New York Yankees Top Pitching Prospect Claims Award in First Month as Pro

The New York Yankees have a young pitching prospect working on making a case to move up the ladder soon.

Apr 7, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Yankees baseball hats and gloves in the dugout out in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | David Reginek-Imagn Images

Just a week after being named the pitcher of the week in his league, that same New York Yankees pitcher was named the Florida State League pitcher of the month.

Griffin Herring, a former LSU Tigers star, claimed the award as he was brilliant all month for the Class A Tampa Tarpons.

The Yankees selected him in the sixth round, No. 181 overall, in last July’s draft, but opted not to have him start his professional career then. LSU tends to play deep into June and the NCAA Tournament, and last season was no exception.

The 21-year-old left-hander is making a transition from college reliever to pro starter. Through five starts he is 3-1 with a 0.60 ERA, with 39 strikeouts and 10 walks in 30 innings. He is allowing batters to hit .160 against him and has a 0.90 WHIP.

His best start of the month came two weeks ago against Dunedin. In that game, he threw seven scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and three walks. He also struck out six.

The Florida State League is the lowest rung of the full season affiliate in baseball. If Herring keeps progressing, the next step would be High-A Hudson Valley.

Herring was part of LSU’s 2023 Men’s College World Series championship team, one that include the top two selections in that July’s MLB draft — No. 1 pick Paul Skenes and No. 2 pick Dylan Crews.

That season the Tigers leaned on him as a reliever. In 18 games he went 5-2 with a 3.93 ERA along with two saves. He had 41 strikeouts and 19 walks in 34.1 innings.

He claimed one of the Tigers’ wins in the MCWS as he threw 4.2 scoreless innings against Wake Forest. He gave up three hits, one walk and struck out a then-career high six.

He continued his work as a reliever in 2024, as he went 6-1 with a 1.79 ERA in 21 games, with one start. He struck out 67 and walked 13 in 50.1 innings. Batters hit just .215 against him.

He claimed two relief wins in the NCAA Tournament at the Chapel Hill regional, including a 6.1-inning relief stretch in an elimination game.

For his play last season, he was named a second-team all-American by Baseball America, D1 Baseball and the NCBWA. He was named to the all-tournament team at the Chapel Hill regional and second-team all-SEC.