Andrew Hoffmann

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #15 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Hoffman was a somewhat unheralded pick by The Braves in 2021. He was selected in the 12th round in 2021 and signed for $125,000 after pitching at Illinois--his third school in as many years. He was the Illini team leader in ERA and WHIP, with a 64-to-15 strikeout to walk rate. He jumped onto the radar with strong showings in the Atlanta system at Low-A in 2021 and High-A in 2022. Hoffmann was one of three players sent to the Royals in exchange for a 2022 supplemental first round draft pick and he finished the year with nine starts at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
  
  Scouting Report: Hoffman delivers a four-seamer into lefthanded batters and a two-seamer into righties. Both fastballs sit around 91 mph and touch the mid-90s and he has shown command of both variants to both sides of the plate. His money pitch is a plus, sweeping slider around 82 mph that has rather unique pitch shape with plenty of horizontal movement. He's got good feel for the pitch and used it 44% of the time in Double-A. He rounds out his arsenal with a fading changeup that averages 84 mph. Hoffmann's pitches play up from the deception he gets from a funky delivery that starts with a leg pump and a pause before releasing the ball.
  
  The Future: Hoffman will head back to Double-A in 2023. The key to his future is how well his fastball will play at higher levels and whether he'll fit better as a starter or reliever. He has a tall, lean starter's frame but with the stuff to potentially excel out of the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 45. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 50

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #472 prospect in 2021 draft
  The 6-foot-5, 210-pound righthander has been Illinois’ best arm and he has some projectability but he’s already on the older end of the draft class. The expectation might be for more physicality or for better stuff because he turned 21 in February and is a third-year college pitcher, but he appears headed in that direction. This year for the Fighting Illini he posted a 2.87 ERA over 11 starts and 62.2 innings, walking 15, striking out 64 and holding opponents to a .209 average.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Hoffman was a somewhat unheralded pick by The Braves in 2021. He was selected in the 12th round in 2021 and signed for $125,000 after pitching at Illinois--his third school in as many years. He was the Illini team leader in ERA and WHIP, with a 64-to-15 strikeout to walk rate. He jumped onto the radar with strong showings in the Atlanta system at Low-A in 2021 and High-A in 2022. Hoffmann was one of three players sent to the Royals in exchange for a 2022 supplemental first round draft pick and he finished the year with nine starts at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
  
  Scouting Report: Hoffman delivers a four-seamer into lefthanded batters and a two-seamer into righties. Both fastballs sit around 91 mph and touch the mid-90s and he has shown command of both variants to both sides of the plate. His money pitch is a plus, sweeping slider around 82 mph that has rather unique pitch shape with plenty of horizontal movement. He's got good feel for the pitch and used it 44% of the time in Double-A. He rounds out his arsenal with a fading changeup that averages 84 mph. Hoffmann's pitches play up from the deception he gets from a funky delivery that starts with a leg pump and a pause before releasing the ball.
  
  The Future: Hoffman will head back to Double-A in 2023. The key to his future is how well his fastball will play at higher levels and whether he'll fit better as a starter or reliever. He has a tall, lean starter's frame but with the stuff to potentially excel out of the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 45. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 50
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Hoffman was a somewhat unheralded pick by The Braves in 2021. He was selected in the 12th round in 2021 and signed for $125,000 after pitching at Illinois--his third school in as many years. He was the Illini team leader in ERA and WHIP, with a 64-to-15 strikeout to walk rate. He jumped onto the radar with strong showings in the Atlanta system at Low-A in 2021 and High-A in 2022. Hoffmann was one of three players sent to the Royals in exchange for a 2022 supplemental first round draft pick and he finished the year with nine starts at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
  
  Scouting Report: Hoffman delivers a four-seamer into lefthanded batters and a two-seamer into righties. Both fastballs sit around 91 mph and touch the mid-90s and he has shown command of both variants to both sides of the plate. His money pitch is a plus, sweeping slider around 82 mph that has rather unique pitch shape with plenty of horizontal movement. He's got good feel for the pitch and used it 44% of the time in Double-A. He rounds out his arsenal with a fading changeup that averages 84 mph. Hoffmann's pitches play up from the deception he gets from a funky delivery that starts with a leg pump and a pause before releasing the ball.
  
  The Future: Hoffman will head back to Double-A in 2023. The key to his future is how well his fastball will play at higher levels and whether he'll fit better as a starter or reliever. He has a tall, lean starter's frame but with the stuff to potentially excel out of the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 45. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 50
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Hoffmann spent time at three different schools over three collegiate seasons, spending his Freshman campaign with Oakland University, his sophomore season at junior college John A. Logan, and his third season of eligibility at Illinois. His claim to fame as a collegiate is a 34-game undefeated streak stretches back to his final start with Oakland his Freshman season. He was named all-Big Ten third team in 2021, going 3-0 with a 2.87 ERA, and 64 strikeouts to 15 walks over 62.2 innings. Taken in the 12th round of the 2021 draft by the Braves, Hoffmann made his professional debut in early august 2021 making seven starts with Low-A Augusta out of the draft. Hoffmann was assigned to High-A Rome out of camp this spring. Scouting Report: One of the best breaking balls in the system, Hoffmann&#39s slider is his primary pitch seeing over 40% of Hoffmann&#39s pitch usage this season. The pitch sits 82-84 mph with heavy horizontal break, giving it a unique combination of velocity and movement. Despite the heavy break Hoffmann shows an innate ability to locate the slider to where he wants it in the zone. This combination of shape, velocity and command allow Hoffmann to miss bats consistently with the slider, even when batters know it&#39s coming. He mixes in two fastball variations at 92-94 mph in a two-seam with moderate sink and a four-seam without much life. Hoffmann shows command for each fastball type with the ability to set himself up in counts. Neither is a swing and miss offering but has enough power and command to rate fringe-average. Hoffmann&#39s arsenal is rounded out by a mid-80s split-changeup that he shows feel for, but is inconsistent still in terms of shape and execution. The Future: Overall Hoffmann is a bit of a tweener profile as he has a signature breaking pitch and average or better fastball velocity, but there&#39s questions about his fastball and changeup quality when exposed to the order a second time through. Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 55.