GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- On a blustery Friday afternoon on a back field at the Guardians' complex next door to where the Reds train, pitching prospect Graham Ashcraft appeared poised to pick up where he left off after a breakout 2021 season.
While working two scoreless innings on 28 pitches (19 strikes), Ashcraft’s four-seam fastball and slider looked lively. He allowed a pair of one-out singles in the first inning and struck out five, including the side in the second inning.
“I felt like it went pretty good,” Ashcraft said. “First inning, I kind of had to feel around the zone and getting back on the mound. The second inning, I was able to command my pitches a little better and fill the zone up, and the slider was working better the second inning compared to the first. I was actually able to locate it.”
Ranked by MLB Pipeline as Cincinnati’s No. 6 prospect, Ashcraft was 11-4 with a 3.00 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP and 129 strikeouts over 111 innings in 22 starts last season across High-A Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga. He allowed only four home runs. MLB Pipeline named Ashcraft as the Reds’ pitching prospect of the year.
“I think it was more of just figuring out how to use my body consistently,” said Ashcraft, a sixth-round pick in the 2019 Draft out of Alabama-Birmingham. “That kind of helped lead to everything else. It was just building up and learning what type of pitcher I am and what my pitches do and how to actually harness what I have to make it what it’s become.”
From May 30-July 4, Ashcraft enjoyed a seven-start streak -- 43 innings -- without allowing an earned run.
“I go out, and I’m just trying to strike everybody out,” Ashcraft said. “I’m trying to throw my best stuff, and that’s really about it. There’s nothing I am really focused on other than trying to get the person out at the plate.”
During Friday’s scrimmage, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Ashcraft had his strikeout stuff on full display. After he fanned the first batter in the second inning with a four-seamer, the right-hander caught big league veteran Sandy León looking at a slider for a called third strike. The third batter went down swinging at another four-seam fastball.
Ashcraft’s fastball ranges from 93-97 mph and can reach triple digits with excellent spin rates. But for the 24-year-old to have a chance to start in the big leagues, he will need to develop a strong third pitch.
That’s been a work in progress.
“He’s looked good,” Reds vice president of player development Shawn Pender said. “His big thing, always, is he has quality stuff. He’s big and strong, durable. The question is how do we parlay this three-pitch mix and get him to use his [offspeed] more if he’s going to be a starter and get him to repeat the quality over the plate? If there is one thing -- and there isn’t very much he doesn’t do well -- it’s being able to repeat and throw the ball over the plate. It’s important.”
Although he doesn’t use a changeup much, there could be other pitches that Ashcraft brings into the repertoire.
“I had a curveball last year, but once we got into the season, it kind of just went away. I couldn’t really locate it,” he said. “During the offseason and leading up to this early camp, I really developed it and was able to throw it for a strike. I had a two-seam, which is kind of like a sinker. Sometimes it runs. Sometimes it drops straight down. I’ve started to develop that so I can have something I can either feed away from lefties or drop it down and in on righties, so I don’t have anyone leaning over the plate looking for the cut fastball or slider.”
Ashcraft will be a non-roster invite whenever big league Spring Training gets underway, and he could begin the 2022 season at Triple-A Louisville.