Grayson Hitt Could Be The Best Lefty In D-backs System

The D-backs No. 17 prospect could become their top pitching prospect depending on how he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

This article is part of a series counting down the Diamondbacks Top 30 prospects entering the 2024 season. These rankings are determined by Michael McDermott, in conjunction with the Inside the Diamondbacks staff.

Summary: Grayson Hitt was due for a big breakout season in 2023, as he was clocked in the mid-90s with his fastball to go with a solid four-pitch mix last fall. However his velocity dropped in the following spring and eventually underwent Tommy John surgery. As a result he fell all the way to the fourth round of the draft, with the D-backs swooping in and signing him for a well above slot value of $1.2 million. Hitt joins his former Alabama teammate Dylan Ray in the system as a guy whose ceiling is well above what he showcased in front of scouts in their draft year.

Rank: 17

Age: 22

Height/Weight: 6'3" 210 lbs.

Throws: Left

Tools: Fastball 55, Curveball 50, Slider 55, Cutter 55, Changeup 40, Command 45, Overall 45

ETA: 2027

What the D-backs are saying about him?

"I know that our scouts that saw him in the fall were really impressed by the stuff besides the strikes and our analyst group really liked the package as well. Do we think it was an upside opportunity cost play? Absolutely!" - Scouting Director Ian Rebhan, July 2023

2023 Recap: Hitt entered the 2023 collegiate season with the potential to join the first round discussion, but the stuff backed up in eight college starts. His mid-90s velocity in the fall dropped to the low-90s and the command got worse. Eventually it was discovered he has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery in April. The surgery plus the lesser stuff lowered his draft stock to the fourth record, but Hitt still secured a signing bonus typical for a Day 1 selection. 

2024 Expectations: Hitt will be on a similar timeline to return as Landon Sims  was in 2023, so the likely time for him to return to competitive action at the complex will be around June. The D-backs will be paying attention to his velocity and how he's throwing on the mound before deciding to send him to a more appropriate competition level. He will likely finish the year with Class A Visalia and a workload of 30-40 innings in the 2024 season. 

Projection: The Fall 2022 version of Hitt is the type of arm the D-backs desperately need to develop as a lefty who has middle of the rotation upside. However the spring version, with better command, is more likely to settle into a back of the rotation starter with similar upside as Tommy Henry, Yu-Min Lin, and Blake Walston. If we see more mid-90s velocity, he has the most upside of any left-handed arm in the organization and will be on the fast track to the big leagues. 

Top 30 Diamondbacks Prospects Entering the 2024 Season