Marquis Grissom Jr. and his father had a memorable midseason reunion at the Futures Game in Atlanta this summer.
The 24-year-old Triple-A Rochester reliever earned the win for the National League against the American League team managed by 17-year big league outfielder Marquis Grissom.
The two signed a ball that was sent to the Hall of Fame, but soon thereafter, Grissom Jr. had trouble reaching his father.
“After the game, his phone ‘broke,’ ” Grissom Jr. said. “I didn’t hear from him until the next day. He kind of went ghost on me. I couldn’t find him. I know he was happy I got the win, but he knew I was going to talk trash. I know he was trying to avoid me.”
All boasting aside, the younger Grissom said the Futures Game appearance in his hometown “was something I couldn’t even imagine. I hadn’t even thought of that in my wildest dreams. I know my dad is proud of me, and I’m happy to make him proud.”
Grissom Jr. is a 6-foot-2 righthander who has reached the highest level of the minors after not even pitching until late in his high school career. He stood out on the showcase circuit and was a highly-touted pitching recruit before going to Georgia Tech.
Ten-year major league pitcher Marvin Freeman is one of Grissom’s mentors in baseball and life.
A 13th-round pick in 2022, Grissom has earned a promotion during each of his minor league seasons. He started this year at Double-A Harrisburg, where he had a 1.86 ERA in 9.2 innings. At Rochester, he slipped to a 5.73 ERA in 33 innings.
“I feel like this is the most I’ve learned out of a year, because this is the most struggles I’ve had in my pro career,” Grissom said. “You don’t want to struggle, but I’m grateful for it because I feel like you either win or you learn. I’d rather let it happen now than later in my career.”
Rochester manager Matthew LeCroy said Grissom’s athleticism will help him as he makes adjustments in Triple-A.
“The genetics are there with his father, and he’s a true competitor,” LeCroy said. “His fastball has gotten up to 94 or 95 (mph) this year, but his out pitch is his changeup. He just needs some more experience to be more consistent in the strike zone and let that changeup play a little bit more. That changeup is a big league pitch.”
Grissom recognizes that his changeup is a weapon, but he also knows he can’t overuse it.
“I’m working with all the guys to get my slider and my fastball command right,” he said. “It’s all about being more consistent with that and getting ahead with strike one.”
CAPITAL GAINS
— Righthander Cade Cavalli, 2020 first-rounder and formerly the organization’s No. 1 prospect, made his second major league start on Aug. 6, nearly three years after his first one after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Cavalli went 4.1 innings and struck out six without issuing a run without the A’s.
“His fastball is up to 99, and he’s throwing nasty breaking balls with a lot of swings and misses,” LeCroy said. “He’s added kind of a natural cutter that he throws, and he has added a sinker to his mix. Coming back, I knew there would be some inconsistencies at times, but (his last Triple-A start) proved to me that he’s ready to go back and pitch at that next level.”
— Rochester outfielder Nick Schnell, a first-round compensatory pick of the Rays in 2018, is having his best professional season after signing as a minor league free agent last winter.
“He has controlled the zone a little bit more. His home runs are way up and he hits them line to line,” LeCroy said.
Schnell batted .279/.340/.505 with 19 home runs and 18 stolen bases through 107 games, 70 of them for Rochester.
“I hate to say he’s a late bloomer,” LeCroy said. “He’s only 25. He has worked his tail off, made adjustments and has had a really nice summer for us.”
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