Josh Fleming

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #24 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Fleming led all Division III pitchers with a 0.67 ERA in 2017, which helped him become the first Webster University player ever drafted. He embellished his credentials in 2020, when he not only became the school's first major leaguer, but he pitched in the World Series.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fleming is a modern version of the crafty lefty who used to fill the back end of many rotations. He likes to pepper the outside bottom corner against righthanded hitters, working on and off the edge of the zone with plus command. His 88-93 mph fringe-average sinker and his above-average low-80s changeup are thrown to that same spot, with the changeup's deception and fade baffling hitters looking to feast on a low-90s fastball. His below-average mid-80s slider lacks power, depth or tilt, but it pairs well as he sneaks it up-and-in on righthanded hitters looking to dive over the plate. Fleming's changeup and slider don't baffle same-side batters, so he's better against righthanded hitters. He has a quality pickoff move.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays trusted Fleming enough to insert him into their rotation and use him in their playoff bullpen. He fits best as a bulk or long reliever, and the Rays have shown they can get the most out of pitchers like Fleming.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #900 prospect in 2020
  Track Record: While the Rays have had plenty of success finding high-ceiling, high-upside power pitchers, they also have done well at acquiring and developing lefties who succeed because of craftiness and plus control. Fleming (along with Michael Plassmeyer and Tommy Romero) are all trying to follow in Ryan Yarborough’s footsteps. Fleming was the first player ever drafted out of Division III Webster (Mo.). Scouting Report: Fleming doesn’t have a plus pitch, but he does have plus-plus control. He tries to avoid the heart of the plate and the barrel of the bat with a 90-92 fastball, a low-80s slider and a mid-70s changeup that relies on deception more than movement. None of the three is a plus and without increased velocity, none of the three likely ever will be. But he stays out of predictable patterns and uses three quadrants of the strike zone (outside, inside and the bottom of the zone) well. He relies on getting plenty of ground ball outs. The Future: Fleming’s upside is relatively limited, but his control and craftiness should help him carve out a major league role. For most teams, he’d be looking to be a back-of-the-rotation starter, but he could also handle a long-relief, bulk-innings role for the Rays.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #210 prospect in 2017 draft
  Fleming should become the first Gorlock to ever hear his name called in the baseball draft. He is an athletic lefthander with a clean delivery, above-average control and command for his age. Fleming's fastball velocity often is fringe-average, as he sits 88-90 mph and touches 93-94 at his best. But he's dominated non-scholarship Division III, leading the country with a 0.67 ERA and 0.71 WHIP and with a relatively fresh arm, and there's hope that there is more velocity to come. The lefty can spot his fastball armside and gloveside and he knows how to change a hitter's eye level. His average changeup has plenty of deception, but it's pretty straight. It generates more weak contact than swings and misses. The 6-foot, 180-pounder also throws a slurvy below-average breaking ball that needs more bite. Fleming did miss much of his sophomore season with a sprained UCL in his left elbow, but he told the Webster (Mo.) Journal that a platelet rich plasma injection helped the ligament heal.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Fleming led all Division III pitchers with a 0.67 ERA in 2017, which helped him become the first Webster University player ever drafted. He embellished his credentials in 2020, when he not only became the school's first major leaguer, but he pitched in the World Series.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fleming is a modern version of the crafty lefty who used to fill the back end of many rotations. He likes to pepper the outside bottom corner against righthanded hitters, working on and off the edge of the zone with plus command. His 88-93 mph fringe-average sinker and his above-average low-80s changeup are thrown to that same spot, with the changeup's deception and fade baffling hitters looking to feast on a low-90s fastball. His below-average mid-80s slider lacks power, depth or tilt, but it pairs well as he sneaks it up-and-in on righthanded hitters looking to dive over the plate. Fleming's changeup and slider don't baffle same-side batters, so he's better against righthanded hitters. He has a quality pickoff move.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays trusted Fleming enough to insert him into their rotation and use him in their playoff bullpen. He fits best as a bulk or long reliever, and the Rays have shown they can get the most out of pitchers like Fleming.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Fleming led all Division III pitchers with a 0.67 ERA in 2017, which helped him become the first Webster University player ever drafted. He embellished his credentials in 2020, when he not only became the school's first major leaguer, but he pitched in the World Series.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fleming is a modern version of the crafty lefty who used to fill the back end of many rotations. He likes to pepper the outside bottom corner against righthanded hitters, working on and off the edge of the zone with plus command. His 88-93 mph fringe-average sinker and his above-average low-80s changeup are thrown to that same spot, with the changeup's deception and fade baffling hitters looking to feast on a low-90s fastball. His below-average mid-80s slider lacks power, depth or tilt, but it pairs well as he sneaks it up-and-in on righthanded hitters looking to dive over the plate. Fleming's changeup and slider don't baffle same-side batters, so he's better against righthanded hitters. He has a quality pickoff move.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays trusted Fleming enough to insert him into their rotation and use him in their playoff bullpen. He fits best as a bulk or long reliever, and the Rays have shown they can get the most out of pitchers like Fleming.