Jon Gray is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who has recently been making waves with the Texas Rangers. After being traded from the Colorado Rockies in 2021, Gray struggled with injuries but bounced back with a strong performance in 2022.
But just how good is Jon Gray, really? In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at Gray’s career, analyze his pitching statistics, and compare him to other top pitchers in the league to determine his overall skill level.
Jon Gray’s Career Overview
Jon Gray was born on November 5, 1991, in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He attended the University of Oklahoma, where he played college baseball for the Sooners. Gray was selected third overall by the Colorado Rockies in the 2013 MLB draft.
Gray made his MLB debut with the Rockies on August 4, 2015, against the Seattle Mariners. He struggled in his first season, posting a 5.53 ERA in nine starts. However, Gray showed signs of improvement in the following seasons and established himself as one of the Rockies’ top pitchers.
One of Gray’s notable accomplishments with the Rockies was his performance in the 2017 National League Wild Card game. In that game, Gray pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out four batters. The Rockies won the game 8-4, advancing to the NLDS.
In his six seasons with the Rockies, Gray compiled a 47-46 record with a 4.59 ERA and 851 strikeouts in 793 innings pitched. He was known for his high strikeout rate and ability to generate swings and misses.
After being traded to the Texas Rangers in 2021, Gray struggled with injuries and only made six starts for the team. However, he bounced back in 2022 with a strong performance, which we’ll discuss in more detail later in this post.
Analyzing Gray’s Stats
ERA: Gray’s career ERA with the Rockies was 4.59, which is slightly higher than the league average during that time period (4.18). However, his ERA did improve in 2022 with the Rangers, where he posted a 3.29 ERA in 16 starts.
FIP: Gray’s career Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) is 4.28, which suggests that he has been a slightly above-average pitcher over the course of his career. His FIP was even better in 2022, at 3.15.
Strikeout Rate: Gray has always been known for his ability to generate strikeouts. His career strikeout rate is 24.2%, which is well above the league average during that time period (20.9%). In 2022, Gray’s strikeout rate was an impressive 27.8%.
Walk Rate: One area where Gray has struggled at times is with his control. His career walk rate is 8.0%, which is slightly higher than the league average during that time period (7.7%). However, his walk rate improved in 2022, where he posted a 6.8% walk rate.
When comparing Gray’s numbers to other top pitchers in the league, he generally falls somewhere in the middle of the pack. For example, his career ERA of 4.59 ranks 79th among active pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched.
However, his strikeout rate of 24.2% ranks 28th among active pitchers during that time period. Overall, Gray appears to be a solid starting pitcher who has the ability to generate strikeouts and limit runs, but he may not be in the same class as the true elite pitchers in the league.
Gray’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Jon Gray has several strengths as a pitcher that have contributed to his success in the major leagues. One of his biggest strengths is his ability to generate swings and misses.
Throughout his career, Gray has consistently posted high strikeout rates, which is a testament to his ability to fool hitters with his pitches. Gray also has a durable arm, as evidenced by the fact that he has pitched over 150 innings in three different seasons.
However, there are also a few potential weaknesses to Gray’s game that could be improved upon. One area where he has struggled at times is with giving up home runs. In 2019, for example, Gray led the National League in home runs allowed with 30.
This susceptibility to giving up home runs can be a liability, especially when pitching in hitter-friendly ballparks like Coors Field in Colorado.
Another potential weakness for Gray is his control. As we mentioned earlier, Gray’s career walk rate is slightly higher than the league average. While he has improved in this area in 2022, it’s still an area of his game that he could work on to become an even more effective pitcher.
Overall, Gray’s strengths as a pitcher outweigh his weaknesses, and he has shown that he can be a reliable starter for a major league team. However, if he can improve on his control and limit the number of home runs he gives up, he could take his game to the next level.
Comparing Gray to Other Pitchers
When comparing Jon Gray’s statistics to other top pitchers in the league, it’s useful to look at how he stacks up against the leaders in key categories such as ERA and FIP. Let’s take a closer look at how Gray compares to the top 10 pitchers in ERA and FIP from the 2022 season.
