2019. He spent 2020 at the Cubs' alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: Abbott's success starts with his slider. It's a short, firm offering at 86-88 mph he commands to both sides of the plate. Lefties struggle with the break and righties don't pick it up out of his slightly crossfire delivery, allowing Abbott to get both swings and misses and called strikes with it. He also has a hard, 12-to-6 curveball that gets batters swinging over the top. Abbott's fastball sits 90-92 mph and tops out at 94, but it plays well up in the zone with an elevated spin rate. His changeup is a nonfactor. Abbott is competitive, durable and adjusts quickly. He commands all his pitches and moves the ball around the strike zone.

THE FUTURE: Abbott is in line for his major league debut in 2021. He projects as a solid, durable starter or swingman.
TRACK RECORD: Abbott didn't attract much attention in college until he learned a new slider grip from watching videos of Noah Syndergaard. Armed with his new slider, Abbott became an All-American his junior year and threw the first perfect game in Loyola Marymount history. The Cubs drafted him 67th overall and signed him for just over $900,000. Abbott continued his ascent in pro ball and led the Double-A Southern League in strikeouts in 2019. He spent 2020 at the Cubs' alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: Abbott's success starts with his slider. It's a short, firm offering at 86-88 mph he commands to both sides of the plate. Lefties struggle with the break and righties don't pick it up out of his slightly crossfire delivery, allowing Abbott to get both swings and misses and called strikes with it. He also has a hard, 12-to-6 curveball that gets batters swinging over the top. Abbott's fastball sits 90-92 mph and tops out at 94, but it plays well up in the zone with an elevated spin rate. His changeup is a nonfactor. Abbott is competitive, durable and adjusts quickly. He commands all his pitches and moves the ball around the strike zone.

THE FUTURE: Abbott is in line for his major league debut in 2021. He projects as a solid, durable starter or swingman.
TRACK RECORD: Abbott didn't attract much attention in college until he learned a new slider grip from watching videos of Noah Syndergaard. Armed with his new slider, Abbott became an All-American his junior year and threw the first perfect game in Loyola Marymount history. The Cubs drafted him 67th overall and signed him for just over $900,000. Abbott continued his ascent in pro ball and led the Double-A Southern League in strikeouts in 2019. He spent 2020 at the Cubs' alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: Abbott's success starts with his slider. It's a short, firm offering at 86-88 mph he commands to both sides of the plate. Lefties struggle with the break and righties don't pick it up out of his slightly crossfire delivery, allowing Abbott to get both swings and misses and called strikes with it. He also has a hard, 12-to-6 curveball that gets batters swinging over the top. Abbott's fastball sits 90-92 mph and tops out at 94, but it plays well up in the zone with an elevated spin rate. His changeup is a nonfactor. Abbott is competitive, durable and adjusts quickly. He commands all his pitches and moves the ball around the strike zone.

THE FUTURE: Abbott is in line for his major league debut in 2021. He projects as a solid, durable starter or swingman.
TRACK RECORD: Abbott’s draft stock took off after he watched a video of Mets ace Noah Syndergaard throwing his slider and began replicating the pitch. He threw a perfect game in 2017 at Loyola Marymount, then was selected by the Cubs in the second round. He mastered both Class A levels in his first full season as a pro, then rung up 166 strikeouts at Double-A in 2019. That figure ranked 11th in the minor leagues and tops among Cubs farmhands.

SCOUTING REPORT: Abbott starts his arsenal with a fastball in the 89-93 mph range that can touch a few ticks higher when needed. The pitch is commanded well and has the characteristics to get swings and misses up in the zone. He backs it up with a hard curveball with 12-to-6 break that he uses to tunnel off of his fastball. He still uses the slider, which has the potential to be an above-average pitch with cutterish break, as a way to give hitters a look at something that breaks from east to west. His changeup is present but is a clear fourth pitch that needs further polish before it can project even as average. He’s made considerable improvements to his body, especially his lower half, and the Cubs are fans of the cerebral, competitive mentality he brings to the mound.

THE FUTURE: After finding success in the Southern League, Abbott will move to the hitter’s Hades of the Pacific Coast League in 2020. He has the upside of a back-end starter.
TRACK RECORD: Abbott's draft stock took off after he watched a video of Mets ace Noah Syndergaard throwing his slider and began replicating the pitch. He threw a perfect game in 2017 at Loyola Marymount, then was selected by the Cubs in the second round. He mastered both Class A levels in his first full season as a pro, then rung up 166 strikeouts at Double-A in 2019. That figure ranked 11th in the minor leagues and tops among Cubs farmhands.

SCOUTING REPORT: Abbott starts his arsenal with a fastball in the 89-93 mph range that can touch a few ticks higher when needed. The pitch is commanded well and has the characteristics to get swings and misses up in the zone. He backs it up with a hard curveball with 12-to-6 break that he uses to tunnel off of his fastball. He still uses the slider, which has the potential to be an above-average pitch with cutterish break, as a way to give hitters a look at something that breaks from east to west. His changeup is present but is a clear fourth pitch that needs further polish before it can project even as average. He's made considerable improvements to his body, especially his lower half, and the Cubs are fans of the cerebral, competitive mentality he brings to the mound.

THE FUTURE: After finding success in the Southern League, Abbott will move to the hitter's Hades of the Pacific Coast League in 2020. He has the upside of a back-end starter.