Grant Dayton

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #17 prospect in 2017
  At 29, Dayton is one of the oldest players in the Prospect Handbook, but he should play a key role in the Dodgers' 2017 bullpen. A starter at Auburn, Dayton immediately moved to the bullpen when the Marlins drafted him in 2010 and slowly climbed through their farm system before Miami traded him to the Dodgers in July 2015 for lefthander Chris Reed. He pounded the strike zone and struck out 15.8 batters per nine innings between Double-A and Triple-A in 2016, then continued to flourish the last two months of the season and in the playoffs. Dayton's fastball sits at 91-94 mph and can touch 95, with late riding life and deception that gets hitters to swing-and-miss through that pitch at a high clip. Dayton pitches aggressively off his fastball with sharp command of the pitch to both sides of the plate and the ability to work up in the zone to get empty swings. While Dayton's changeup was his go-to secondary pitch earlier in his career, he rarely threw it once he got to the major leagues, instead relying more on a curveball. It's a fringe-average pitch at best, an offering he adds and subtracts from depending on the situation anywhere from 71-79 mph. Dayton he should be a key set-up man for the Dodgers in 2017.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #21 prospect in 2014
  A stress fracture cost Dayton a chance to play in big league camp last spring and held him out until late May. He got stronger as the season progressed until his fastball returned to 91-93 mph. Dayton gets good depth and angle on a sharp slider, which he can drop on the back foot of righthanded hitters. He also throws a plus changeup. His command improved, especially over the second half. He's aggressive and attacks both sides of the plate with quality pitches. Though his stuff is good enough to work in a set-up role, he was particularly effective in 2013 against lefthanders, holding them to a .140 average. He'll go to spring training with a chance to impress his way onto the Miami roster, especially now that he's on the 40-man.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #25 prospect in 2013
  Dayton had relieved exclusively since turning pro in 2010, but the Marlins moved him into the Jupiter rotation for six starts last spring so he could work on his breaking pitches. His fastball, which sat at 94-97 mph in 2011, dipped to 89-91 but came back once he returned to the bullpen in May. Its late life makes it difficult for hitters to square up. His fastball command remains an issue, however, and he walked eight in 12 innings in the Arizona Fall League. Dayton mixed in a curveball while starting, but once back in the pen he used his 83-84 mph slider as his primary breaking pitch. He gets good depth and angle on his slider, and he can drop it on the back foot of righthanders. He shows good feel for his changeup, which can be a solid pitch. Dayton attacks with quality stuff and keeps the ball down, working both sides of the plate. He projects as a middle reliever who could face both lefties and righties. He'll head back to Double-A to start 2013.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #17 prospect in 2012
  Dayton exhibited pinpoint control as a starter at Auburn, where he relied mainly on his fastball and changeup. An 11th-round pick in 2010, he took off last spring after Greensboro pitching coach Willie Glen moved him from the third-base side of the rubber to the first-base side and worked with him to improve his slider. Including the playoffs, Dayton posted a 111-27 K-BB in 79 innings. He's aggressive with his fastball, which sits at 91-94 mph and reaches 96. He beats hitters with it, garnering swings and misses on fastballs in the strike zone. He has good depth on his 81-84 mph slider and has learned to drop it in on the back foot of righthanders. His changeup is serviceable but it's not as good as his other two offerings and he doesn't use it often. Scouts love the way the ball comes easy out of Dayton's hand. He projects as a set-up man more than a situational reliever, and some Marlins officials would like to see what he could do as a starter.