The Washington Nationals have an abundance of young talent in the club’s system.
You always hear about slugger James Wood (team’s top prospect) who’s been compared to New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge. 2023 No.2 overall pick Dylan Crews who helped lead the LSU Tigers to a record seventh national title last season is on the fast track to the majors as well.
Then there’s the likes of Brady House, Yohandy Morales, Cade Cavalli and MLBbro Elijah Green all who are expected to be vital pieces of the club’s rebuild.
Those six players are currently the Nationals top six prospects, and while they’re expected to make a splash when called up, there’s another prospect who’s making a name for himself.
Pitcher Marquis Grissom Jr. who was recently promoted to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, is beginning to look like a special player in which the Nationals may look to build around.
The former 13th round pick shined with High-A Wilmington this season posting a (2-1) record in 14 appearances. The MLBbro held hitters to a .210 average at the plate with 26 strikeouts. He only issued seven walks and allowed a paltry 1.11 WHIP. Those numbers are why he received the call up.
Grissom Jr. Has Been Around The Game His Whole Life
Being the son of former MLB star Marquis Grissom Sr., who himself was a two-time All-Star, AL MVP and World Series champion, Grissom Jr. has pretty much spent his entire life around the game of baseball.
During a recent interview prior to his call up the then Wilmington Blue Rocks, told reporters this about his upbringing and how he’s paved his own path to professional baseball.
“I was in locker rooms since birth. I was always in locker rooms getting to meet some of the greats. That’s where I started falling in love with it more.”
Grissom Got Late Start Pitching
Even more impressive as it pertains to Grissom was he got a late start as a pitcher. The highly-coveted Nationals minor league reliever told the story of how he became a pitcher.
“I always was hitting, but one time my travel ball team didn’t have any pitchers, so I was like, I’m gonna try it out. I started liking it, and then just started working on everything,” he explained.
That sudden position change along with some hard work paid off as Grissom was ranked the 11th-best pitcher in high school, and fourth ranked in the state of Georgia at the end of his senior year. That led him to Georgia Tech where he’d play two seasons for the hometown Yellow Jackets before entering the 2022 MLB Draft.
Grissom Drafted On 21st Birthday, Knows Health Is Key To Success
Grissom’s 21st birthday couldn’t have been better, as the Nationals drafted him in the 13th round.
“I was blessed to be drafted on my birthday. It was cool to have that moment,” he told reporters.
As with any sport your best ability is your availability, and growing up the son of a former MLB player knows how vital good health is.
This far in his career that’s been one of Grissom’s strongest traits, he’s always ready and available. If he can continue to develop while showing that type of durability it won’t be long before he’s one of the Nationals relievers out of the bullpen.
The Washington Nationals are in a rebuild and the way the team is currently playing and the riches of minor league talent coming down the pipeline, the prevailing thought is that they won’t be down for long.
We’ve heard about the position player prospects like power hitter James Wood, the club’s second-ranked prospect. Then there’s 2023 No.2 overall pick Dylan Crews who’s got all the tools to be great. Elijah Green was a top pick in 2022 and he’s currently learning how to survive in pro ball.
But fans also want to know how the club’s pitching is looking in the farm system.
Washington Nationals Have Rich History Of Elite Pitchers: Enter Marquis Grissom Jr.
Once known for their dominant pitching, which led the franchise to its first and only World Series title in 2019 with pitchers like Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin, the Nationals are hoping to groom and develop some new hurlers to lead the rebuild.
One name that’s definitely in the team’s plans is 2022 13th round pick Marquis Grissom Jr. who was promoted to the club’s High-A affiliate In Wilmington.
— Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (@GTAthletics) April 30, 2024
Grissom Continues To Shine
Last year Grissom displaying his abilities on the mound in Single-A Fredericksburg, which included a solid (4-2) record in 31 appearances to go along with a paltry 2.13 ERA and 39 strikeouts in just over 41 innings of work. He also boasted a 1.11 WHIP which is (walks and hits per innings pitched). For his efforts he was named a 2023 MiLB All-Star, and now he’s been promoted
Melanated Mound Marauder Marquis Grissom Jr Adding To Repertoire
When he was drafted Grissom Jr was known as a “fastball/change up guy.” That changed a bit in 2023 and now in 2024 as he’s learned to utilize his slider more often.
Team officials raved about his ability to make hitters uncomfortable. In fact, they told reporters this about Grissom Jr.
“Really good this year at inducing west contact and attacking the zone out of the pen.”
That’s a huge reason why he was promoted to High-A ball.
Thus far in 2024 Grissom Jr. has been lights out. In nine appearances he’s posted a (1-1) record with a 1.88 ERA, 20 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP. This in just over 14 innings of work.
Keep this up and it won’t be long before he’ll be getting the call up to Double-A ball.
When the Washington Nationals drafted right-handed pitcher Marquis Grissom Jr. in the 13th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, they knew they were getting a special talent with a high ceiling and MLB pedigree.
What made that day even sweeter was the team drafted the 21-year-old and son of former MLB player Marquis Sr. on his birthday.
One thing that immediately stood out about Grissom was how he handles the expectations that come with his name.
In 2019, the hard-throwing pitcher told MLB.com this while attending the Breakthrough Series camp:
“People tell me I have a lot of expectations to live up to, but I’m just trying to make my own name.”
Thus far the Washington Nationals prospect has done exactly that, while refusing to feel pressure while he carves out his own destiny on the hill, despite being the son of a two-time All Star, four-time Gold Glove outfielder and World Series champion.
Grissom Shines For Single-A Fredericksburg
In his second season with Fredericksburg, Grissom Jr. shined in his role as a reliever in 2023.
In 31 appearances, he finished with a 4-2 record, 2.13 ERA and 39 strikeouts while allowing just a paltry .213 batting average in 41.1 innings pitched.
Grissom’s 1.11 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is what really jumps off the screen, and it shows the control he has on the mound. In all, it was a great showing as the Nationals may have drafted a hidden gem.
One of the top pitching prospects in the country coming out of high school, Grissom Jr. battled myriad injuries during his freshman season at Georgia Tech. That derailed his growth and played a role in him being drafted that late.
In retrospect, the Nationals quite possibly landed a first-to-second round talent, and he showed that this year by being named an MiLB All Star by the organization.
What’s Next For Grissom Jr.?
Known as a fastball/change-up pitcher, Grissom Jr led all Nats minor leaguers with 11 saves, while striking out batters at an impressive 8.49 K/9 clip. The biggest difference for Grissom from 2022 to 2023 was the increased velocity on his fastball which clocked out at 96 MPH this season, a full mile and a half faster than last season when he topped out at 94.5 MPH.
With the increased velocity, Grissom has still maintained the sharp control he’s always possessed. In fact, he used it to help him induce weak plate contact by batters as he’s become more comfortable with attacking the strike zone when called out on of the bullpen.
If he keeps this up it makes for a very likely call up to either High-A or Double-A ball sometime in 2024.
Until then, the kid whose goal was to carve out his own niche, will continue to do just that as one of a growing band of talented MLBbro one on the brightest prospects for the prospect-laden and rebuilding Nationals.
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