Josiah Gray

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #2 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Gray began his career at Division II Le Moyne as a shortstop but converted to the mound and became one of the top pitchers in the 2018 draft. The Reds selected him 72nd overall and traded him to the Dodgers in the deal for Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in 2019, his first season with the Dodgers, and was named the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gray is a power pitcher with a strong, athletic physique. He overpowers hitters with a plus fastball that sits 93-96 mph with running life and touches 97-98 in short bursts. Other pitchers throw harder, but Gray’s fastball gets more swings and misses with his life and ability to hold his velocity and command deep into games. Gray focused on his secondary pitches at the alternate site and increased the depth and horizontal movement of his mid-80s slider to cement it as an above-average, swing-and-miss pitch. His changeup added tail and drop but remains a fringe-average pitch that’s often too firm in the upper-80s. Gray pounds the strike zone with above-average control. He is highly intelligent and an elite competitor who thrives when the lights are brightest.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gray has the stuff and intangibles of a mid-rotation starter. If his changeup improves, he could be more.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #6 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Gray entered Division II Le Moyne as a shortstop, began closing games as a sophomore and moved to pitching full-time his junior year. The Reds drafted him 72nd overall in 2018 and traded him to the Dodgers after the season in the deal that sent Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to Cincinnati. Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in his first season with the Dodgers. He led the system in ERA (2.28) and strikeouts (147) and was named the organization's minor league pitcher of the year.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gray is slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, but his strong, athletic physique allows him to pound the strike zone and hold his stuff deep into games. Gray's plus fastball sits 92-96 mph with running life away from lefties and into righties. Other pitchers throw harder, but Gray misses more bats because of the life on his fastball and his ability to maintain his top-end velocity and command late into games. Gray routinely lands his above-average 84-88 mph slider with late snap for strikes, and his firm upper 80s changeup flashes average with late sink. Gray's delivery is a bit crude, but he repeats it and flashes above-average control. He is highly intelligent and an elite competitor.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gray cemented himself as part of the Dodgers future rotation plans with his breakthrough 2019. He'll head to Triple-A in 2020 and has a chance to reach Los Angeles by midsummer.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #19 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: When Gray arrived at Le Moyne (N.Y.) College he was a shortstop whose arm was his best tool. He began pitching significantly the summer before his sophomore year and transitioned to being a starting pitcher for his junior season. He dominated Division II, going 11-0, 1.25, and was drafted by the Reds in the supplemental second round. He proved equally impossible to hit in the Appalachian League, where he would have led the league in ERA and opponent's average if he had not fallen two innings short of qualifying. After the season, the Dodgers acquired Gray with Jeter Downs and Homer Bailey for Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood and Kyle Farmer.
  
  Scouting Report: Gray has a lively arm, athletic body and excellent arm strength. His 91-95 mph fastball is a plus pitch because of its life, his command of it and his ability to generate swings and misses up in the zone. His 84-87 mph slider could use further refinement. It's somewhat slurvy for now, but it shows late tilt at its best and projects as an above-average pitch. Gray also mixes in a developing changeup that needs to improve. Gray shows advanced fastball command and average control for his age.
