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Tyler Glasnow was 21 years previous and stuffed with promise as he sat atop our 2015 Pittsburgh Pirates Prime Prospects listing when it was revealed in January of that yr. Our then-lead prospect analyst Kiley McDaniel gave plus grades to each Glasnow’s heater and his hook, opining that the tall right-hander had no. 2 starter potential.
Regardless of an harm historical past that features Tommy John surgical procedure, Glasnow has largely lived as much as expectations. Drafted 152nd general in 2011 out of William S. Hart Excessive College in Santa Clarita, California, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in July 2018 (a deadline deal Pirates followers would like to overlook) and logged a 3.20 ERA and three.10 FIP over 71 begins in his five-plus seasons there. Subsequently swapped to the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023, Glasnow has a 3.47 ERA and a 3.28 FIP over 31 begins together with his present membership. He’s top-of-the-rotation high quality when totally match, however he has had bother staying wholesome. Simply this season, he was out from late April till early July with shoulder irritation.
What did Glasnow’s 2015 FanGraphs scouting report appear to be? Furthermore, what does he give it some thought all these years later? Wanting to search out out, I shared a few of what McDaniel wrote and requested Glasnow to answer it.
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“Glasnow was drafted within the fifth spherical out of highschool in 2011 as a low-profile pure-projection wager with fringy-to-average stuff and a restricted observe document.”
“That’s most likely fairly correct,” Glasnow replied. “I used to be fifth spherical, simply extra projectable, and throwing 89-91 (mph). I had a good curveball, however it wasn’t superb but. My stuff was first rate for highschool, however in comparison with professional ball, not likely. I used to be decrease velo, principally simply two pitches, and I had a really dangerous changeup.”
“He blew up in 2013, dominating Low-A with a fastball that hit 97 mph. He continued his progress at Excessive-A in 2014, sitting 93-96 mph and hitting 98 mph.”
“Fairly correct,” he agreed. “I used to be rising into myself. A bit of little bit of it was mechanical. I was actually lengthy and late, and I simply received extra on time. I positively received a little bit bit stronger. I received drafted at 17, so it could have been a mixture of age and improved mechanics.”
“A plus curveball and bettering changeup.”
“The curveball has all the time been there,” he stated of his top-notch breaker. “The changeup has by no means improved. It was all the time dangerous, so I simply stopped throwing it. I feel the final time I threw one was most likely 2019 — that was only one or two — however it was 2017 or 2018 after I stopped, for probably the most half. I messed round with a break up a little bit bit, however I by no means… I didn’t prefer it.”
(Statcast final tracked a changeup from Glasnow in 2023, when it says he threw 5, to associate with 34 in 2021, 45 in 2020, and 32 in 2019. Both means, he was hardly throwing it throughout these years, and during the last two seasons, he has fully deserted it.)
“Glasnow’s lengthy limbs create some command/supply challenges that he’s already made numerous progress with.”
“That was when, 2015? Sure. It was higher than it was early, for certain,” stated Glasnow, who stands 6-foot-8. “My stroll price went down yearly. I did nonetheless have tough spots round that time. In 2016 and 2017 it form of sucked once more, after which it received higher. I feel a little bit little bit of (the command situation) was not being tremendous assured. After which the supply, the repeatability.
“I used to be all the time so hit or miss each begin, and I didn’t have a grip on why I used to be dangerous sure begins,” he stated when requested to elaborate on his insecurity. “I simply didn’t have numerous management of my physique. I’d say 2015 was a great yr, so it was superb — even when a little bit hit and miss — however 2016 and 2017 within the massive leagues it wasn’t so good. I feel that’s when my confidence was at its lowest. I received traded in 2018, after which it received higher.”
“His velo was down a tick within the AFL, together with his command and offspeed pitches now fairly the identical, however that appeared to only be fatigue from a protracted season for a thin child nonetheless including bulk to his body.”
“I don’t bear in mind being tremendous fatigued,” he stated. “I feel a giant situation is that there have been so many instances within the minor leagues the place I’d have a great month, a nasty month, a great month. Mechanically, issues would simply form of… it was simply exhausting to throw exhausting. I don’t even know what I used to be doing. Nevertheless it was inconsistent. The Fall League was simply a kind of months the place I sucked. I simply didn’t really feel superb. Yeah, it wasn’t nice.”
“Has an uncanny capacity to command his curveball, one thing I’ve solely seen from José Fernández amongst prospects at this stage.”
“I did properly in 2014,” he recalled. “I nonetheless had a reasonably excessive stroll price, however my curveball was good for strikes. I solely threw two pitches, so it was first rate in 2014 for certain. Some days it was horrible, however in numerous others it was good.”
“There’s no. 2 starter upside, with much less threat every the day.”
“I feel after I was good, it was fairly apparent that I used to be good,” Glasnow stated. “After I was dangerous, it was fairly apparent that I used to be dangerous. I suppose at the moment it was a good evaluation.”
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Earlier “Outdated Scouting Studies Revisited” interviews may be discovered by way of these hyperlinks: Shane Baz, Cody Bellinger, Matthew Boyd, Dylan Stop, Matt Chapman, Erick Fedde, Kyle Freeland, Max Fried, Lucas Giolito, Randal Grichuk, Ian Happ, Jordan Hicks, Jeff Hoffman, Tanner Houck, Matthew Liberatore, Tyler Mahle, Sean Newcomb, Bailey Ober, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Joe Ryan, Max Scherzer, Marcus Semien.
