A. J. Gracia OF, College(Virginia). DOB: 10/27/2004. B-L, T-L. 6' 3", 195 lbs.
2024(Duke): .305/.440/.559, 14 HR, 5 SB, 48 BB, 55 K, 278 PA.
2024(CCBL): .267/.421/.467, HR, SB, 4 BB, 4 K, 19 PA.
2025(Duke): .293/.449/.558, 15 HR, 8 SB, 57 BB, 36 K, 285 PA.
Smooth swinging lefty hitter and thrower who uses the whole field and is more of a hitter with power than a power hitter. Plate discipline can cross the line into passivity. Plays CF well in college but projects as a corner OF in MLB. Transferring to Virginia for 2026 along with his coach from Duke.
the young man transferred out of Duke. that right there is a definite plus in his favor. seriously, both consistent from year to year with added improvement in drawing walks and cutting down on K's. that is one very small sample with the CCBL but he didn't stumble which is a good sign? -es
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting how Duke's baseball program, traditionally not as good as UVa's, improved to be better than their rival for the last few years, which followed with Virginia hiring away Duke's coach.
DeleteWith the collegiate freedom of player movement, perhaps more than A. J. Gracia will follow (or have followed their coach) to the Cavaliers.
In fact, SI.com reports that this slippery slope began with "...Brian O’Connor leaving Virginia for the Mississippi State head coaching gig.''
That departure led to the mass exodus of UVa players into the transfer portal, which has just been followed by more of Duke's players heading to Virginia.
Not sure this was the intention of the transfer portal system but it has changed college sports forever and created mega conferences led by the Big Ten and the SEC and the demise of the good old west coast conference.