Born: 1/16/1997 in Fort Myers, FL
Draft: 2018, Boston Red Sox, Round: 5, Overall Pick: 160
College: Central Florida
B/T: R/R
6' 3"/192
https://www.milb.com/player/thad-ward-663658Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
Ward served as a Red Sox bat boy during Spring Training while growing up in Fort Myers, Fla., and became a full-time employee when they selected him in 2018's fifth round out of Central Florida. Converted from college reliever to pro starter, he won Boston's Minor League pitcher of the year award in his first full pro season after logging a 2.14 ERA with a system-best 157 strikeouts in 126 1/3 innings between Low-A and High-A. He has barely pitched since because of the 2020 pandemic shutdown and Tommy John surgery last June after two Double-A starts.
Before his elbow gave out, Ward displayed one of the system's best sliders, an 81-85 mph weapon with late bite that he could use for strikes and chases and also turn into an upper-80s cutter. He set up his slider with a hard two-seam fastball that ranged from 92-96 mph with good sink to induce groundball contact. He was working on improving his changeup, flashing some solid ones in the low 80s with fade.
Left off Boston's 40-man roster last November, Ward became a Rule 5 target for several clubs until that Draft was cancelled following the lockout. Also a college basketball prospect in high school, he's a good athlete who repeats his easy delivery and should have at least average control once he comes all the way back from his elbow reconstruction. He still has a ceiling of a No. 4 starter with the fallback of becoming a multi-inning reliever who relies heavily on his slider and sinker.
