Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Draft scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

Rock cracked Ohio's rotation as a freshman in 2019 and made a Cape Cod League cameo at the end of that summer, then disappeared last spring because he was academically ineligible. He got back on the mound in the All American Collegiate League during the summer and had scouts flocking to see him during the fall. He threw a seven-inning no-hitter against Morehead State in his second start of 2021 and has enough helium to possibly surpass former big leaguer Dave Tobik (third round, 1974) as the highest-drafted pitcher in Bobcats history. 

After sitting around 90 mph with his fastball as a freshman, Rock dealt at 93-96 with riding life on his four-seamer in abbreviated starts in the fall and has operated in the low 90s this spring. He still has room to add plenty of weight to his 6-foot-6 frame, so he should continue to gain velocity. He also has picked up power with his breaking ball, which combines slider velocity (82-85 mph) with curveball depth. 

Rock can miss bats with two pitches and also shows feel for a third with an effective changeup. He has a lower arm slot and some funk in his delivery, which led to 37 walks in 59 innings in 2019. But he's doing a better job of throwing strikes now, enough that scouts believe he'll remain a starter, and his mechanics provide deception. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Rock parlayed a big season at Ohio University into being selected in Competitive Balance Round B of the 2021 Draft. Since joining the Rockies, his first two full seasons have followed a pattern: Starting at one level and spending the bulk of the year there before earning a late bump to get a brief taste of the next rung. After a solid first full season with Spokane, he got a pair of outings with Double-A Hartford, where he returned for the 2023 season, then finished the year with one appearance at Triple-A. The Rays acquired him in March in a straight-up swap for 2019 first-rounder Greg Jones.

If you saw Rock at the right time, it would be easy to think definite future rotation-mate. He has three usable pitches and can be virtually unhittable once or twice through a lineup, but he would often get tripped up by one inning or hitter. When he's on, his fastball plays up despite its 92 mph average (though he can reach back for 96) because he uses a funky, slightly lower slot with excellent extension thanks to his 6-foot-6 frame. He commands the pitch well with decent ride. The slider is a legitimate out pitch, a mid-80s power breaker that missed bats at a 42 percent rate in 2023. He throws his sinking changeup with good effect, especially against right-handed hitters.

Rock knows he's knocking on big league door territory and wants to prove that he can navigate a lineup three times and be a rotation member in the big leagues. He tends to be around the zone, though his unorthodox delivery can get out of sync, so he's never going to have pinpoint command. There's a chance he could end up being a multi-inning reliever, but Tampa Bay is known to get creative with pitchers of all arm slots and roles, making Rock a nice fit in his new organization.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

College lefties who perform are always going to get noticed in any Draft, and that's exactly what happened with Rock, who earned Mid-American Conference first-team honors in his final year at Ohio University. The Rockies took him in the Competitive Balance Round B of the 2021 Draft, and he spent nearly all of his first full season with High-A Spokane, touching Double-A at the end of the year.

With three pitches coming from his long and lanky 6-foot-6 frame, Rock provides an uncomfortable at-bat. He's generally in the low 90s with his fastball, though he can reach back for more on occasion, and it plays up because of extension, deception and a slightly funky/lower slot. He can throw it to both sides of the plate, and it comes in with a bit more ride to it than hitters expect. Both his slider and changeup play well off the heater, the breaking ball being a bit of a hybrid between a power curve and slider and the changeup coming in with a lot of sink to offer a really good weapon against right-handed hitters.

Because of the unorthodox nature of his delivery, not to mention his long limbs, Rock can struggle a bit with his command, but he's around the zone more often than not, and he has an idea of how to mix all his pitchers to keep hitters off-balance. There was some shoulder fatigue and soreness at the end of last season, but it's not something that has the Rockies too alarmed.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

After sitting out the 2020 season because he was declared academically ineligible, Rock put himself on the map with a strong showing in the All American Collegiate League in the Pittsburgh area that summer. He carried it over to the Ohio rotation and created a ton of buzz with a no-hitter in his second start of the season. He became the highest-drafted Bobcats pitcher in school history when the Rockies took him No. 68 overall in the 2021 Draft. He pitched briefly in the Arizona Complex League and stood out during instructional league play last fall.

