The St. Louis Cardinals selected Stock in the second round of the 2009 MLB draft as a catcher. After transitioning into a pitcher,Stock made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Padres. After playing for San Diego in 2019,he played for the Red Sox in 2020 and the Cubs and Mets in 2021,before joining Doosan in the 2022 season. Listed at 6feet 1inch (1.85m) and 260 pounds (120kg),he throws right-handed and bats left-handed.
As a 12-year-old,Stock threw an 80-mile-per-hour (130km/h)fastball.[8] In 2002,he threw a no-hitter to lead Agoura to an 11–1 victory over Taiwan in the Pony Baseball's Bronco League World Series (ages 11–12) championship game.[9]Baseball America rated him as the best baseball player of his age in the country when he was 13 years old in 2003,repeating that ranking again in 2004 and 2005.[10][2][11] Stock played for the United States junior national baseball team in 2004,as the team's youngest player ever and number one pitcher,and 2005.[12][11]
Amateur career
Stock attended Agoura High School in Agoura Hills and played for the school's baseball team as a cleanup-hitting catcher and pitcher.[13] In 2003,his sophomore season,he had a .405 batting average with eight home runs,and as a pitcher,he had a 5–1 win–loss record with a 2.85 earned run average (ERA). as batters hit .190 against him.[2][14] In 2004,his junior year,he batted .456 with six home runs and 25 runs batted in (RBIs) and caught 70 percent of would-be base stealers.[2] He also had a 5–3 win–loss record and a 2.69 earned run average (ERA) as a pitcher,as his fastball reached 95 miles per hour (153km/h) and batters hit .218 against him.[2][14] He was named Baseball America's 2005 Youth Player of the Year at 15 years of age (the first time the award was won by a high school underclassman),Los Angeles Times Player of the Year,and All-California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) First Team as he developed a reputation for hitting 400-foot home runs with wood bats.[15][2][12][16][11] He graduated from Agoura a year early,an honor student with a 3.8 GPA and a 1410 SAT score.[2][17][18]
Stock passed up what some felt was a certain first-round selection in the 2007 MLB draft,to instead enroll a year early at the age of 16,at the University of Southern California (USC) in its Resident Honors Program,which allows 30 high school students to enroll a year early. He was the first athlete in USC history to participate in Resident Honors.[3][19][17] He began college while he was still wearing braces.[20] He played college baseball for the USC Trojans as a catcher and a pitcher.[15][3] In three years at USC,Stock had a .263 career batting average,threw out 33.8% of baserunners,and as a pitcher,working as both a starter and closer,was 8–7 with a 3.38 ERA and nine saves as opponents batted .228 against him.[2][3] In the summers of 2007 and 2008 he played for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was the youngest player in the league his first summer,and he was an All-Star both seasons.[2][21][20][22][23]
Professional career
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals selected Stock as a catcher in the second round with the 67th overall selection of the 2009 MLB draft. He signed for a $525,000 signing bonus.[24][3][25] In 2009,as a 19-year-old,he was both a Topps Short-Season/Rookie All-Star and an Appalachian League All-Star at catcher,as he batted .322/.386/.550 with 7 home runs,tied for third among 2009 Cardinals draft picks,for the Johnson City Cardinals.[5][26][12]Baseball America rated him the 10th-best prospect in the Cardinals organization.[12][27] He played as a catcher until 2011,batting .241 in 680 at bats.
In 2012 with the Single-A Quad Cities River Bandits,Stock pitched in 38 games,recording a 5–2 record and 4.56 ERA.
In 2013,the Cardinals transitioned Stock into a full-time pitcher.[15] In 2013,with the Peoria Chiefs in the Midwest League he was 0–1 with a 2.30 ERA,and with the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Florida State League he was 2–0 with a 4.37 ERA.[28] He pitched to a 2–3 record and 4.12 ERA in 35 games split between Peoria and Palm Beach in 2014. The Cardinals released him on December 20,2014.[25]
Pittsburgh Pirates
On March 9,2015,Stock signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros organization. He was released by the club on March 31.[29] On May 4,Stock signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He pitched in 12 minor league games,primarily for the Bradenton Marauders with two games for the GCL Pirates and three late-season games for the Altoona Curve.[30] He elected free agency on November 6.[29]
New Jersey Jackals
In 2016,Stock signed with the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League,an independent baseball league,for whom he was 1–2 with a 2.85 ERA in 60 innings over 52 games (a league record).[5][31] He said he never thought about quitting,not when he was released or even when he was playing independent baseball in New Jersey. Stock said:“Mostly because what else is there that’s better than playing baseball? I played a year of independent baseball,and that’s about as low on the totem pole as you can get but it was one of the best times I’ve had playing baseball. There was no thought about stopping."[27] He recalled that "One offseason,I was living in my parents' basement and I was playing video games and my mother said,'Go out and do something," and I said,'Mom,relax. I'm going to play in the Major Leagues someday.'"[32]
Cincinnati Reds
Stock signed with the Cincinnati Reds organization on March 21,2017.[31] Between the High-A Daytona Tortugas and the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos,Stock was 9–5 with a 2.82 ERA in 70 innings in 41 games.[5] He elected free agency following the season on November 6.[33]
