Joshua Kuroda-Grauer started his skilled profession this previous summer time on the heels of a stellar junior season at Rutgers College. The 21-year-old shortstop from New Brunswick, New Jersey, was named Large Ten Participant of the Yr after slashing a sturdy .428/.492/.590 with 5 house runs. Furthermore, he swiped 24 bases, had extra walks (23) than strikeouts (18), and performed nicely defensively. The primary participant chosen on the second day of the newbie draft — he went seventy fifth total — Kuroda-Grauer is No. 12 on our just lately launched 2025 Athletics Prime Prospects checklist.
His professional debut was indicative of his skillset. Over 126 plate appearances throughout Low-A Stockton, Excessive-A Lansing, and briefly Triple-A Las Vegas, the right-handed-hitting center infielder slashed .324/.421/.343 with a 123 wRC+, and simply as he’d performed as a Scarlet Knight, he had extra free passes (12) than strikeouts (9). As our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen described in his writeup, “Kuroda-Grauer’s offensive profile is constructed round his superior bat-to-ball chops…. [he] is brief to the ball with common bat velocity.”
Towards the tip of the minor league season, Kuroda-Grauer mentioned his draft expertise, how he’s developed as a hitter, and the position mannequin mindset that was ingrained in him by his two moms.
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David Laurila: You had been drafted within the third spherical. What had been your expectations?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I used to be advised to count on something from the second to the fourth, so I fell form of the place I believed I’d fall. I’m simply actually comfortable and lucky to be with the A’s group, particularly with the group of fellows that got here in.”
Laurila: Have been the A’s a shock, or had been they a crew you knew was on you?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I undoubtedly knew they had been . After I went out to the mix in Phoenix, I had a fantastic assembly with them. So I wasn’t too shocked, however a loopy factor in regards to the draft is which you could meet with nonetheless many groups, however then you definately get picked up by one which by no means actually talked to you.”
Laurila: You hadn’t been drafted out of highschool, right?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I had not. I actually wasn’t even recruited to play school ball, simply primarily based on the place I went to high school. It wasn’t the most important sports activities college or sports activities city in Jersey. So, I didn’t actually discuss to anybody.”
Laurila: How did you progress from being an ignored highschool participant to a man who put up the numbers you probably did in school?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I undoubtedly have to offer the credit score to our hitting coach [at Rutgers], Michael Garza. He actually helped me together with my swing, and simply understanding the sport of baseball. He helped me to develop into a greater participant basically. The burden room, getting stronger, enjoying three years at that degree… I feel you naturally modify alongside the way in which. However once more, the teaching that I bought at Rutgers was superb.”
Laurila: What kind of changes did you make on the plate? As an illustration, if I checked out movie of your hitting as a freshman and in contrast it to in the present day, would I see principally the identical setup, the identical swing?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I feel you’d see a a lot cleaner dangerous path. The swing continues to be rhythmic, nonetheless flowy — that’s form of how I’ve at all times swung — however you’d see a extra polished swing from the mechanical facet. My finest attribute as a hitter might be my ball-to-ball abilities. I simply have an innate means to place the ball in play, and I feel cleansing up my bat path from freshman 12 months to junior 12 months actually helped me to make good line drive contact.
“I undoubtedly wish to be a tablesetter for the large boys within the lineup behind me, get them some RBIs. I wish to be the man that scores 100 runs in a season. That’s what I see myself as.”
Laurila: The place are you by way of exit velocities?
Kuroda-Grauer: “My exit velocities have jumped, which is a testomony to the burden room and getting greater and stronger, in addition to cleansing up the mechanical stuff. I feel the best this 12 months is one thing like 109 or 110 [mph]. I do know I had lots that had been 100-plus, and that’s the greatest factor for me, simply to remain on the barrel. In the event you’re hitting the ball 100-plus each time you rise up to the plate, you’ve gotten a very good probability of getting successful.”
Laurila: Do you want to enhance your stroll charge [9.5% to go with a 7.1% strikeout rate in pro ball] with a purpose to be a very good tablesetter on the highest ranges?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I feel I’ve a very good consciousness of the strike zone — I don’t chase lots — however particularly in professional ball, that’s one thing that everybody, together with myself, must work on. The zone is the zone and also you don’t must go exterior of it. In school you would possibly get an enormous zone right here and there, however in professional ball, for probably the most half it’s a smaller zone. So, simply get your pitch to hit. If it’s not there, simply take it.”
Laurila: What about your defensive sport? How do you’re feeling you profile there?
Kuroda-Grauer: “Shortstop, 100%. As a lot work as I’ve put into hitting, I’ve put in the identical quantity of labor, if no more, into my protection. I would like to have the ability to stick at shortstop all through my skilled profession. I’m at all times going to offer my offense the nod due to my contact charges — I feel I’ve at all times been a extremely good hitter — however I feel my protection is up there as nicely.”
Laurila: Altering route a bit, I’ve heard that you’ve sturdy management abilities. I assume that’s one thing you are taking delight in.
Kuroda-Grauer: “Completely. One factor I heard coming into the draft was that skilled baseball is actual individualized, and not likely that crew side you get in school. So far as me being a pacesetter, what I wish to do probably the most is win, whether or not that’s at an affiliate or, hopefully, someday with the large league membership. That’s how I see myself as an individual, and as a participant. I feel that form of perspective, that need to simply win, is infectious. Hopefully I’m capable of deliver a few of that management with me to skilled baseball.”
Laurila: I learn a story by which you spoke about your two moms and the way they raised you to be accepting of others. The piece then talked about the time you introduced meals to an unhoused lady exterior your resort. You’re fairly the position mannequin. Is it essential to you that folks learn about issues like that?
Kuroda-Grauer: “Yeah. I feel that being a job mannequin is essential, particularly for the youth and the individuals in my city. I’ve had a number of Little Leaguers from Franklin Township, the place I grew up, attain out and say they give the impression of being as much as me. That stuff means the world. And it’s not simply on the baseball area, it’s off the sector. It’s academics-wise and simply being a very good individual total. That’s the way in which I used to be raised by each of my dad and mom, each of my moms, to do the fitting factor. Irrespective of who’s watching, even when nobody is watching, I attempt to do the fitting factor. I feel that’s going to take me far.”
