MLB Prospects With Standout Statcast Metrics So Far This Spring
Image credit: Royals 1B Jac Caglianone (Photo by Bill Mitchell)
There are still plenty of spring training games to be played, and not all games are played in parks equipped with MLB Statcast tracking tech, but there have been several notable performances by prospects standing out in Statcast-tracked stats.
Drew Romo Has A Rocket
Colorado Rockies catcher Drew Romo has long been lauded for his throwing arm. He has offered another example of that this spring with a 1.82 pop time to throw out Garrett Hampson at second base on a stolen base attempt.
That’s the second-fastest pop time in a Statcast-equipped park this spring. His 84.6 mph arm strength on the throw was top-tier as well, and his 0.6-second exchange was the sixth fastest on a throw to second this spring.
Romo, the Rockies’ No. 17 prospect, has thrown out both attempted basestealers this spring. He threw out 29.3% of basestealers in the Pacific Coast League last year and 23.8% in the major leagues.
Among other impressive prospect catching throws, Tigers backstop Dillon Dingler had a 1.84-second pop time when he picked Ji Hwan Bae off second base, and Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros had a 1.86-second pop to throw out Cody Thomas. Those throws also cracked the top 10 for best pop times this spring in Statcast games.
Speaking Of Arm Strength
Rays shortstop Carson Williams has a 70 grade on his arm in our scouting report. He showed that to hurry and throw out Rafael Flores in a Feb. 21 game. Williams bobbled the ball in the hole, but he then picked it up and fired a 89.9 mph laser to first to get the out.
That’s the second-hardest throw on a successful throw in the infield in a Statcast game this spring. Max Acosta, a new Marlins pickup, did top him with a 90.3 mph bullet. Acosta also had an 87.4 mph throw and an 85.9 mph. He is showing a well above-average arm to his new club.
Pirates First-Round Pick Impresses
Pirates 2024 first-round pick Konnor Griffin has only played center field this spring for the Pirates, but his arm plays whether he’s at shortstop or in the outfield. Griffin wasn’t able to nab David Hensley on a throw to the plate from center field, but he was on-line with a 97.7 mph throw that is one of the hardest we’ve seen from the outfield this spring.
Griffin has company from a fellow Pirates prospect. Billy Cook also had a 97.7 mph throw from center against his old team (the Orioles) to keep Ryan Mountcastle from trying to advance to second on a fly out.
Griffin has flashed multiple elite tools. He also had a 30.1 feet/second sprint speed on a ground out. That is at least plus speed, and if he can get to that speed regularly, it would grade out as top-of-the-scale speed.
Who’s The Fastest?
Among MLB prospects in Statcast games, you probably aren’t surprised to hear that Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson’s 30.8 feet/second sprint speed on an infield single is the fastest speed recorded by a prospect. But he is tied for that honor. D-backs outfielder Kristian Robinson also had a 30.8 feet/second time, although his came when going 4.41 from home to first on an out. Simpson went 4.05 seconds from home to first.
Statcast Loves Sebastian Walcott
Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott is a Statcast marvel. Still a teenager, Walcott hit a ground ball 115.1 mph on Sunday, which is the fifth-hardest hit ball in a Statcast game this spring. He also has 91.6 mph throw (on an error), which is the fifth-hardest throw this spring. He also had an 85.6 mph throw that’s among the 50 hardest throws this spring.
That 115.1 mph grounder? Only six Rangers hitters have hit a ball 115 or harder in the regular season in the past 10 years.
Hard Hitters
Speaking of hardest-hit balls, Royals first baseman Jac Caglianone hit a 115.4 mph home run that is the fifth-hardest hit ball this spring. Mariners first baseman Tyler Locklear has the hardest-hit ball (116.4 mph) but it was on a double play. White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery had a 113.4 mph lineout that ranks among the hardest hit balls.
