Cards take C/RHP Robert Stock 67th overall
Posted on June 9th, 2009 by erik in 2009 MLB Draft, robert stockThis pick is bending my mind into a pretzel. I’ll just let Bryan Smith do the talking for me while I mull this pick.
The Robert Stock story continues, as he goes 67 to the Cardinals. Stock left high school a year earlier to get a jump start on USC. People are going to really question if it was in his best interest, as he probably would have been a first rounder after his senior high school season. I like Stock a lot better as a pitcher than a catcher, as he has really not progressed with the bat in 3 years. But the Cardinals announced him as a catcher, so they’re going down that road first.
I suppose they can always fall back on pitching. Leave it to the Cardinals to draft a converted catcher turned pitcher.
For USC, Stock hit .226/.345/.453. Not good, but at least the isolated discipline and power numbers are pretty decent. As a pitcher, Stock was the ace of the staff. He posted a 2.90 ERA with 86 K’s to 39 walks over 77.2 innings pitched. The bonus is he’s only 19 years old, and there is still some reason to believe there is some upside with this pick.
Here’s some video of him at the plate
And here’s BA’s scouting report
Stock is one of the draft’s most intriguing players due to his background. He was Baseball America’s Youth Player of the Year in 2005 when he was 15, and a year later, Stock skipped his senior year in high school to enroll at Southern California. He’s a 19-year-old draft-eligible junior, and his college career has been one of valleys and recent peaks. He was the Trojans’ starting catcher and sometime closer his first two seasons, showing modest power, a good fastball and good catch-and-throw skills. He showed raw power and catch-and-throw tools in his first two seasons, particularly arm strength. However, his draft stock suffered; after ranking No. 5 in our Cape Cod League Top 30 following his freshman season, he didn’t even make the top 30 last summer, and scouts were stunned by his poor performance on scout day in fall 2008, when his bat looked slow and his pop times sluggish. When Stock got off to a slow start offensively in 2009, attention shifted to his performance on the mound. The Trojans turned to Stock as a starter this year, and he has delivered. He made his first start March 29 and beat Arizona State, striking out 10 in five innings, and hasn’t looked back, registering a complete-game win at Arizona and showing surprising polish. His delivery is fairly easy, giving him good control of an 88-92 mph fastball that can hit 95 and a surprisingly good changeup that some scouts consider a plus pitch. His low-80s breaking ball also grades out as average, and Stock now figures to go out in the first three rounds as a pitcher—if he proves signable.
I like that he’s just 19 and has some pretty good stuff on the mound. Interesting.
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http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4753803
vid of him pitching, with radar gun.
Stock is on record saying he wants to try to make it as a catcher first. I assume he is more signable if we accommodate that.
Anyone care to venture a guess on how stock will rank prospec wise for us? Top 10?
I’d say no. Given the uncertainty of whether he wants to stay behind plate and how raw he is as a pitcher there are other players who are more advanced but have less upside that would be in the top10. Even if he went straight to the mound, he profiles as a reliever for me. You can see how well Reifer worked out for some people’s top 10′s this year.
wow…that changeup did look pretty filthy in that video
i’m ok with this pick to a certain extent…its pretty clear he is a talented guy, we just need to focus those talents in one direction…unfortunately, that isn’t something the cards have been great at in that past
nasty change-up. borders on a screwball given the movement.
PGCrosschecker comments on Stock:
Few players came to college with as fanfare as Robert Stock did, after surprising a few people by leaving high school early to attend USC. The starting pitcher for the West team in the 2006 Aflac All-American Classic, scouts at the time were split as to whether he fit best on the mound or as a powerful left-handed hitting catcher. While he has been solid behind the plate, and has hit well enough, he hasn’t been as dynamic offensively as most would like. He has enjoyed success serving as the Trojans closer however, and that option remains a possibility for his future development. (http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/Articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=710)
Baseball Prospectus’s draft chat on Stock:
Kevin Goldstein (6:51:31 PM PT): One gets the feeling that when Robert Stock enrolled at SoCal, he envisioned being a top ten pick this year. He just never shined at that level, and going in the second round to St. Louis is even surprisingly high.
Bryan Smith (6:52:28 PM PT): The Robert Stock story continues, as he goes 67 to the Cardinals. Stock left high school a year earlier to get a jump start on USC. People are going to really question if it was in his best interest, as he probably would have been a first rounder after his senior high school season. I like Stock a lot better as a pitcher than a catcher, as he has really not progressed with the bat in 3 years. But the Cardinals announced him as a catcher, so they’re going down that road first.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/rt/rt.php?rtId=17
Great pick…he is 19..I sign him and let him play both and see what works the best. If you let him catch this Summer, then send him somewhere to pitch this Fall..so much upside.
Happy about this 1
Great pick? Lets change him to a pitcher!
More from January ’09 articles in PGCrosschecker:
“utility player” in the “Preseason College All-American Team”
Robert Stock – USC
After arriving at USC with a tremendous amount of fanfare, having bypassed his senior year in high school by meeting all of his school’s requirements early, Stock has quietly put together a solid college career, serving as the team’s starting catcher and as the team’s closer. He receives high marks for his work in every facet of his game, including two summer stints on the Cape, and his overall package is highlighted by his arm strength. His prodigious power potential at the plate has been slow to develop the past few years, but he has shown a very disciplined eye and overall approach at the plate.
“PART III / Closers The Best Closer Candidates in ’09 Class”
TREVOR HOFFMAN DIVISION
Top Position Players Who May Project as Closers
3. Robert Stock, c-rhp, Southern California (PG-X: 76)
Stock most likely would have been a first-round pick, as either a catcher or pitcher, out of high school had he not enrolled at USC a year early. Despite a mid-90s fastball and the makings of a plus curve, Stock has struggled with his command while juggling two roles in college and summer ball, He was limited him to just 10 innings as a sophomore at USC, but has been penciled in as the team’s closer this year. He still has first-round tools as a catcher, but the stuff on the mound is tough to ignore. His lack of size (6-0, 190) and pitchability makes the bullpen more likely than a starting role if he signs as a pitcher.
http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/Articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=1220
More from June ’09 articles in PGCrosschecker:
“Year of the Pitcher”
USC’s Robert Stock has had an impressive spring since being inserted into the Trojans’ weekend rotation. He may not have a prototypical top-of-the-order arsenal, but he has a pretty good three-pitch mix, and with good athleticism and an arm with limited miles on it, he could go in the early rounds with a future potential as a third or fourth starter. If all else fails, he wouldn’t be the first player in recent years to do the previous unthinkable by returning to his previously heralded status as a left-handed slugger that also happened to catch. That remains his preference, but he’s going to get drafted early for his arm.
http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=1481
[...] the 67th pick 2008: (Detroit) Satterwhite, Cody / 2009: (St. Louis) Stock, Robert [...]