Joe Gray Jr. Stats & Scouting Report

AB	81
AVG	.136
OBP	.253
SLG	.185
HR	0

Full name Joe Gray Jr.
Born 03/12/2000 in Hattiesburg, MS
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 214 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Hattiesburg
Drafted in the 2nd round (60th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 (signed for $1,113,500).

View Draft Report

So, scout, do you feel lucky? If it all clicks for Gray, he could be one of the better high school sluggers in this draft class, as he's got a plus arm, currently turns in plus run times and can be an above-average defender in center field. And that's before you even start to talk about Gray's power. He has the size, frame and strength to be a future 25-30 home run hitter. Gray will likely trade some of that speed for size as he matures, which is why long term he'll likely end up in right field. But with his arm, the former shortstop should remain a defensive asset as he gets good jumps and reads. What leaves many evaluators skittish about Gray is his struggles to make consistent contact. He swung and missed as much as any prominent high school prospect on the showcase circuit last summer. He kept tweaking his stance to improve and he did show better contact skills late last year at Jupiter's World Wood Bat showcase. If Gray is a well below-average hitter, which some scouts see as his future, the rest of the tools won't play nearly as much, but you can find evaluators who see him as a future average hitter with plenty of additional plus tools to dream on.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: One of the most tooled-up, dynamic athletes in the 2018 draft, Gray also carried significant risk as a high school outfielder with a lot of rawness to his offensive game. Signed for $1,113,500 as a second-round pick, Gray struggled to stay on the field and performed poorly when he did play his first two years in Rookie ball. The 2021 season marked a turnaround for Gray, who was excellent in his full-season debut with Low-A Carolina before slowing down upon an early July promotion to High-A Wisconsin.

Scouting Report: Gray’s free-swinging habits got him into trouble early in his career, but he did a better job of managing his at-bats in Low-A, allowing his above-average raw power to play in games. His chase tendencies and swing holes became more of an issue after his promotion and after the season in the Arizona Fall League. Gray’s defense never went into a slump. His speed and arm strength are both plus tools, with his instincts in center field giving him a chance to be a plus defender.

The Future: Gray’s swing and miss might ultimately end up holding him back, but he’s a much improved player from a year ago with power and defensive skills at a premium position that still make him intriguing. He likely returns to High-A Wisconsin to start the 2022 season.
TRACK RECORD: After a bout of pneumonia during his rookie year and a hamstring strain in 2019, Gray has played in just 55 games, with mostly poor results (.171/.308/.310). He looked good in extended spring training last year before suffering the hamstring strain and never really caught up during a second season of rookie ball. As a result, he needs playing time more than any young, top prospect in the system.

SCOUTING REPORT: Power potential is Gray's calling card, though worries about his swing-and-miss tendencies caused him to drop out of the first round of the '18 draft. His other plus tool is arm strength, among the best in the prep ranks before being drafted. Gray also runs well and takes good routes in center, giving him a good chance to remain at that position. What remains to be seen is if he will make enough consistent contact to take full advantage of his power potential and speed on the bases.

THE FUTURE: He played the entire 2019 season so there is plenty of time for Gray to develop, but he has to stay out of the trainer's room. After missing so much time during his first two pro years, it remains to be seen if Gray will be deemed ready to go to low Class A in 2020 or have to play yet again in rookie ball.
Track Record: Much like first-round pick Brice Turang, Gray was on high school prospect watch lists since before he could drive. And much like Turang, Gray plateaued a bit and dropped further in the 2018 draft than originally expected. Thus the Brewers were excited to get a player with his athleticism in the second round for a $1.1 million price tag. to forgo a Mississippi commitment. Gray hit .182 in the Rookie-level Arizona League but showed a good eye and got on base enough to make a positive impression.

Scouting Report: Gray gets scouts' attention with his plus raw power and tremendous arm strength, his two biggest tools. He also runs well enough to play center field, though he may move to right field as he matures and gets bigger. What remains to be seen is if Gray will make enough consistent contact to take advantage of his power and above-average speed on the bases. During his showcase days, Gray often tweaked his batting stance and needs to find a consistent setup that works.

The Future: The Brewers believe a young player with raw tools like Gray can develop into an impact player. He will play the entire 2019 season at age 19, so he has plenty of time to prove them right.

