Heading into the draft, there was some intrigue as to whether Drew Gray was going to be a position player or a pitcher. That has all been swept under the rug as Gray is going to tow the rubber every five or six days as a Cub in the minors for the next few years. After pitching in the spring, I didn’t expect to see him throw at all for the Cubs once he signed. But he did. And he did it well.
He made two appearances in Mesa throwing 4 scoreless innings. He walked 1 guy and struck out 9. It was a pretty impressive debut for an 18-year-old. And now he finds him in instructs as we speak.
Basic Information
Age – 18
Position – LHP
Height – 6-foot-3
Weight – 190
Throws – Left
Likely ETA – 2024/2025
3rd Round IMG Academy
If you get taken in the third round of the Major League Baseball Draft, you’re a pretty good baseball player. The Cubs signed Drew Gray to a little bit over his slot to keep him from going to the University of Arkansas. When 2022 comes around, Gray will still be 18-years-old and probably making his full season debut at Myrtle Beach.
Aside from being 6-foot-3, left-handed, and from Illinois, what I like most about Gray is that he has a huge upside. He’s not a guy who has really committed himself to pitching just yet and he’s drawn rave reviews for what he has done in a limited role. He can throw in the low 90s and top out around 94. He already has a slider and a curve and he’s throwing the occasional changeup from time to time
Here is What Prospects Live Said About gray prior to the draft:
“Gray is a two-way player, manning a corner outfield spot whilst making solid contact at the plate, but his future home should be on the mound. FB is 90-94 with 2400-2500 rpm. His SL is an impressive low 80s banger, sweeping across the zone in the 2600 RPM range. Gray is still super raw as it pertains to pitching. He’s reasonably new to the role, and should see his stuff continue to grow as his mechanics and long levers suggest plenty of projection to come.”
I am hoping for good things once he commits himself to pitching full time. We should see that velocity tick up, we might see another pitch or a different grip to get more RPM on his breaking stuff. Everything just points up as an ascending type of prospect. In reality, that’s what you want in your players. You want guys who have high ceilings and a lot of skills to build with. Gray certainly has those!
Cubs Central 
Outstanding pick, I hope he gets a chance to hit some too. His EVs weren’t crazy but he showed plenty of bat speed (ranked btw 95th-98th% on three diff metrics on the circuit)
The Cubs maybe have never had the farm system so flush with higher profile teenaged talents (Gray, Howard, Gallardo, Quintero, Triantos, Preciado, Hernandez), especially considering how strong they already look as a group
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