Matthew Graham
| IP | 116 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.974 |
| WHIP | 1.733 |
| BB/9 | 5.897 |
| SO/9 | 6.905 |
- Full name Matthew John Graham
- Born 05/01/1990 in Las Cruces, NM
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Oak Ridge
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Drafted in the 6th round (177th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2009 (signed for $500,000).
View Draft Report
Texas area scouts still haven't figured Graham out. He excited them when he emerged as a potential first-rounder in the summer and fall before his junior season, but he has had a Jekyll-and-Hyde ride since. His velocity plunged to the mid-80s at the start of last summer, though it had crept up to the low 90s by the end of the showcase circuit. This spring, Graham has had outings where his fastball has sat at 86-88 mph and others where it has parked at 90-93 mph. He'll mix a power curveball with some ineffective breaking balls, and he's show the makings of an effective changeup but doesn't use it often enough. Graham has an athletic 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame but he throws with a herky-jerky delivery that contains a lot of effort. He needs to clean up and repeat his mechanics, and to improve control that's as inconsistent as his stuff. Graham has committed to North Carolina but may be signable if drafted in the first five rounds.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Graham had an up-and-down high school career in Texas, flashing first-round stuff but not with the consistency to go that high in the 2009 draft. The Giants considered him as early as the third round, and when he lasted until the sixth he clearly ranked as the top player on their board. They gave him $500,000 to turn down a scholarship to play at North Carolina. Graham has a strong, projectable frame and when he's at his best, his fastball sits in the low 90s with heavy sink. Because he doesn't repeat his delivery, his velocity tends to be all over the map. He has outstanding arm strength and was touching 95 mph in instructional league after missing time with a flu bug. Graham throws a hard curveball that has good action at times and flattens out at others. He has feel for a changeup and earns points for his competitive makeup. He's a perfect project for vice president of player personnel/pitching guru Dick Tidrow and pitching coordinator Bert Bradley. Graham's stuff and high-effort delivery scream short relief, but he'll get every chance to develop as a starter. Unless he bombs in spring training, he should make his pro debut in low Class A.
