Sam Coonrod Stats & Scouting Report

IP	104
ERA	5.538
WHIP	1.404
BB/9	4.5
SO/9	8.74

Full name Samuel Timothy Coonrod
Born 09/22/1992 in St. Louis, MO
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Southern Illinois
Debut 05/26/2019
Drafted in the 5th round (148th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2014 (signed for $330,000).

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Coonrod was moving up draft boards late, winning a duel with Evansville lefty Kyle Freeland in front of a throng of scouts at the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. It was a classic Coonrod start, as he showed mid-90s velocity, control issues (he walked seven) and the competitiveness and stuff to pitch into the eighth inning. He started to establish himself in the middle of his sophomore year, moving into the weekend rotation, then had a strong Cape Cod League campaign. He has arm strength and arm speed, giving him one of the best fastballs in the college class, sitting in the 93-97 mph range at his best and around 92-93 for most of the spring. Coonrod shows some feel for his changeup, while his hard slider is less consistent. He has effort in his delivery and tends to overthrow, which gives him below-average command, and many scouts consider him a future reliever.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: After showing tantalizing stuff as a three-year starter at Southern Illinois, Coonrod was the Giants' fifth-round pick in 2014. He pitched well until reaching Double-A in 2017, when he struggled and then needed Tommy John surgery late in the season. Coonrod returned less than 12 months later, making 10 combined appearances in the Arizona League and high Class A California League in 2018.

Scouting Report: After working as a starter throughout college and the first four years of his pro career, the Giants decided to move Coonrod to the bullpen post-Tommy John. Described as having a reliever's mentality, Coonrod attacks hitters with an above-average, low- to mid-90s fastball and an above-average, mid- to upper-80s slider. With only average control and a high-effort delivery, Coonrod's two-pitch mix works best in shorter stints, and he's proven equally adept at getting both right and lefthanders out.

The Future: Coonrod has been added to the Giants' 40-man roster, but he'll likely begin 2019 in the bullpen for Triple-A Sacramento. Coonrod has the ceiling of a setup man, but the much more likely scenario is a middle-relief, seventh inning-type role.
The Peter Principle suggests that workers are promoted until they fail, so eventually they reach one level above their actual level of ability. That principle may apply to Coonrod, who dominated Class A with a two-pitch approach, but has looked stretched in two seasons against Double-A competition as a starter because of the limitations of that same two-pitch approach. Coonrod attacks hitters with a potentially above-average, heavy 92-95 mph fastball and a hard, above-average 85-89 mph slider. His below-average changeup fools no one and is easy for hitters to recognize. His struggles to develop his change and his high-effort delivery point to a future move to the bullpen, where his below-average command and control would be less of an issue. Coonrod injured his elbow late in the season and will miss all of 2018 after Tommy John surgery. Coonrod was left off the 40-man roster thanks to the injury, but when he returns, the Giants will have to decide whether it's as a starter or as a reliever. Scouts for other teams would bet he ends up in the bullpen.
Coonrod can handle the pressure of a big game. He led Carrollton High to an Illinois state title in 2011, and in his final college game for Southern Illinois he outdueled Rockies 2014 first-rounder Kyle Freeland in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Coonrod's intense, hypercompetitive approach has carried over to pro ball. He has no qualms about pitching inside, and even when he gets hit, he shows no visible discomfort. His point of emphasis in 2016 was to improve his control and be more efficient. That paid off in lengthier outings, but it also led to slips in strikeout (6.0) and walk (3.8) rates per nine innings. Coonrod comes after hitters with a power-heavy approach. He sits 90-94 mph and touches higher with a heavy fastball that can break bats, and he also tosses in an above-average mid-80s slider that can be a little slurvy, but he tightens and loosens it depending on situation. His changeup is a fringe-average third pitch with some deception, but he doesn't use it very much. Coonrod's high-effort delivery limits his control, while he needs to command the ball to the corners better. His temperament would suit an eventual move to the bullpen, and that may fit the Giants' needs as well.
While going 8-17 in three years as a starter at Southern Illinois, Coonrod flashed upper-90s velocity, but he fell to the fifth round of the 2014 draft thanks to lack of command. He walked 5.3 batters per nine innings his final two seasons. The Giants signed him for $330,000, and he led the South Atlantic League with 114 strikeouts. Coonrod consistently shows two plus pitches. His fastball will sit at 94-96 mph early in games, though he usually settles in at 91-94. He can reach back for 98 mph. Coonrod's slurvy slider also is effective because he can vary its speed and depth, using it as a bigger, slower offering at times and at other times tightening it up for a late-breaking, mid-80s offering that misses bats. His below-average changeup often lacks deception, and he shows only moderate feel for it. Coonrod has the strength to repeat his delivery and has improved his direction to the plate, giving him average control. If he can improve his changeup, Coonrod has a chance to be a No. 3 or 4 starter. He'll head to high Class A San Jose in 2016.

Draft Prospects

Coonrod was moving up draft boards late, winning a duel with Evansville lefty Kyle Freeland in front of a throng of scouts at the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. It was a classic Coonrod start, as he showed mid-90s velocity, control issues (he walked seven) and the competitiveness and stuff to pitch into the eighth inning. He started to establish himself in the middle of his sophomore year, moving into the weekend rotation, then had a strong Cape Cod League campaign. He has arm strength and arm speed, giving him one of the best fastballs in the college class, sitting in the 93-97 mph range at his best and around 92-93 for most of the spring. Coonrod shows some feel for his changeup, while his hard slider is less consistent. He has effort in his delivery and tends to overthrow, which gives him below-average command, and many scouts consider him a future reliever.

Career Transactions

New York Mets sent RHP Sam Coonrod on a rehab assignment to Syracuse Mets.
New York Mets sent RHP Sam Coonrod on a rehab assignment to Syracuse Mets.
New York Mets sent RHP Sam Coonrod on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets.
New York Mets transferred RHP Sam Coonrod from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Right lat strain.
New York Mets placed RHP Sam Coonrod on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 27, 2023. Right lat strain.
New York Mets claimed RHP Sam Coonrod off waivers from Philadelphia Phillies.
Philadelphia Phillies designated RHP Sam Coonrod for assignment.