Already sitting in the low 90s consistently, there could be more velocity to come as Rock adds strength to his 6-foot-6 frame. He was up to 97 mph in his brief looks last summer and it plays up even more because he gets huge extension, so the ball gets on hitters in a hurry. His breaking ball is trending upwards as well, a pitch that's somewhere between a power curve and a slider.

The Rockies knew coming in that Rock would have to work on his changeup since he didn't need it much in college, but he has good feel for it and it could be a very effective third pitch once he trusts it. His lower slot provides funk and deception, making him very difficult to square up. He's aggressive and loves going right after hitters, with the chance to do so in a big league rotation in the future.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Rock cracked Ohio's rotation as a freshman in 2019 and made a Cape Cod League cameo at the end of that summer, then disappeared last spring because he was academically ineligible. He got back on the mound in the All American Collegiate League during the summer and had scouts flocking to see him during the fall. He threw a seven-inning no-hitter against Morehead State in his second start of 2021 and had enough helium to surpass former big leaguer Dave Tobik (third round, 1974) as the highest-drafted pitcher in Bobcats history when the Rockies took him in the Competitive Balance Round B in July and signed him for $953,100.

After sitting around 90 mph with his fastball as a freshman, Rock dealt at 93-96 with riding life on his four-seamer in abbreviated starts in the fall and operated in the low 90s this past spring. He still has room to add plenty of weight to his 6-foot-6 frame, so he should continue to gain velocity. He also has picked up power with his breaking ball, which combines slider velocity (82-85 mph) with curveball depth.

Rock can miss bats with two pitches and also shows feel for a third with an effective changeup. He has a lower arm slot and some funk in his delivery, which led to 37 walks in 59 innings in 2019. But he did a better job of throwing strikes in 2021, enough for evaluators to believe he can start, and his mechanics provide deception.

Awards

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2022

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/18/2024	Tampa Bay Rays selected the contract of LHP Joe Rock from Durham Bulls.
	06/26/2024	Durham Bulls activated LHP Joe Rock from the temporarily inactive list.
	06/21/2024	Durham Bulls placed LHP Joe Rock on the temporarily inactive list.
	03/29/2024	LHP Joe Rock assigned to Durham Bulls.
	03/21/2024	Tampa Bay Rays traded SS Greg Jones to Colorado Rockies for LHP Joe Rock.
	03/21/2024	LHP Joe Rock assigned to Montgomery Biscuits.
	03/07/2024	Colorado Rockies Prospects activated LHP Joe Rock.
	02/01/2024	Colorado Rockies invited non-roster LHP Joe Rock to spring training.
	09/23/2023	LHP Joe Rock assigned to Albuquerque Isotopes from Hartford Yard Goats.
	09/13/2023	Hartford Yard Goats transferred LHP Joe Rock to the Development List.
	06/29/2023	Hartford Yard Goats activated LHP Joe Rock.
	06/22/2023	Hartford Yard Goats transferred LHP Joe Rock to the Development List.
	05/24/2023	Hartford Yard Goats activated LHP Joe Rock.
	04/14/2023	Hartford Yard Goats placed LHP Joe Rock on the 7-day injured list.
	04/14/2023	Hartford Yard Goats placed LHP Joe Rock on the 7-day injured list.
	09/06/2022	LHP Joe Rock assigned to Hartford Yard Goats from Spokane Indians.
	04/06/2022	Spokane Indians activated LHP Joe Rock.
	04/06/2022	LHP Joe Rock assigned to Spokane Indians.
	08/24/2021	LHP Joe Rock assigned to ACL Rockies.
	08/17/2021	LHP Joe Rock assigned to Rockies Organization.
	07/21/2021	Colorado Rockies signed LHP Joe Rock.