Draft Prospects

So, scout, do you feel lucky? If it all clicks for Gray, he could be one of the better high school sluggers in this draft class, as he's got a plus arm, currently turns in plus run times and can be an above-average defender in center field. And that's before you even start to talk about Gray's power. He has the size, frame and strength to be a future 25-30 home run hitter. Gray will likely trade some of that speed for size as he matures, which is why long term he'll likely end up in right field. But with his arm, the former shortstop should remain a defensive asset as he gets good jumps and reads. What leaves many evaluators skittish about Gray is his struggles to make consistent contact. He swung and missed as much as any prominent high school prospect on the showcase circuit last summer. He kept tweaking his stance to improve and he did show better contact skills late last year at Jupiter's World Wood Bat showcase. If Gray is a well below-average hitter, which some scouts see as his future, the rest of the tools won't play nearly as much, but you can find evaluators who see him as a future average hitter with plenty of additional plus tools to dream on.

Best Tools List

Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019

Scouting Reports

Track Record: One of the most tooled-up, dynamic athletes in the 2018 draft, Gray also carried significant risk as a high school outfielder with a lot of rawness to his offensive game. Signed for $1,113,500 as a second-round pick, Gray struggled to stay on the field and performed poorly when he did play his first two years in Rookie ball. The 2021 season marked a turnaround for Gray, who was excellent in his full-season debut with Low-A Carolina before slowing down upon an early July promotion to High-A Wisconsin.

Scouting Report: Gray’s free-swinging habits got him into trouble early in his career, but he did a better job of managing his at-bats in Low-A, allowing his above-average raw power to play in games. His chase tendencies and swing holes became more of an issue after his promotion and after the season in the Arizona Fall League. Gray’s defense never went into a slump. His speed and arm strength are both plus tools, with his instincts in center field giving him a chance to be a plus defender.

The Future: Gray’s swing and miss might ultimately end up holding him back, but he’s a much improved player from a year ago with power and defensive skills at a premium position that still make him intriguing. He likely returns to High-A Wisconsin to start the 2022 season.
Few players in the minors have taken a bigger leap forward than Gray. A second-round pick out of high school in 2018 with power, speed and a strong arm, Gray struggled during his first two years in Rookie ball, including a .164/.279/.300 season in 31 games in the Pioneer League in 2019. Things are starting to click this year though for Gray, who still has some swing-and-miss tendencies but is a vastly improved prospect from where he was coming into the season.
TRACK RECORD: After a bout of pneumonia during his rookie year and a hamstring strain in 2019, Gray has played in just 55 games, with mostly poor results (.171/.308/.310). He looked good in extended spring training last year before suffering the hamstring strain and never really caught up during a second season of rookie ball. As a result, he needs playing time more than any young, top prospect in the system.

SCOUTING REPORT: Power potential is Gray’s calling card, though worries about his swing-and-miss tendencies caused him to drop out of the first round of the ’18 draft. His other plus tool is arm strength, among the best in the prep ranks before being drafted. Gray also runs well and takes good routes in center, giving him a good chance to remain at that position. What remains to be seen is if he will make enough consistent contact to take full advantage of his power potential and speed on the bases.

THE FUTURE: He played the entire 2019 season so there is plenty of time for Gray to develop, but he has to stay out of the trainer’s room. After missing so much time during his first two pro years, it remains to be seen if Gray will be deemed ready to go to low Class A in 2020 or have to play yet again in rookie ball.
TRACK RECORD: After a bout of pneumonia during his rookie year and a hamstring strain in 2019, Gray has played in just 55 games, with mostly poor results (.171/.308/.310). He looked good in extended spring training last year before suffering the hamstring strain and never really caught up during a second season of rookie ball. As a result, he needs playing time more than any young, top prospect in the system.

SCOUTING REPORT: Power potential is Gray's calling card, though worries about his swing-and-miss tendencies caused him to drop out of the first round of the '18 draft. His other plus tool is arm strength, among the best in the prep ranks before being drafted. Gray also runs well and takes good routes in center, giving him a good chance to remain at that position. What remains to be seen is if he will make enough consistent contact to take full advantage of his power potential and speed on the bases.

THE FUTURE: He played the entire 2019 season so there is plenty of time for Gray to develop, but he has to stay out of the trainer's room. After missing so much time during his first two pro years, it remains to be seen if Gray will be deemed ready to go to low Class A in 2020 or have to play yet again in rookie ball.