With the 159th pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, the New York Mets have selected left-handed pitcher Zach Thornton from Grand Canyon University (GCU) in Arizona. Thornton was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 165 prospect coming into the draft.
Thornton comes in at 6’3”, 170 lbs. He spent two years at Barton Community College before transferring to GCU.
He has a full repertoire of pitches with a fastball graded at 45, curveball (45), slider (50), and changeup (50). His control is graded by scouts at 55 with an overall scouting grade of 40. While none of his pitches stand out as a go-to pitch, MLB Pipeline states he has the ability to be a “back-end starter.” He is athletic on the mound and is a steady left-handed college starter.
With the 159th pick, the Mets select lefty Zach Thornton from Grand Canyon University.
91 K to 18 walk ratio this year in 88 innings. The 21-year-old Ranked 142 on Prospect Live list.
— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) July 10, 2023
Thornton in 2023, had a 9-2 record with a 3.87 ERA in 15 appearances and 15 games started. In 88 1/3 innings pitched, he struck out 91 and walked just 18.
Thornton was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, an elite college baseball honor given to the nation’s top player, was one of three GCU players invited to the MLB Draft Combine in 2023, and earned All-WAC Second Team honors as a starting pitcher.
Thornton joins teammates Jacob Wilson and Homer Bush Jr. as players drafted in this summer’s draft.