  
  The Future: Gray has plenty of room to continue to develop as a pitcher. His athleticism, strong lower half and his feel for pitching gives him a strong base.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #101 prospect in 2018 draft
  Division II Le Moyne (N.Y.) was the only school that offered Gray a scholarship. Coach Scott Cassidy liked Gray's athleticism and his quick arm and believed he had the potential to develop. Gray has rewarded Cassidey's faith by developing into the one of the best pitchers in Division II. After playing sporadically as a freshman shortstop, Gray touched 94 mph pitching in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League that summer. He split time between shortstop and closing as a sophomore, but switched to focus solely on pitching in the Cape Cod League the summer before his junior year. Gray's full-time move to the mound has paid off handsomely. He's gained 35 pounds since he arrived on campus and is now a solid 6-foot-4, 205 pounds. He dominated in his first year as a starter, going 10-0, 1.28 to rank among national leaders in ERA. He's still developing as a pitcher, but he's sitting 90-95 mph with his fastball. He has a very fast arm and fills the strike zone with above-average control for his age, even if his command still needs refinement. Gray throws his slider and changeup for strikes, but both have been more fringe-average to average pitches this spring. His slider flashed above-average in the Cape Cod League last summer in shorter stints. Gray could end up eventually moving to the bullpen, but he's athletic and has very few innings on his arm, so scouts can dream that there's even more to come.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked California League #6 prospect in 2019
  Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in his first year in the Dodgers’ system, including a 7-0, 2.14 showing with Rancho Cucamonga that included an 0.97 WHIP. Gray’s 93-96 mph heater with running life was voted the best fastball in the league by opposing managers. It jammed righties and rolled off the end of the barrel against lefties, drawing frequent swings and misses and weak contact. He held his fastball velocity and command deep into starts with his strong, athletic physique. "We’re a fastball-hitting team, and he was pretty much blowing it by us,” Lancaster manager Scott Little said. "It’s really good stuff.” Gray’s slider showed above-average and his changeup flashed average, giving him the three-pitch mix to project as a starter. His delivery isn’t always smooth, but he throws everything for strikes and projects as a mid-rotation starter.
• 
  Ranked National League #10 prospect in 2018
  Coming out of high school, Gray received a scholarship offer only from Division II Le Moyne (N.Y.). He began his college career at shortstop but gradually moved full time to the mound, where he emerged as one of the top pitchers at D-II. Gray impressed in his pro debut with a 90-94 mph fastball, a firm, mid-80s slider that could be plus down the line and above-average strike-throwing ability. He could add a few ticks to his fastball. He’s a still developing pitcher who repeats his delivery and still has some space to fill out. Gray is immensely athletic and has electric arm speed. If he can further refine a changeup he has a chance to continue to develop as a starter.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #68 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #84 prospect in 2020

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Gray began his career at Division II Le Moyne as a shortstop but converted to the mound and became one of the top pitchers in the 2018 draft. The Reds selected him 72nd overall and traded him to the Dodgers in the deal for Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in 2019, his first season with the Dodgers, and was named the organization's minor league pitcher of the year. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site, and was dealt to the Nationals in the blockbuster Max Scherzer-Trea Turner trade at the 2021 trade deadline.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gray is a power pitcher with a strong, athletic physique. He overpowers hitters with a plus fastball that sits 93-96 mph with running life and touches 97-98 in short bursts. Other pitchers throw harder, but Gray's fastball gets more swings and misses with his life and ability to hold his velocity and command deep into games. Gray focused on his secondary pitches at the alternate site and increased the depth and horizontal movement of his mid-80s slider to cement it as an above-average, swing-and-miss pitch. His changeup added tail and drop but remains a fringe-average pitch that's often too firm in the upper-80s. Gray pounds the strike zone with above-average control. He is highly intelligent and an elite competitor who thrives when the lights are brightest.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gray has the stuff and intangibles of a mid-rotation starter. If his changeup improves, he could be more.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Gray began his career at Division II Le Moyne as a shortstop but converted to the mound and became one of the top pitchers in the 2018 draft. The Reds selected him 72nd overall and traded him to the Dodgers in the deal for Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in 2019, his first season with the Dodgers, and was named the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gray is a power pitcher with a strong, athletic physique. He overpowers hitters with a plus fastball that sits 93-96 mph with running life and touches 97-98 in short bursts. Other pitchers throw harder, but Gray’s fastball gets more swings and misses with his life and ability to hold his velocity and command deep into games. Gray focused on his secondary pitches at the alternate site and increased the depth and horizontal movement of his mid-80s slider to cement it as an above-average, swing-and-miss pitch. His changeup added tail and drop but remains a fringe-average pitch that’s often too firm in the upper-80s. Gray pounds the strike zone with above-average control. He is highly intelligent and an elite competitor who thrives when the lights are brightest.