Vaughn Grissom Is Sharpening His Approach — And the Numbers Back It Up
Vaughn Grissom has slashed his strikeout rate from 21.4% over the last 30 days to 6.7% in the last week, and his wOBA has climbed to .387 in that same window. At 1% rostered, almost nobody is paying attention. That's exactly why you should be.
The Rolling Window Tells the Story
Start with the 30-day picture: a .314 average, .341 wOBA, and a bloated 21.4% strikeout rate. Decent but unremarkable — the kind of line that keeps a player invisible on waiver wires. Now zoom in.
Over the last 14 days across 34 plate appearances, Grissom has hit .387 with a .416 wOBA and brought that K% down to 14.7%. The last seven days have been even more aggressive: .357 average, .387 wOBA, and a strikeout rate of just 6.7% against a 6.7% walk rate. He's making contact, he's being selective, and the results are following.
One home run in the 14-day window won't turn heads, but this isn't a power play. This is a batting average and on-base signal from a multi-position eligible player — 1B, 2B, 3B eligibility in a single package. That kind of roster flexibility at this ownership level is a market inefficiency.
Skills Check: What Statcast Says
The exit velocity trend is worth watching closely. Over the last 30 days, Grissom posted an 86.1 mph average exit velocity with just 16.7% hard-hit rate — underwhelming. But the recent windows show real improvement: 92.0 mph EV over the last seven days and 94.3 mph over the last 14, with hard-hit rate surging to 41.6% in that 14-day span. The 7-day hard-hit rate dipped to 33.3%, but on a 15 PA sample within a 34 PA window already classified as solid, that kind of fluctuation is expected.
The key takeaway: the quality of contact has materially improved alongside the plate discipline gains. A rising wOBA backed by better exit velocity and a collapsing strikeout rate isn't noise — it's a real mechanical or approach change producing tangible results.
WaiverScout Has Been Tracking This
We've had eyes on Grissom since late April. He cycled between deprioritize and watch classifications through May and June as the signal flickered. We flagged him as a watch on May 11, again on May 30, and again on June 7. He'd show flashes, then regress, and we'd downgrade accordingly. As recently as June 28, he was a deprioritize.
But the July data has been different. We moved him back to watch on July 12, and the signal has only strengthened since. This is the most sustained stretch of improved contact quality and plate discipline we've seen from him this season. The data is clear — this version of Grissom looks like a different hitter than the one we were flagging in April and May.
The Ownership Window
At 1% rostered with stable velocity, the fantasy industry hasn't caught up yet. CBS Sports and Yahoo list him with multi-position eligibility, but neither platform is generating significant pickup buzz. Razzball has projections on file, and the Angels have reportedly been experimenting with expanding his defensive profile. This player isn't on anyone's radar yet — and that's the point.
If you need corner infield or middle infield depth, Grissom deserves a look over alternatives like Sal Stewart or Curtis Mead, given the trajectory of his recent data.
Verdict: Watch
Grissom is a watch, not an add — yet. The 34 PA sample is solid enough to take seriously but not decisive enough to burn a priority claim. Monitor the strikeout rate and exit velocity over the next week. If the K% stays under 15% and the EV holds above 90 mph, this becomes an add conversation fast. The multi-position eligibility sweetens the deal. Keep him on your short list and be ready to move before the ownership percentage catches up to the performance.