Grant Johnson

[roadster]

I know he has been injured since starting with the Cubs but I did not realize he has fallen so far from the prospects list. According to BA, he is considered a second round bust and is not even listed in the top 30 or the list of considered prospects...ouch.

 

Besides for injuries, what has happened to him?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Besides for injuries, what has happened to him?

 

Drop in velocity and a complete disappearance of a potentialy plus slider.

[CUBZ99]

So the rumors of his return in velocity were unfounded? I was hoping maybe he could figure it out in the bullpen.

[craig]

So the rumors of his return in velocity were unfounded? I was hoping maybe he could figure it out in the bullpen.

 

Any rumored return from last summe were unfounded. (Although I didn't hear any during the actual season.)

 

There was a rumor this winter that he'd hit 95 in fall instructional league, and perhaps cleaned up his delivery or sharpened his slider.

 

That's the rumor I'm hoping has some substance to it.

 

Of course, last winter they said he'd cleaned things up in instrux to, but it wasn't evident once the season started. He's a long shot, but what happens with pitchers is sometimes pretty hard to predict.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I didn't know about the rumors about the improved slider. That'd be huge, more important than his velocity coming back.

 

Of course, BA generally asks the Cubs for their opinions on prospects (and takes it into account), so when Grant doesn't crack the Cubs' top 30, it makes you wonder about the rumors from instructs.

[questionmarkgrace]

I'm the one who originally said that. His mom and my uncle talk because my cousin and him were on the same highschool team. And also my uncle runs the local baberuth so he talks baseball with like every parent that comes in his store. But yeah word is he changed his mechanics and was back up to mid 90's during instructs. Which makes even a mediocre slider look good.

[questionmarkgrace]

Not like anyone cares but, I also went to the same highschool and graduated the same year as grant, LTHS 01. But I didn't really know him much more than saying "hey" at a party or in the hallway. I do remember though that his senior season was dominating. According to my cousin he was a real hard worker. And he relied on his fast ball which was good enough to blow away highschoolers but had little to no movement.

[karenmac]

Interview with Grant on scout.com posted on Friday...

http://cubs.scout.com/2/615153.html

[YearofDaCubs]

Interview with Grant on scout.com posted on Friday...

http://cubs.scout.com/2/615153.html

Anybody with access can summarize for us?

[imb]

http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/31/317060m.jpg

 

whatta mook