Down on the Farm - 6/9/22

Prospect spotlight on pitcher Drey Jameson (ARI), Blue Jays' top prospect Gabriel Moreno called-up to the big leagues, Joey Bart (SF) optioned to AAA, Jarred Kelenic (SEA) leaves with hamstring injury

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Prospect Spotlight

Drey Jameson, RHS (24) - R/R, 6' 0" / 165 - Diamondbacks (AAA)

Drafted: 2019 - Round: 1Cs, Pick: 2, Overall: 34

The Diamondbacks selected Drey Jameson with the 34th overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Ball State. Jameson is an undersized righty with a lighting quick arm. He’s listed at 6’0” 165, but I highly doubt he’s that skinny. He throws both a four-seam and two-seam fastball, his four-seamer sitting in the upper 90’s and the two-seam in the mid-90s. He also features a plus slider that he’ll throw for a strike or bury down out of the zone for a swing and miss. His changeup has good depth when it’s right and is capable of being an above-average offering. He’ll also mix in a curveball from time to time.

Despite well above-average stuff and three plus pitches, Jameson has had mixed results so far in his career. Across more than 170 innings pitches he has an ERA of 4.69 with a 4.30 FIP. Jameson has swing and miss type stuff and hasn’t had any extreme issues with walks, but what he has had trouble doing is limiting hard contact and home runs. Jameson started the 2021 season in High-A, but finished in AA where he recorded a 4.08 (3.65 FIP) while striking out 35% and walking 9%. He opened 2022 back in AA, but four strong starts earned him a bump to AAA Reno. After a really rough few starts in Reno, Jameson has had slightly better results, although he’s still walking too many batters and giving up too much hard contact.

Jameson has also generated fewer swinging strikes than he was getting last season. This doesn’t appear to just be a function of him moving up a level and facing more difficult hitters either. Last season he was routinely getting swinging strike rates above 15% in his starts, but this season he’s only done that once despite his stuff remaining fairly consistent.

It’s difficult to see Jameson’s small frame and high-effort delivery and not immediately think there’s a chance he becomes a reliever down the line. I think it could break either way, but at this point it’s worth giving him the benefit of the doubt. He’s a good athlete who should be able to adjust — and the fact that he potentially has three above-average pitches gives him a good chance to stick as a starter.