Lucas Giolito – RHP

What to Love:  We’ll start this series with one of the biggest high school pitching prospects in this year’s draft: Lucas Giolito.  This Southern California native combines a great frame and a fluid delivery with some of the best stuff in the draft class, including a fastball that has touched 100 MPH, a strong power curve and a changeup that has shown potential.  At 6’6 220 lbs, Giolito will be able to add some weight to his somewhat wiry frame, which should allow him to add velocity to his already impressive arsenal.  Giolito has also been able to leverage his size and his over-the-top delivery to create tremendous downhill plane on his pitches, leaving scouts seeing plenty of strikeouts and groundballs in his future.  Needless to say, this right-hander has seemingly limitless potential.

What to Loath:  There has only been one wart on Giolito’s scouting report, and it’s a big one: injury risk.  After some monster early showcase performances (including one at the 2011 Area Code games, where the exclusive video below was filmed), Giolito went down with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and did not throw another pitch during the remainder of the high school season.  While no surgery will be required in his recovery, any potential damage to the UCL in a pitcher’s throwing elbow will understandably be cause for serious concern.  With a commitment to UCLA, Giolito also has the leverage of a strong college program to bring to the negotiating table.  The right-hander could forego a professional career for another three years if the opportunity to prove his health and get a quality education are worth more to him than the contract he’s offered out of high school. Continue reading “2012 MLB Draft Scouting Reports: Lucas Giolito, Max Fried, Joey Gallo” »