Juaron Watts-Brown Stats & Scouting Report

IP	227.3
ERA	4.12
WHIP	1.264
BB/9	4.4
SO/9	11.4

Full name Juaron Donovan Watts-Brown
Born 02/23/2002 in Visalia, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Oklahoma State
Drafted in the 3rd round (89th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023 (signed for $1,002,785).

View Draft Report

School: Oklahoma State Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade:50/High
Tools:Fastball: 55. Slider: 60. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.

Watts-Brown was a standout, multi-sport athlete in high school who excelled at baseball, football and basketball. He began his college career at Long Beach State, but redshirted in 2021 to recover from an arm injury he sustained in football. When he returned to the mound in 2022, Watts-Brown was named a Freshman All-American and his draft stock exploded over the summer when he showed improved velocity and some of the best all-around pitching upside during the summer in the Cape Cod League. In his first and only season with Oklahoma State, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound righthander posted a 5.03 ERA over 15 starts and 82.1 innings and led the Big 12 with 124 strikeouts and a 33% strikeout rate. He’s a good mover on the mound with a clean, fast arm, a bit of length in the back of his arm path and a three-quarter slot. Watts-Brown averaged 92 mph and touched 95 with a fastball that had around 19 inches of induced vertical break. He used that pitch less than half the time however, thanks to a high-usage, mid-80s slider that flashes plus with hard, tight spin and looks like a real out pitch. He generated whiffs at a 53% rate with the slider, with 40% usage, and often shows better feel to land it for strikes than either his fastball, his low-80s 12-6 curveball or his mid-80s changeup. Watts-Brown has fringy control and needs to improve his fastball command to make the most of a solid four-pitch mix.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Watts-Brown pitched well enough as a redshirt freshman at Long Beach State and then in the Cape Cod League to transfer to Oklahoma State. Toronto then selected him with the 67th pick and signed him for an overslot $1 million in 2023. He was in the midst of a breakout season in the Blue Jays system and was at Double-A New Hampshire when the Orioles acquired him for reliever Seranthony Dominguez at the 2025 deadline. Watts-Brown had a 3.62 ERA with 11.44 strikeouts per nine between High-A and Double-A.

Scouting Report: Watts-Brown got most of his strikeouts with a mid-80s gyro slider that’s at least plus, a pitch with late break that Watts-Brown can both land for strikes early and bury for chase late as it comes off the same line as his fastball. His 92-95 mph four-seamer, though, is quite hittable, and Watts-Brown and the Orioles are searching for solutions there, be it a two-seamer or cutter. He flashes an average low-80s curveball and took a step forward with his kick-change as 2025 progressed. Watts-Brown has an athletic, repeatable delivery and can have average control, though he’ll need better fastball command than that.

The Future: Watts-Brown can pitch in the big leagues in some capacity simply because of his slider, but a starter’s role depends on improving his fastball, be it a different shape or adding velocity, to help him get deep into games at the highest level. He’ll be back at Double-A Chesapeake in 2026 for his first full season in the Orioles organization.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50
BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: A shoulder injury while playing high school football forced Watts-Brown to redshirt his freshman season at Long Beach in 2021. He broke out in 2022, earning second-team Freshman All-American honors. After a strong performance on the Cape, he entered the transfer portal and committed to Oklahoma State. Watts-Brown struggled but the Blue Jays liked his projectable frame and stuff and selected him in the third round of the 2023 draft. He signed for $1 million and debuted in 2024 at Low-A and split his season across both Class A levels.

Scouting Report: A tall, thin righthander with an uptempo delivery and an over-the-top arm slot. Watts-Brown mixes four pitches in a four-seam fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. His four-seam fastball sits 92-94 mph touching 96 mph at peak with above-average ride and run from a six-foot release. Watts-Brown doesn’t generate much swing and miss with his fastball but he does use it effectively enough to set up his trio of secondaries. Watts-Brown’s mid-80s gyro slider with average spin rates in the 2,400-2,500 rpm range generates whiffs at an elite rate while tunneling off of his fastball. Both his high-70s curveball and low-80s changeup miss an above-average amount of bats with average command.

The Future: Watts-Brown shows projectable starters traits with command of a four-pitch mix and a swing-and-miss weapon in his slider.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50.
BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: A shoulder injury sustained while playing high school football forced Watts-Brown to redshirt at Long Beach State in 2021. He returned fully healthy in 2022 and broke out, earning second-team Freshman All-America honors. Watts-Brown transferred to Oklahoma State for 2023. Over 15 starts with the Cowboys, he struggled with his command, walking 48 batters in 84.1 innings and finishing the season with a 5.03 ERA. Despite his poor performance, teams still liked his projectable frame and pitch mix. The Blue Jays drafted Watts-Brown in the third round and signed him for an above-slot bonus of $1 million.

Scouting Report: Watts-Brown has a prototypical tall picther’s frame, with a smooth rhythmic operation on the mound and a high three-quarters slot. He mixes four pitches in his four-seam fastball, slider, curveball and an infrequently used changeup. Watts-Brown’s fastball sits 90-93 mph with above-average ride and run, but the pitch lacks velocity and deception and rarely misses bats. His slider is the crown jewel of his arsenal. It’s a mid-80s gyro slider with late bite, and it’s equally effective against righthanded and lefthanded hitters. Watts-Brown mixes a curveball as his third pitch. It sits 80-82 mph with depth. He rarely throws his changeup, a mid-80s offspeed pitch he pockets in most starts. Watts-Brown has below-average command at present but could evolve to fringe-average with time and pro instruction.

The Future: A projectable righthander with command concerns, Watts-Brown could develop into a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 30 | Control: 45

Draft Prospects

School: Oklahoma State Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade:50/High
Tools:Fastball: 55. Slider: 60. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.

Watts-Brown was a standout, multi-sport athlete in high school who excelled at baseball, football and basketball. He began his college career at Long Beach State, but redshirted in 2021 to recover from an arm injury he sustained in football. When he returned to the mound in 2022, Watts-Brown was named a Freshman All-American and his draft stock exploded over the summer when he showed improved velocity and some of the best all-around pitching upside during the summer in the Cape Cod League. In his first and only season with Oklahoma State, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound righthander posted a 5.03 ERA over 15 starts and 82.1 innings and led the Big 12 with 124 strikeouts and a 33% strikeout rate. He’s a good mover on the mound with a clean, fast arm, a bit of length in the back of his arm path and a three-quarter slot. Watts-Brown averaged 92 mph and touched 95 with a fastball that had around 19 inches of induced vertical break. He used that pitch less than half the time however, thanks to a high-usage, mid-80s slider that flashes plus with hard, tight spin and looks like a real out pitch. He generated whiffs at a 53% rate with the slider, with 40% usage, and often shows better feel to land it for strikes than either his fastball, his low-80s 12-6 curveball or his mid-80s changeup. Watts-Brown has fringy control and needs to improve his fastball command to make the most of a solid four-pitch mix.

Career Transactions

Chesapeake Baysox placed RHP Juaron Watts-Brown on the 7-day injured list.
Chesapeake Baysox activated RHP Juaron Watts-Brown.
Baltimore Orioles traded RHP Seranthony Domínguez and cash to Toronto Blue Jays for RHP Juaron Watts-Brown.
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown assigned to Chesapeake Baysox.
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown roster status changed by Baltimore Orioles.
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown assigned to Vancouver Canadians from Dunedin Blue Jays.
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays.
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown assigned to FCL Blue Jays.
Toronto Blue Jays signed RHP Juaron Watts-Brown.
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown assigned to Oklahoma State Cowboys.