Era Leaders
Robbie Ray – 2.31
Kevin Gausman – 2.68
Gerrit Cole – 2.76
Logan Webb – 2.91
Zack Wheeler – 2.95
Brandon Woodruff – 2.98
Charlie Morton – 3.01
Walker Buehler – 3.04
Corbin Burnes – 3.07
Max Scherzer – 3.14
As we can see, Gray’s 2022 ERA of 3.29 is higher than every pitcher in the top 10, except for Max Scherzer. However, it’s worth noting that Gray only made 16 starts in 2022 due to injuries, while most of the pitchers on this list made between 25-33 starts.
Fip Leaders
Gerrit Cole – 2.32
Robbie Ray – 2.50
Corbin Burnes – 2.53
Kevin Gausman – 2.77
Logan Webb – 2.83
Walker Buehler – 2.87
Zack Wheeler – 2.96
Carlos Rodon – 3.01
Brandon Woodruff – 3.03
Max Scherzer – 3.11
Gray’s 2022 FIP of 3.15 is closer to the leaders in this category, but still falls short of the top 10. However, it’s worth noting that Gray’s FIP in 2022 was better than a number of pitchers who had lower ERAs, indicating that he may have been a bit unlucky with the number of runs he gave up.
Overall, when compared to the top pitchers in the league, Jon Gray falls somewhere in the middle of the pack. While he has shown the ability to generate strikeouts and limit runs, his ERA and FIP are not quite at the level of the true elite pitchers in the game.
However, his performance in 2022 was promising, and if he can stay healthy and continue to refine his game, there’s no reason he can’t be a solid contributor to a major league rotation.
Comparison of Jon Gray’s 2022 Stats to Other Top Pitchers in the League
| Pitcher | ERA | FIP | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Gray | 3.29 | 3.15 | 10.16 | 2.42 | 1.09 |
| Corbin Burnes | 2.39 | 2.23 | 13.10 | 1.66 | 0.77 |
| Gerrit Cole | 2.76 | 2.83 | 12.59 | 1.97 | 1.13 |
| Zack Wheeler | 2.72 | 3.01 | 10.94 | 2.21 | 0.90 |
| Robbie Ray | 2.47 | 2.89 | 11.56 | 2.79 | 1.02 |
| Walker Buehler | 2.45 | 2.83 | 9.79 | 1.91 | 0.80 |
FAQs
What is Jon Gray’s pitch repertoire?
Jon Gray primarily throws a four-seam fastball, slider, and curveball. He also occasionally mixes in a changeup and a sinker.
Has Jon Gray ever been an All-Star?
No, Jon Gray has never been selected to an All-Star Game.
How long is Jon Gray’s current contract with the Texas Rangers?
Jon Gray signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the Texas Rangers prior to the 2022 season, which means his contract runs through the 2025 season.
What was the highest draft pick ever used on Jon Gray?
Jon Gray was selected with the third overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies, which is the highest draft pick ever used on him.
Has Jon Gray ever won any major awards or accolades?
While Jon Gray has never won any major awards or accolades, he was named the Rockies’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2014 and was a member of the All-World Baseball Classic Team in 2017.
Conclusion
Jon Gray has had a solid career in the major leagues thus far. While he has had some ups and downs, he has consistently shown the ability to generate strikeouts and be a reliable starter for his team.
In 2022, he showed glimpses of his potential, posting a 3.29 ERA and a 3.15 FIP in 16 starts for the Texas Rangers.
While Gray may not yet be in the conversation for the top pitchers in the league, he has the potential to continue improving and becoming an even more effective pitcher.
With his ability to generate swings and misses and his durability, he can be a valuable asset to any team in need of a starting pitcher.
If Gray can continue to work on his control and limit the number of home runs he gives up, there’s no reason he can’t be a successful starting pitcher in the major leagues for years to come.
