Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | HOU | RHP | 30 | 35 |
Grades Update: Jan 2021
| OFP | Role | FB | CB | Cont/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 30 | 50 | 60 | 40/30 |
Jan 2021 Report
Evaluator: Joe Drake
Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 208 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft, Round 12
RuleV: 2022
Physical Description: Thick frame with broad shoulders and a boxy torso. Limbs are relatively long; doesn't give the appearance of much athleticism in uniform. Thighs and butt are on the thicker side. Little projection remaining.
Delivery & Mechanics: Stretch only. Sets at the waist; moderate leg kick to the waist; drops and drives, getting into the back leg well. High 3/4s arm slot with solid extension; hides the ball well. High effort delivery that falls off hard to 1st base side. Varies timing with runners on, utilizes a much quicker leg lift, borderline slide step.
Fastball: 90-95, T98, solid armside run. Can run it by guys at the top of the zone, but gives up loud contact when left over the heart. Not much command to speak of and often loses it armside, but improved at Quad Cities. Plays up off the curveball. Grade: 50
Curveball: 83; 1-7 shape. Thrown hard with good depth and some sweep to it; fools hitters when dropping it in for called strikes. Can open and close at bats with it. Good feel for it, better command than the fastball. Will backdoor it to lefties. Confident enough to throw it in any count and even back to back. Far and away his best offering, needs it to be effective. Grade: 60
Control and Command: Wild and sometimes loses the zone entirely, but has taken steps forward as a pro. Clearly just hoping to hit the zone and not any sort of spot. Falls behind batters frequently and is seemingly good for at least 1 walk per outing. Commands the curve much better than the fastball. Even throws to first are off target. Appeared to tick up when he got to Quad Cities. Control: 40 | Command: 30
Overall: Relief-only profile with a strong curve and poor but improving command. Started pitching backwards in low-A to help the fastball play up off the curve. The stuff is good enough that low-level hitters struggle to square it up, but Gayle simply has no idea where the ball is going when he lets it go. Very tough AB when he's on, though. There's a chance Houston maximizes his profile and he becomes a low-leverage reliever in the majors, but it's more likely he's an up and down reliever.
OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: High
