December 4, 2023
Right-handed pitcher Grayson Thurman had a productive first season of pro ball, as he made it up to Double-A New Hampshire before the end of the year.
“With this being my first year and my velocity not being where I wanted it to be, it was even more motivating that I was able to compete in Double-A.” he said.
Pitching 49 innings in 2023; Thurman finished the year with 56 K’s and a WHIP of 1.47.
Currently using a four-pitch mix of: a 4-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball, and a splitter; Thurman talks about how he tries to work off his fastball.
“I have really good ride on my fastball so I love to finish guys by the top of the zone,” explained Thurman. “I think by having good ride on it, I’m able to attack down in the zone too. It’s very deceptive and once I throw pitches down in the zone I’m really able to expand to my curveball, slider, and splitter. If I throw them anywhere middle-middle – they’ll fall off.”
Adding some muscle and velocity are two focuses for Thurman this off-season, “With my frame I’m just trying to gain as much muscle as possible,” said Thurman. “Our biggest focus is to gain weight but we’re doing it the right way. It’s making sure I’m eating right and that my workouts are everything I need them to be. With the velo, the workouts help a little bit, but also my throwing program. I have some days that are high intensity where I really go after it and hopefully come closer to spring training we’ll see some results.”
Be sure to watch for Grayson Thurman next season, as he looks for more velocity with one of the Toronto Blue Jays’ affiliates.