Givin was a two-way prospect in high school that didn’t start focusing primarily on pitching until the end of his prep career. That–plus the already longer development path cold-weather players are on–gave him extra projection heading into the 2017 Draft. He went to Miami that spring, signing for a $458K bonus that was well over-slot for the 20th round. Givin pitched very well in his pro debut in the GCL that summer, though it was discovered after the season he would require Tommy John surgery. I caught a look at him on the backfields of Jupiter, FL in Extended Spring Training getting ready to ship out to a short-season affiliate later this summer.

Young for his draft class, Givin is still just 19-years-old despite having been drafted two years ago. He carries a 6-foot-3 frame with large, projectable features that look capable of adding velocity, especially considering a fairly clean delivery. His fastball ranges between 87 and 92 mph, showing armside tail at the high-end of its velocity band and a bit of cut action in the 87-to-89 mph range. Givin throws a lot of strikes with the pitch, showing the physical and mechanical tools to project in-zone command with more pro reps. A 74-to-77 mph curveball has consistent two-plane depth but lacks power or sharpness right now, though it could develop into a usable offering with improved finish. His low-80s changeup has funky action that comes across the zone to the gloveside, giving the foundation of a deep-projection three-pitch mix.

Miami has had success with Colorado prep arms, as Jordan Holloway is another late-bloomer that has blossomed into a prospect by his age-22 season. Like Givin, Holloway also missed time with injury early in his development. Givin’s raw stuff would place him in the 35+ category for now, but the frame, youth, and remaining projection stemming from his cold-weather background sneak him up into the FV 40/Extreme Risk range. He’s a high-variance prospect that could take steps forward with more velocity to his fastball and breaking ball.