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gray has the stuff and intangibles of a mid-rotation starter. If his changeup improves, he could be more.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Gray began his career at Division II Le Moyne as a shortstop but converted to the mound and became one of the top pitchers in the 2018 draft. The Reds selected him 72nd overall and traded him to the Dodgers in the deal for Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in 2019, his first season with the Dodgers, and was named the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gray is a power pitcher with a strong, athletic physique. He overpowers hitters with a plus fastball that sits 93-96 mph with running life and touches 97-98 in short bursts. Other pitchers throw harder, but Gray’s fastball gets more swings and misses with his life and ability to hold his velocity and command deep into games. Gray focused on his secondary pitches at the alternate site and increased the depth and horizontal movement of his mid-80s slider to cement it as an above-average, swing-and-miss pitch. His changeup added tail and drop but remains a fringe-average pitch that’s often too firm in the upper-80s. Gray pounds the strike zone with above-average control. He is highly intelligent and an elite competitor who thrives when the lights are brightest.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gray has the stuff and intangibles of a mid-rotation starter. If his changeup improves, he could be more.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Gray entered Division II Le Moyne as a shortstop, began closing games as a sophomore and moved to pitching full-time his junior year. The Reds drafted him 72nd overall in 2018 and traded him to the Dodgers after the season in the deal that sent Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to Cincinnati. Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in his first season with the Dodgers. He led the system in ERA (2.28) and strikeouts (147) and was named the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gray is slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, but his strong, athletic physique allows him to pound the strike zone and hold his stuff deep into games. Gray’s plus fastball sits 92-96 mph with running life away from lefties and into righties. Other pitchers throw harder, but Gray misses more bats because of the life on his fastball and his ability to maintain his top-end velocity and command late into games. Gray routinely lands his above-average 84-88 mph slider with late snap for strikes, and his firm upper 80s changeup flashes average with late sink. Gray’s delivery is a bit crude, but he repeats it and flashes above-average control. He is highly intelligent and an elite competitor.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gray cemented himself as part of the Dodgers future rotation plans with his breakthrough 2019. He’ll head to Triple-A in 2020 and has a chance to reach Los Angeles by midsummer.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Gray entered Division II Le Moyne as a shortstop, began closing games as a sophomore and moved to pitching full-time his junior year. The Reds drafted him 72nd overall in 2018 and traded him to the Dodgers after the season in the deal that sent Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to Cincinnati. Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in his first season with the Dodgers. He led the system in ERA (2.28) and strikeouts (147) and was named the organization's minor league pitcher of the year.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gray is slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, but his strong, athletic physique allows him to pound the strike zone and hold his stuff deep into games. Gray's plus fastball sits 92-96 mph with running life away from lefties and into righties. Other pitchers throw harder, but Gray misses more bats because of the life on his fastball and his ability to maintain his top-end velocity and command late into games. Gray routinely lands his above-average 84-88 mph slider with late snap for strikes, and his firm upper 80s changeup flashes average with late sink. Gray's delivery is a bit crude, but he repeats it and flashes above-average control. He is highly intelligent and an elite competitor.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gray cemented himself as part of the Dodgers future rotation plans with his breakthrough 2019. He'll head to Triple-A in 2020 and has a chance to reach Los Angeles by midsummer.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Gray jumped three levels to Double-A in his first year in the Dodgers’ system, including a 7-0, 2.14 showing with Rancho Cucamonga that included an 0.97 WHIP. Gray’s 93-96 mph heater with running life was voted the best fastball in the league by opposing managers. It jammed righties and rolled off the end of the barrel against lefties, drawing frequent swings and misses and weak contact. He held his fastball velocity and command deep into starts with his strong, athletic physique. "We’re a fastball-hitting team, and he was pretty much blowing it by us,” Lancaster manager Scott Little said. "It’s really good stuff.” Gray’s slider showed above-average and his changeup flashed average, giving him the three-pitch mix to project as a starter. His delivery isn’t always smooth, but he throws everything for strikes and projects as a mid-rotation starter.