So this morning I grabbed my coffee and thought hey let’s dive into MLB draft buzz since pitchers are always interesting. Started digging around about Griffin Herring cause his name kept popping up in late first round chatter. Remembered seeing some LSU tape last season where his slider made batters look silly so that stuck with me.
Checked several mock drafts that dropped this week. One had him going 18th to the Rays which actually makes sense cause they love developing these high-ceiling arms. But then another site had him falling to the Cardinals at 30th. Frustrating when projections are all over the place like that.
Went down this rabbit hole comparing his college stats with other lefties in the draft. His ERA jumped around a bit sophomore year which worries me. Had this ah-ha moment realizing his fastball command when fatigued is what separates the maybe from the definitely. Watched more tape from April games specifically focusing on late innings.
Tried matching him with teams that fit his profile:
- Rays: Obvious fit with their pitching lab but doubtful he lasts that long
- Phillies: Need lefty depth but might reach for a bat instead
- Giants: Dark horse candidate cause they prioritize command guys
Honestly doubt Herring cracks top 15 despite what some tweets claim. Teams picking 20-30 range seem more realistic for his risk-reward profile. Whole thing took like three hours cause I kept second-guessing comps. Ended up scribbling notes that look like a mad scientist’s journal with arrows everywhere.
Biggest takeaway? Wherever he lands needs serious patience. This kid flashes ace stuff one inning then battles control the next. Wouldn’t touch him top 10 but anywhere 20-30 I’m buying that lottery ticket.
