Robert Gasser had a nice introduction to professional ball after he was drafted.
- Born: May 31, 1999
- B/T: Left/Left
- 6’1″, 190-lbs
- Drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Houston
The Numbers
His raw numbers are listed above courtesy of baseball-reference.com. Let’s aggregate by year then focus on the important numbers for minor leaguers:
He was just drafted in 2021, so we don’t have a lot to work with. After one start in Complex ball, the Padres simply assigned to him Lake Elsinore, their A-ball team, and he finished the season with five starts for them. He faced 51 batters there, about 10 per game, and he struck out 13 of them while walking only two. That’s about all you can hope for at the end of your draft season out of college: just finish the year in good shape and set up for Double-A in 2022.
The Scouts
- Rotowire: #236 on their Top 400
- Fantrax: Not on their Top 400
- Fantasy Six Pack: Not on their dynasty Top 1,000+
- Imaginary Brick Wall: #416 on their Top 473
Warnings
The scouts have seen him and are beginning to notice, but we don’t have much to work with yet. He certainly hasn’t seen AA, and that’s the key test.
He’s not a dominant pitcher, more of a crafty lefty type, so will his strikeouts be on the low end?
Will his changeup hold up as at least an average third pitch?
Conclusion
He’s got a low-90s fastball, which works when you are a lefty pitcher. He has a slider that has the makings of a plus pitch, and he has an average changeup. That’s starter material, even if his lack of dominance means he’s more of a back-of-the-rotation starter.
That’s fine, baseball needs those #4 and #5 starters who don’t walk many, keep their teams in the game, and give their managers innings. 2022 will be the season that determines if Gasser can reach that ceiling, or if he will turn into a bullpen weapon with just his FB/SL combo. I’m betting on him remaining a starter.