Trenton Denholm

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #289 prospect in 2021 draft
  A 26th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school, Denholm was the Big West Conference pitcher of the year as a sophomore and didn’t allow an earned run in 32.2 innings over two years in the Cape Cod League. Teams had high hopes for him heading into both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but his stuff declined as he battled injuries. After dealing with elbow inflammation and going unpicked in the five-round 2020 draft, Denholm suffered a foot injury at the start of this season and posted a 4.94 ERA while allowing a .298 opponent average. Denholm is an undersized righthander listed at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds and relies on his command to succeed. His fastball sits 88-90 mph and occasionally touches 93-94 mph. His upper-70s curveball flashes average and his mid-70s changeup is an above-average pitch. Denholm has above-average control, but his command went backward this year and he often got too much of the plate. He allowed 88 hits in 74.2 innings, including 25 extra-base hits. Denholm’s stuff doesn’t leave him much margin for error, so he has to rediscover his previous command. He has a chance to be taken on the draft’s second day.
• Ranked #97 prospect in 2020 draft
  An unsigned 26th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school, Denholm won Big West Conference pitcher of the year as a sophomore and did not allow an earned run in two years pitching in the Cape Cod League, totaling 32.2 innings including the All-Star Game and postseason. An undersized 5-foot-11, 180-pound righthander, Denholm is more steady than eye-popping. He locates his 89-93 mph fastball, gets off-balance swings with a plus changeup, mixes in an average slider and flips in the occasional curveball for strikes to keep batters guessing. He’s an elite competitor who fills up the strike zone with four pitches and never gives in, often outperforming pitchers who have better stuff. Denholm’s stuff ticked down this spring due to elbow inflammation, but he still found ways to compete. Like other accomplished collegiate strike-throwers, Denholm is in the mix to be drafted between the third and fifth rounds.
• Ranked #404 prospect in 2017 draft
  An Area Code Games veteran, Denholm would likely be a first five rounds pick if he were more physical. As it is, he's quick-armed and has some polish of his three-pitch repertoire. He usually sits in the 87-91 mph range, with reports that he's touched higher. He can spin a breaking ball, though his curve can get sweepy. He's balanced on the rubber, repeats his delivery and throws a changeup with some fade to give him a third pitch. He has a chance to have plus command eventually. Denholm out-dueled Cody Bolton and Tracy High 1-0 in a heavily-scouted Boras Classic game in April. At 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, he's athletic and competitive, and should be an immediate contributor at UC Irvine.