Clemson star Caden Grice selected in MLB draft |
Clemson two-way star Caden Grice was picked with the 64th overall selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
Grice was ranked as the No. 118 overall prospect by MLB.com and projected as high as a second-round pick. The pick has a slot value of $1,213,200. He emerged in that leading role this season as a pitcher and a first baseman, which was enough to win the John Olerud Award for the nation's top two-way standout. He was 8-1 with a 3.35 ERA, .196 opponents’ batting average and 101 strikeouts against 33 walks in 78.0 innings pitched over 14 starts on the mound. At the plate, the first-team All-American hit .307 with 18 homers, a triple, 15 doubles, 68 RBIs, 60 runs, a .618 slugging percentage, .411 on-base percentage and four steals in 59 games. In his three-year Tiger career, he is 10-2 with a 3.73 ERA, .203 opponents’ batting average and 122 strikeouts against 46 walks in 94.0 innings pitched over 26 appearances (17 starts). At the plate, he is hitting .288 with 45 homers, two triples, 35 doubles, 161 RBIs, 145 runs and 12 steals in 168 games. Grice will have a month to decide on whether to use more college eligibility or sign in the majors. He was listed as a pitcher on the D-Backs' selection Sunday. Clemson also had Day 1 picks for signees in outfielder Dillon Head (No. 25 overall to the San Diego Padres) and shortstop Sammy Stafura (No. 43 overall to the Cincinnati Reds). Grice was the highest overall draft pick by a Tiger pitcher since 2007 and the first Tiger drafted by the Diamondbacks since 2018 (Ryan Miller). MLB.com profiled him earlier this year: "Though scouts agreed Grice was South Carolina's best prep prospect in 2020, they were split on whether he was better as a hitter or as a pitcher. Three years later, that debate continues as he draws Joey Gallo comparisons for his frame, power and swing-and-miss tendencies, all of which are massive. He may have more upside as a slugger but a greater chance for success on the mound, though it's unclear how much he really wants to pitch as a pro. He starred both ways and earned MVP honors as Clemson won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in May. Grice's 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame provides plenty of strength and leverage, creating raw power that plays to all fields and earns some 80 grades on the 20-80 scale, but his left-handed swing is naturally long and gets out of control. He has toned down his approach some after striking out 97 times in 58 games in 2022, though he still can look helpless against breaking balls. He's surprisingly athletic for his size, flashing solid speed once he gets going and showing the potential to become an average defender at first base, moving there after playing mostly right field as a sophomore. The arm strength that served Grice well in right also translates to a fastball that sits in the low 90s and reaches 95 mph with some boring action in on right-handers. He shows the ability to miss bats with an upper-70s slider and a sinking mid-80s changeup as well, and while he lacks polish and experience, he could get significantly better if he focused on the mound. The best course of action may be to see how his bat plays in pro ball and use pitching as a fallback option.
Congrats, @CadenGrice3❗️ 👏⚾️
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) July 10, 2023
The junior LHP/1B was drafted in the second round (No. 64 overall) by @Dbacks❗️#ClemsonFamily 🐾🐅#MLBDraft @MLB pic.twitter.com/NkWy4SczeM
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