Joshua Kuroda-Grauer started his skilled profession this previous summer season on the heels of a stellar junior season at Rutgers College. The 21-year-old shortstop from New Brunswick, New Jersey, was named Huge Ten Participant of the Yr after slashing a strong .428/.492/.590 with 5 dwelling runs. Furthermore, he swiped 24 bases, had extra walks (23) than strikeouts (18), and performed effectively defensively. The primary participant chosen on the second day of the beginner draft — he went seventy fifth general — Kuroda-Grauer is No. 12 on our not too long ago launched 2025 Athletics High 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 achieved 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 pace.”
Towards the top 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 have been drafted within the third spherical. What have been your expectations?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I used to be instructed to count on something from the second to the fourth, so I fell type of the place I assumed I’d fall. I’m simply actually pleased and lucky to be with the A’s group, particularly with the group of men that got here in.”
Laurila: Have been the A’s a shock, or have been they a workforce you knew was on you?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I positively knew they have been . Once I went out to the mix in Phoenix, I had an ideal assembly with them. So I wasn’t too shocked, however a loopy factor in regards to the draft is that you may meet with nevertheless 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, appropriate?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I had not. I actually wasn’t even recruited to play school ball, simply based mostly 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 speak to anybody.”
Laurila: How did you progress from being an neglected highschool participant to a man who put up the numbers you probably did in school?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I positively 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 turn out to be a greater participant typically. The load room, getting stronger, taking part in three years at that stage… I believe you naturally modify alongside the best way. However once more, the teaching that I bought at Rutgers was superb.”
Laurila: What sort 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 at present, would I see mainly the identical setup, the identical swing?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I believe you’d see a a lot cleaner dangerous path. The swing continues to be rhythmic, nonetheless flowy — that’s type 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 expertise. I simply have an innate skill to place the ball in play, and I believe cleansing up my bat path from freshman 12 months to junior 12 months actually helped me to make good line drive contact.
“I positively prefer to be a tablesetter for the large boys within the lineup behind me, get them some RBIs. I need 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 load room and getting larger and stronger, in addition to cleansing up the mechanical stuff. I believe the best this 12 months is one thing like 109 or 110 [mph]. I do know I had rather a lot that have been 100-plus, and that’s the largest factor for me, simply to remain on the barrel. When you’re hitting the ball 100-plus each time you stand up to the plate, you could have a very good likelihood of getting a success.”
Laurila: Do you must improve your stroll charge [9.5% to go with a 7.1% strikeout rate in pro ball] so as to be a very good tablesetter on the highest ranges?
Kuroda-Grauer: “I believe I’ve a very good consciousness of the strike zone — I don’t chase rather a lot — 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 need to 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 recreation? How do you are 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 believe I’ve at all times been a very good hitter — however I believe my protection is up there as effectively.”
Laurila: Altering path a bit, I’ve heard that you’ve sturdy management expertise. I assume that’s one thing you’re 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 workforce facet you get in school. So far as me being a pacesetter, what I need to do probably the most is win, whether or not that’s at an affiliate or, hopefully, sooner or later with the large league membership. That’s how I see myself as an individual, and as a participant. I believe that type 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 necessary to you that individuals find out about issues like that?
Kuroda-Grauer: “Yeah. I believe that being a task mannequin is necessary, 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 sphere. It’s academics-wise and simply being a very good particular person general. That’s the best way I used to be raised by each of my mother and father, each of my moms, to do the suitable factor. Irrespective of who’s watching, even when nobody is watching, I attempt to do the suitable factor. I believe that’s going to take me far.”
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