Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40 | Overall: 45 

After beginning his high school career as a catcher, Hurd would have gone in the top two rounds of the 2021 Draft as a pitcher had he not chosen to attend UCLA. He pitched well for the Bruins before missing the final two months of his freshman season with a stress fracture in his back and transferring to Louisiana State. He battled the strike zone for much of 2023 and lost his rotation spot but rebounded to win the clinching games in the College World Series semifinals against Wake Forest and finals versus Florida. He projected as a possible first-round pick for 2024 before persistent control and command issues sunk his chances.

Hurd shows a quality fastball/slider combination even when he struggles. His fastball ranges from 93-96 mph and tops out at 98 while taking a sharp right turn at the plate. His high-spin slider sits at 84-86 mph and reaches 91 with plenty of horizontal and vertical action. 

Hurd uses his 78-82 mph curveball rather than a too-firm upper-80s changeup to keep left-handers off-balance, though neither is effective. He's athletic and has a quick arm, so the ingredients are there for at least average control, which would allow him to pitch in the front half of a big league rotation. Some evaluators think his inability to find the strike zone will land him in the bullpen, where both his fastball and slider could play as plus-plus offerings in shorter stints.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Control: 40 | Overall: 40

After beginning his high school career as a catcher, Hurd would have gone in the top two rounds of the 2021 Draft as a pitcher had he not chosen to attend UCLA. He pitched well for the Bruins before missing the final two months of his freshman season with a stress fracture in his back. After transferring to Louisiana State, he battled the strike zone for much of 2023 and lost his rotation spot before rebounding to win the clinching games in the College World Series semifinals and finals. He projected as a possible first-rounder this year before persistent control and command issues sunk his chances and dropped him to the third round, where he signed for $836,400.

Hurd shows a quality fastball/slider combination even when he struggles. His fastball ranges from 93-96 mph and tops out at 98 while taking a sharp right turn at the plate. His high-spin slider sits at 84-86 mph and reaches 91 with plenty of horizontal and vertical action, though it got hammered when he didn't command it well this spring.

Hurd threw just two changeups as a junior, preferring his 78-82 mph curveball to keep left-handers off balance, though it wasn't effective. He's athletic and has a quick arm, so the ingredients are there for at least average control, which would allow him to pitch in the front half of a big league rotation. Some evaluators think his inability to find the strike zone will land him in the bullpen, where both his fastball and slider could play as well-above-average offerings in shorter stints.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

For the start of his high school career, Hurd was a catcher, one who had initially committed to be a backstop at UC-Santa Barbara. A move to the mound is looking like it’s going to pay off after a summer where the right-hander showed off an intriguing combination of projection and feel for pitching that put him on Draft radars for the first time, shining particularly when he tossed four shutout innings at the WWBA World Championship in October.

Despite his rawness on his mound, Hurd has shown a feel for as many as four pitches, all coming from a very projectable 6-foot-4 frame. He’s pitching with a largely average fastball velocity-wise now, typically in the 90-93 mph range, but there’s a lot more in the tank there and he already commands the pitch well with high spin and vertical movement. His breaking stuff has already taken a large step forward, with a real feel to spin, sometimes showing two distinct pitches, with both his curve and slider having the chance to be plus. He’s also shown good feel for a changeup.

It would be understandable if Hurd displayed some rawness on the mound given how new he is to the craft, but his athleticism and clean delivery on the mound all point to plus pitchability, perhaps helped by his older brother, Logan, a lefty at Loyola Marymount. Hurd changed his commitment to UCLA, as a pitcher, but with the way he’s trending, he may never set foot on campus.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/05/2024	RHP Thatcher Hurd assigned to FCL Yankees.
	07/22/2024	New York Yankees signed RHP Thatcher Hurd.
	07/06/2024	Cotuit Kettleers released RHP Thatcher Hurd.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated RHP Thatcher Hurd.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated RHP Thatcher Hurd.
	06/10/2024	RHP Thatcher Hurd assigned to College Workout.
	05/07/2024	Cotuit Kettleers activated RHP Thatcher Hurd.
	05/07/2024	RHP Thatcher Hurd assigned to Cotuit Kettleers.
	02/10/2024	Louisiana State Tigers activated RHP Thatcher Hurd.
	02/10/2024	RHP Thatcher Hurd assigned to Louisiana State Tigers.
	03/01/2022	RHP Thatcher Hurd and assigned to UCLA Bruins.
	06/18/2020	RHP Thatcher Hurd assigned to PG National 12 - White.
	06/18/2020	RHP Thatcher Hurd assigned to PG National 12 - White.