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Name: Christian Tripp
Born: Spring, Texas
Age: 21 (3/13/97)
Height/Weight: 6’7”/220 lbs.
Position: RHP
Bats/Throws: R/R
School: University of New Mexico
Christian Tripp comes from an athletic family. His father, Garry, played baseball and basketball at McMurray University and his mother, Darlene, played volleyball at Southern Illinois University. Christian’s sport of choice was baseball, and as a high schooler, he was dominant on the field. A two-year letter winner at Klein High School in Spring, Texas, Tripp was to the First All-District Team in 2014 and was named District MVP in 2015. The big Texas went to the University of New Mexico, where he would become one of the relievers that manager Ray Birmingham would call on most. As a freshman, he appeared in a team-high 27 games, setting a school record, and posted a 4.54 ERA in 35.2 innings, allowing 36 hits, walking 15, and striking out 25, saving four games. He was named team closer in 2017 and appeared in 23 games, posting a 5.14 ERA in 28.0 innings, allowing 39 hits, walking 9, striking out 26 and closing out six games. He enjoyed his best collegiate season this year, appearing in 21 games and posting a 2.33 ERA in 27.0 innings, allowing 23 hits, walking 11, striking out 29 and notching eight saves.
Despite the fact that Tripp stands 6’7”, he does not possess overpowering stuff. Part of that is because his mechanics are rough. He opens early on his front side and steps across the mound, featuring some front leg collapse upon foot strike. The delivery gives his pitches some deception but saps a lot of the velocity that he could be imparting in them. He does not push off the mound much, either, instead stepping forward and using the height of his trunk and long arm action.
His fastball sits in the high-80s-to-low-90s, ranging from 88-94. The pitch has inconsistent life, showing a bit of cut and sink when Tripp is reaching the upper limits of his fastball velocity. He complements his fastball with a slider and a changeup, both of which have earned average grades from scouts and evaluators. Both pitches are more effective against left-handers than right-handers, as both the slider and the changeup run in on them.