Fred McGriff

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #7 prospect in 1986
  McGriff has been a slow project, but one the Blue Jays are confident will be worth the wait once he harnesses the raw power he has shown. The 1985 season was pretty much a wash for McGriff. He suffered a stress fracture in his ankle and only had 176 at-bats for Triple-A Syracuse. A big, free swinger, McGriff suffers a common ailment of power hitters--lack of enough contact. In the last three years, he has struck out 313 times in 1,070 at-bats. He does, however, show the power potential with 55 home runs, 48 doubles and seven triples. And when he makes contact, his home runs are the type that people talk about. A throw-in in a deal that made Dale Murray a Yankee after the 1982 season, McGriff still needs to develop some patience against curveballs before he will make consistent enough contact to make a move to the big leagues.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #1 prospect in 1985
  All right, McGriff still has a ways to go. But once he arrives, he will give people plenty to talk about. Just like Willie Upshaw and Damaso Garcia, who like McGriff were raw talents the Blue Jays stole away from the Yankees, McGriff has the ability. It just needs refining. The only question on when McGriff will make it to the big leagues is when he will make consistent contact. He has struck out 260 times in 894 at-bats the last two minor league seasons, and he probably always will pile up strikeouts. But when he hits the ball, it goes a long way (50 home runs and 136 RBIs the last two years), a tempting sight for the Blue Jays, whose home park is a paradise for lefthanded hitters. McGriff has made a steady climb in the last two years since the Blue Jays got him as a throw-in in the trade for Dale Murray, having played at Class A Kinston and Florence in 1983 and Double-A Knoxville and Triple-A Syracuse last year McGriff is like other young power hitters in that the curveball throws him for a curve. His defense is still in the marginal category, but he has good lateral movement and an excellent arm. His reactions are slow, but his desire and work habits make him a good learner.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #2 prospect in 1984
  What the Blue Jays' scouting system hasn’t uncovered at the amateur level, it has found awaiting in the Yankees' farm system. The Jays acquired McGriff a year ago as part of the package for Dale Murray. It will still be some time before he makes the Yankees regret that deal more than ever, but the time should come. McGriff is the legitimate power hitter--the type, who with the inviting elements for a lefthanded hitter in Toronto, could be capable of 30-40 home runs. In his first full professional season last summer, he hit 28 home runs and drove in 93 runs, splitting the time between Kinston and Florence. Like most young men with power, McGriff creates some big breezes, too (147 strikeouts in 469 at-bats). That will decrease as his experience and knowledge of the strike zone increases, but it is foolish to think he will ever be a pure contact hitter. McGriff does not have a great deal of lateral movement, but then he is a first baseman. But he has soft hands and an excellent arm. He will field anything he gets, too, even if that’s not as much as some would like. McGriff needs to increase his reaction time and get experience, but with his makeup and his natural power it won’t be long before he makes the step to the big leagues.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #5 prospect in 1983
  A 19-year-old lefthanded hitter with power, McGriff was obtained from the Yankees over the winter along with Dave Collins and Mike Morgan. The second-year pro batted .272 with a league high nine homers and 41 RBIs in 62 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League last year.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Carolina League #5 prospect in 1983
  Another sleeper, McGriff was obtained by the Blue Jays in an offseason deal with the Yankees. He only batted .242 for Kinston, but McGriff hit 21 home runs, most in the second half of the season. “I don’t care about his average,” one manager said, “he’s got that nice, sweet swing. Give him time, he’ll hit for an average and have some power.” McGriff turned 20 in October, which means he could spend another season at the Class A level. McGriff is woefully weak in the field, but showed steady improvement during the season. He is several years away from the major leagues, but is considered another one of Toronto’s “steals” from the Yankees.

• December, 1985 Scouting Report
  McGriff has been a slow project, but one the Blue Jays are confident will be worth the wait once he harnesses the raw power he has shown. The 1985 season was pretty much a wash for McGriff. He suffered a stress fracture in his ankle and only had 176 at-bats for Triple-A Syracuse. A big, free swinger, McGriff suffers a common ailment of power hitters--lack of enough contact. In the last three years, he has struck out 313 times in 1,070 at-bats. He does, however, show the power potential with 55 home runs, 48 doubles and seven triples. And when he makes contact, his home runs are the type that people talk about. A throw-in in a deal that made Dale Murray a Yankee after the 1982 season, McGriff still needs to develop some patience against curveballs before he will make consistent enough contact to make a move to the big leagues.
• December, 1984 Scouting Report
  All right, McGriff still has a ways to go. But once he arrives, he will give people plenty to talk about. Just like Willie Upshaw and Damaso Garcia, who like McGriff were raw talents the Blue Jays stole away from the Yankees, McGriff has the ability. It just needs refining. The only question on when McGriff will make it to the big leagues is when he will make consistent contact. He has struck out 260 times in 894 at-bats the last two minor league seasons, and he probably always will pile up strikeouts. But when he hits the ball, it goes a long way (50 home runs and 136 RBIs the last two years), a tempting sight for the Blue Jays, whose home park is a paradise for lefthanded hitters. McGriff has made a steady climb in the last two years since the Blue Jays got him as a throw-in in the trade for Dale Murray, having played at Class A Kinston and Florence in 1983 and Double-A Knoxville and Triple-A Syracuse last year McGriff is like other young power hitters in that the curveball throws him for a curve. His defense is still in the marginal category, but he has good lateral movement and an excellent arm. His reactions are slow, but his desire and work habits make him a good learner.
• December, 1983 Scouting Report
  What the Blue Jays' scouting system hasn’t uncovered at the amateur level, it has found awaiting in the Yankees' farm system. The Jays acquired McGriff a year ago as part of the package for Dale Murray. It will still be some time before he makes the Yankees regret that deal more than ever, but the time should come. McGriff is the legitimate power hitter--the type, who with the inviting elements for a lefthanded hitter in Toronto, could be capable of 30-40 home runs. In his first full professional season last summer, he hit 28 home runs and drove in 93 runs, splitting the time between Kinston and Florence. Like most young men with power, McGriff creates some big breezes, too (147 strikeouts in 469 at-bats). That will decrease as his experience and knowledge of the strike zone increases, but it is foolish to think he will ever be a pure contact hitter. McGriff does not have a great deal of lateral movement, but then he is a first baseman. But he has soft hands and an excellent arm. He will field anything he gets, too, even if that’s not as much as some would like. McGriff needs to increase his reaction time and get experience, but with his makeup and his natural power it won’t be long before he makes the step to the big leagues.
• December, 1982 Scouting Report
  A 19-year-old lefthanded hitter with power, McGriff was obtained from the Yankees over the winter along with Dave Collins and Mike Morgan. The second-year pro batted .272 with a league high nine homers and 41 RBIs in 62 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League last year.
• December, 1982 Scouting Report
  Another sleeper, McGriff was obtained by the Blue Jays in an offseason deal with the Yankees. He only batted .242 for Kinston, but McGriff hit 21 home runs, most in the second half of the season. “I don’t care about his average,” one manager said, “he’s got that nice, sweet swing. Give him time, he’ll hit for an average and have some power.” McGriff turned 20 in October, which means he could spend another season at the Class A level. McGriff is woefully weak in the field, but showed steady improvement during the season. He is several years away from the major leagues, but is considered another one of Toronto’s “steals” from the Yankees.