Josh Gray

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #15 prospect in 2002
  A bum shoulder that required labrum surgery caused Gray to last until the 13th round in the 2000 draft. The lingering effects of the injury have relegated him to DH duty and kept him out of full-season ball as a pro. The Angels can't wait to see him at full health. Gray's power potential is a shade better than Casey Kotchman's. Thanks to quick hands, Gray can pull the head of the bat through the zone with explosive speed, and he's just learning to make adjustments and smack the ball the other way. An outfielder in high school, Gray may wind up at first base if his arm strength doesn't come back. He worked hard to get his body back into shape last year and finished with a bang in instructional league. That performance should propel him to low Class A in 2002.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #19 prospect in 2001
  As a high school senior last spring, Gray didn't get a lot of exposure because he had an injured shoulder. As a result, the Angels were happy to be able to pluck him in the 13th round. The operative phrase with Gray is light-tower power, and farm director Darrell Miller rates his power as 75 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. He has fast hands that can drive any pitch anywhere in the strike zone for a home run. He struck out a lot in his pro debut, though Anaheim will gladly trade whiffs for longballs. He got into only one game in the field before being shut down in early August, but he runs fine and projects as an average left fielder. Gray had arthroscopic surgery to repair a labrum tear, so his throwing ability remains uncertain. First baseman Casey Kelley led Cedar Rapids last year with 14 homers, a total Gray is expected to dwarf with the Kernels in 2001.