Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

The state of Washington has had its fair share of high school arms go in the top five rounds and make it to the big leagues, though most of them have been left-handed, with Jon Lester and Blake Snell topping that list. There have been some right-handers, with Trevor May and Jeremy Bonderman finding the most big league success in recent years, but never have there been two of them in one class with a chance to go early on. That’s what’s happening this year, with J.R. Ritchie the name most know, but with Cox not too far behind after a strong summer and start to spring.

Cox is an athletic right-hander with the chance to have three pitches that are at least above-average when all is said and done. He’ll sit around 92 mph with his fastball and is up to 96 with ease, thrown with excellent running life. His real calling card right now is his curve, a plus hard slurve with deep and late bite that routinely registers spin rates over 3,000 rpm, giving him one of the better breaking balls in the class. He has very good feel for a changeup, which could develop into another out pitch.

The Oregon recruit repeats his delivery very well and can fill up the strike zone with all three of his offerings. Cold weather this spring in the Pacific Northwest has made it a little tougher to evaluate him, but there are some scouts who like him as much as Ritchie, who was considered to be a first-round contender when the Draft season began.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

After taking three college players to kick things off in the 2022 Draft, the Rockies used their fourth pick in the top two rounds to go the high school pitching route, signing Cox away from his Oregon commitment for $1.85 million, a bit over slot. He made just 10 appearances in his first full season in 2023 before he needed Tommy John surgery. He missed all of the 2024 season as a result but is back with a clean bill of health in 2025.

The early returns on Cox’s stuff coming back have been good, and it’s still his feel for spin that stands out. He has a plus curve with huge spin rates, 1-to-7 shape and sharp bite. He can run his fastball up to 95 mph with good life, and he has feel for what could eventually be an average changeup. Before he got hurt, he had worked on both a slider and a cutter to expand his arsenal.

Cox had added strength before the injury and there could be more in the tank the further removed from surgery he gets. He repeats his delivery well and has shown the ability to throw strikes with all of his offerings. This year will be about getting a full, healthy season in, with plenty of time to reach his mid-rotation ceiling.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

The Rockies had four picks in the top two rounds of the 2022 Draft and used the first three to take college players, one pitcher and two bats. Cox was one of the better high school pitchers on the West Coast that year and the Pacific Northwest native became the Rockies’ second-rounder and was signed away from his Oregon commitment for an over-slot $1.85 million bonus. The organization was excited to see what he could do in full-season ball after impressing in instructional league play the fall after signing, but after pitching in shorter stints over 10 outings with Single-A Fresno, he was part of the Rockies' Tommy John surgery trifecta with Gabriel Hughes and Jordy Vargas.

It was Cox’s feel for spin that really helped him stand out as a prepster and during the infancy of his pro career. It’s a plus 1-to-7 curveball with elite-level spin rates, a true out pitch with sharp bite. His other offerings aren’t bad, either: a lively fastball up to 95 mph and some feel for a changeup. The athletic right-hander also tinkered with a slider and cutter after showing acumen for manipulating the spin and break on his curve.

Added strength was already a plus for Cox and should help him get his stuff back -- and perhaps add more -- once he’s put the elbow surgery behind him. He has clean mechanics and the ability to pitch to both sides of the plate. It won’t be until 2025 before the Rockies know what they have on their hands, but he could still get back to reaching his ceiling as a mid-rotation type starter.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Scouts looking for good high school pitching in the state of Washington were busy in 2022, with both J.R. Ritchie and Cox getting a lot of attention as right-handers who had first-round potential. Ritchie went No. 35 overall to the Braves, while the Rockies were thrilled to get Cox in the second round, giving him an over-slot bonus of $1.85 million to sign him away from his commitment to Oregon. He didn’t pitch competitively after signing, but he did impress his new organization in instructional league play. He was being handled carefully during his first full season of pro ball in Fresno in 2023 when he needed Tommy John surgery in late July.

One of the early things that stood out with Cox is his competitiveness on the mound, with a no-nonsense approach and a desire to attack hitters with what could be a very good three-pitch mix. He can get his fastball up to 95 mph with good running life, but it’s his curveball that has everyone buzzing. It’s a 1-to-7 breaking ball that registers elite-level spin rates and can be a real hammer out pitch with sharp bite to it. He has good feel for his changeup as well.

Cox has already added strength to his athletic frame since signing, which could lead to more consistent velocity once he's back to full strength. He’s already shown an ability to command the ball to both sides of the plate and manipulate the spin and break on his curve, with some thinking he might eventually develop a distinct slider. His combination of pitchability and potential power stuff points to a future as a mid-rotation starter.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

The state of Washington has had its fair share of high school arms go in the top five rounds and make it to the big leagues, though most of them have been left-handed, with Jon Lester and Blake Snell topping that list. There have been some right-handers, with Trevor May and Jeremy Bonderman finding the most big league success in recent years, but never have there been two of them in one class who went early on. That’s what happened this year, with J.R. Ritchie the name most know, who went No. 35 overall to the Braves, and Cox not too far behind, parlaying a strong summer and spring into being the Rockies’ second-rounder, signing for an above-slot $1.85 million.

Cox is an athletic right-hander with the chance to have three pitches that are at least above-average when all is said and done. He’ll sit around 92 mph with his fastball and is up to 96 with ease, thrown with excellent running life. His real calling card right now is his curve, a plus hard slurve with deep and late bite that routinely registers spin rates over 3,000 rpm, giving him one of the better breaking balls in the class. He has very good feel for a changeup, which could develop into another out pitch.

The right-hander repeats his delivery very well and can fill up the strike zone with all three of his offerings. There were some scouts who felt Cox was just as good as Ritchie, and he has every chance to develop into a solid big league starter.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	10/29/2024	Fresno Grizzlies activated RHP Jackson Cox from the 60-day injured list.
	03/20/2024	Fresno Grizzlies placed RHP Jackson Cox on the 60-day injured list.
	03/20/2024	Fresno Grizzlies placed RHP Jackson Cox on the 60-day injured list.
	11/06/2023	Fresno Grizzlies activated RHP Jackson Cox from the 60-day injured list.
	07/25/2023	Fresno Grizzlies transferred RHP Jackson Cox from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
	05/07/2023	RHP Jackson Cox assigned to Fresno Grizzlies from ACL Rockies.
	05/07/2023	Fresno Grizzlies placed RHP Jackson Cox on the 7-day injured list.
	08/11/2022	RHP Jackson Cox assigned to ACL Rockies.
	08/11/2022	ACL Rockies activated RHP Jackson Cox.
	07/27/2022	Colorado Rockies signed RHP Jackson Cox.
	06/11/2022	College Workout activated RHP Jackson Cox.
	06/11/2022	RHP Jackson Cox assigned to College Workout.
	02/03/2022	RHP Jackson Cox and assigned to Home Team.
	08/18/2021	RHP Jackson Cox and assigned to PG West.
	07/13/2021	PG National 4 - Green activated RHP Jackson Cox.