Trent Thornton

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #18 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: A fifth-round pick of the Astros in 2015, Thornton reached Triple-A two years later, though he struggled in his first exposure to that level. He had better results in 2018, pitched in the Arizona Fall League, then joined the Blue Jays when the Astros traded him for shortstop Aledmys Diaz.
  
  Scouting Report: Thornton throws a lively, 92-94 mph fastball that can reach 97 mph, though his best pitch is a plus curveball. The spin rate on Thornton's curveball ranks among the highest in baseball, regularly registering above 3,000 rpm. Thornton's innate feel for spinning the baseball carries over to his slider, a solid-average pitch, though his below-average changeup lags behind. Thornton's results often haven't matched his stuff, dating back to his junior year at North Carolina when he posted a 5.08 ERA. That's surprising because he does throw a lot of strikes and has some deception with a herky-jerky delivery.
  
  The Future: Thornton has the stuff and control to fit as a No. 4 starter with a chance for more, though he could also find success in a bullpen role where his velocity would play up. Thornton will compete for a spot on the big league pitching staff in spring training and should be in Toronto at some point in 2019.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #21 prospect in 2017
  After two outstanding seasons at North Carolina--he went 12-1, 1.37 as a freshman--Thornton inopportunely fell apart as a junior. His first two pro seasons have been more reminiscent of his first two years as a Tar Heel, however. Thornton reached Double-A Corpus Christi in the second half of 2016 while impressing with a solid four-pitch mix. His 6-foot stature and delivery have led some scouts to project him to the bullpen. His windup involves a deep plunge with both hands, followed by an exaggerated two-handed windup that ends up with a hand break above and behind his right ear and a stab in the back. While his delivery features a lot of moving parts, Thornton has shown plus control as a pro with a walk rate of 1.5 per nine innings--and he maintains the quality of his stuff through the entire outing. Thornton can touch 95 mph at his peak, but he generally sits 90-91 with a fastball that grades as average thanks in part to its riding action. His 12-to-6 curveball is an above-average offering at its best, and he mixes in a fringe-average slider and below-average changeup. Thornton projects as a back-end starter.