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres signed Stock to a minor league contract on November 27,2017,with a non-roster invitation to spring training included.[34] In spring training,his fastball reached 100mph on a few pitches.[24][35] Stock began the 2018 season playing for the San Antonio Missions of the Double-A Texas League,and received a midseason promotion to the El Paso Chihuahuas of the Triple-APacific Coast League.[36][32] Between the two teams in 2018,before he was called up to the major leagues,he was 1–0 with 9 saves and a 1.69 ERA in 32 relief appearances over 37+1⁄3 innings, in which he gave up 22 hits and struck out 42 batters (averaging 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings).[26]
The Padres promoted Stock to the major leagues on June 24, 2018, and he made his major league debut that day, nine years after he was drafted as a catcher.[37] With the Padres in 208, he was 1–1 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 relief appearances over 39+2⁄3 innings, in which he struck out 38 batters.[38] He threw 11 of the 12 fastest pitches by San Diego pitchers in 2018.[12] He had the second-lowest swing rate for sliders he threw in the strike zone of any MLB pitcher (43.1%), behind only Aroldis Chapman (42.5%).[39]
In 2019 with the Padres, Stock was 1–0 in ten relief appearances with a 10.13 ERA, as he struck out 15 batters in 10+2⁄3 innings (averaging 12.7 strikeouts per 9 innings).[38] On April 1, Stock threw a fastball that was timed at 100.6 miles per hour (161.9km/h), the second-fastest pitch Statcast had ever recorded for a Padre (behind only a 100.8 miles per hour (162.2km/h) pitch by Jose Dominguez in 2016).[40] Later in the season he was timed at 102 miles per hour (164km/h).[41] He regularly reached 100 miles per hour (160km/h) with his fastball.[42] His season ended three months early, as he suffered a right biceps strain.[38][43] During the season, he threw a four-seam fastball that averaged 98mph, an 83mph slider, and an 85mph changeup.[43][44]
In the minor leagues in 2019, pitching 25 games for the El Paso Chihuahuas and 2 games for the AZL Padres in Arizona League, he was a combined 3–0 with a 3.86 ERA as he struck out 45 batters in 30+1⁄3 innings (averaging 13.4 strikeouts per 9 innings).[45]
On July 26, 2020, Stock was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox.[47] He made his first appearance for the Red Sox on August 11, pitching a scoreless 1+1⁄3 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.[48] He was optioned to, and recalled from, Boston's alternate training site several times during August and September.[49][50] On September 1, 2020, after a fan posted on Twitter "I implore you all to put on the Red Sox game, they have this dude Robert Stock pitching, and he looks like he's twice-divorced and completely given up on life. I can't stop watching him. It's transfixing," his wife responded on Twitter: "0 times divorced, but if he keeps walking the lead-off batter, I’ll consider filing."[51][52] Overall with the 2020 Red Sox, Stock appeared in 10 games, all in relief, compiling an 0–1 record with 4.73 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 13+1⁄3 innings pitched.[38] On November 25, Stock was designated for assignment.[53]
Chicago Cubs
On December 2, 2020, Stock was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs.[54] On February 28, 2021, Stock was designated for assignment by the Cubs.[55] On March 3, Stock cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs; he was also invited to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.[56] On June 16, Stock was selected to the active roster.[57] Stock was optioned to Iowa on June 17 after allowing 5 runs in 4 innings against the New York Mets, struggling with command and walking 6 batters. On June 20, Stock was designated for assignment by Chicago.[58]
New York Mets
On June 22, 2021, Stock was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets and optioned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets.[59] On July 7, 2021, He started the second game of a double-header against the Milwaukee Brewers, pitching the first four innings. Stock was placed on the 60-day injured list on July 23 after suffering a right hamstring strain.[60] Stock made 3 starts for the Mets, going 0–2 with an 8.00 ERA and 9 strikeouts. On October 29, Stock elected free agency.[61]
Doosan Bears
On January 4, 2022, Stock signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the Doosan Bears of the KBO League.[62] Stock started 29 games for Doosan, logging a 9–10 record and 3.60 ERA with 138 strikeouts in 165 innings pitched.[63] He became a free agent after the season.[64]
Milwaukee Brewers
On January 26, 2023, Stock signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.[65] He began the year pitching for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. In 11 games (4 starts), he struggled to an 0–3 record and 8.22 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 23 innings of work.[45]
On February 13, 2024, Stock signed with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League.[69] In 19 starts for Dos Laredos, he posted a 9–4 record and 3.38 ERA with 104 strikeouts, second-most in the Mexican League, across 98+2⁄3 innings pitched, with the lowest rate of home runs per nine innings pitched (0.2) in the league.[70] He came in fifth in the voting for pitcher of year in the Mexican Baseball League, won by Trevor Bauer.[71]
Naranjeros de Hermosillo
Stock next played for Naranjeros de Hermosillo in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. In 2024-25 winter league season, he was 10-2 with a 1.60 ERA, as in 84.1 innings he gave up 63 hits and struck out 78 batters. He led the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.[72] He became the first Naranjeros pitcher to win the pitching Triple Crown.[73]
Boston Red Sox (second stint)
On January 14, 2025, Stock signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox, with an invitation to spring training.[74][75]
Stock is married to Sara Stock (née Krutewicz), whom he met on a blind date when she was on spring break in Palm Beach while Stock was in the area for Cardinals spring training.[27][32][80]
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1 2 Shelburne, Ramona (August 26, 2006). "Robert Stock". Daily News High School Sports Spotlight. Archived from the original on April 20, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
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