| Robert Stock | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Stock with theIowa Cubs in 2021 | |
| Boston Red Sox – No. 78 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1989-11-21)November 21, 1989 (age 35) Bellevue, Washington, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: June 24, 2018, for the San Diego Padres | |
| KBO: April 2, 2022, for the Doosan Bears | |
| MLB statistics (through 2021 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 2–4 |
| Earned run average | 4.71 |
| Strikeouts | 76 |
| KBO statistics (through 2022 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 9–10 |
| Earned run average | 3.60 |
| Strikeouts | 138 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Robert Anthony Stock (born November 21, 1989) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher in theBoston Red Sox organization. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theSan Diego Padres,Chicago Cubs, andNew York Mets, and in theKBO League for theDoosan Bears. He pitched for theIsraeli national baseball team in the2023 World Baseball Classic.
TheSt. Louis Cardinals selected Stock in the second round of the2009 MLB draft as acatcher. 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 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 260 pounds (120 kg), he throws right-handed and bats left-handed.
Stock was born inBellevue, Washington[1] and grew up inAgoura Hills andWestlake Village, California.[2][3] He is Jewish and grew up attending temple andHebrew school.[3][4] His parents are Gregg, an engineer, and Randi Stock. He has two brothers, Richard, who also played professional baseball, and Jacob, and two sisters, Sasha and Sabina.[5][6][2][7]
As a 12-year-old, Stock threw an 80-mile-per-hour (130 km/h)fastball.[8] In 2002, he threw ano-hitter to lead Agoura to an 11–1 victory over Taiwan in thePony 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 theUnited States junior national baseball team in 2004, as the team's youngest player ever and number one pitcher, and 2005.[12][11]
Stock attendedAgoura High School in Agoura Hills and played for the school's baseball team as a cleanup-hittingcatcher and pitcher.[13] In 2003, his sophomore season, he had a .405batting average with eighthome runs, and as a pitcher, he had a 5–1win–loss record with a 2.85earned run average (ERA). as batters hit .190 against him.[2][14] In 2004, his junior year, he batted .456 with six home runs and 25runs batted in (RBIs) and caught 70 percent of would-be base stealers.[2] He also had a 5–3win–loss record and a 2.69earned run average (ERA) as a pitcher, as his fastball reached 95 miles per hour (153 km/h) and batters hit .218 against him.[2][14] He was namedBaseball 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 3.8GPA and a 1410SAT score.[2][17][18]
Stock passed up what some felt was a certain first-round selection in the2007 MLB draft, to instead enroll a year early at the age of 16, at theUniversity of Southern California (USC) in itsResident 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 playedcollege baseball for theUSC 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 andcloser, 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 theCotuit Kettleers of theCape 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]
TheSt. Louis Cardinals selected Stock as a catcher in the second round with the 67th overall selection of the2009 MLB draft. He signed for a $525,000signing bonus.[24][3][25] In 2009, as a 19-year-old, he was both aTopps Short-Season/Rookie All-Star and anAppalachian League All-Star at catcher, as he batted .322/.386/.550 with 7 home runs, tied for third among 2009 Cardinals draft picks, for theJohnson 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 680at bats.
In 2012 with the Single-AQuad 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 thePeoria Chiefs in theMidwest League he was 0–1 with a 2.30 ERA, and with thePalm Beach Cardinals in theFlorida 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]
On March 9, 2015, Stock signed a minor league deal with theHouston Astros organization. He was released by the club on March 31.[29] On May 4, Stock signed a minor league deal with thePittsburgh Pirates. He pitched in 12 minor league games, primarily for theBradenton Marauders with two games for theGCL Pirates and three late-season games for theAltoona Curve.[30] He electedfree agency on November 6.[29]
In 2016, Stock signed with theNew Jersey Jackals of theCan-Am League, anindependent 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]
Stock signed with theCincinnati Reds organization on March 21, 2017.[31] Between the High-ADaytona Tortugas and the Double-APensacola 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]
TheSan Diego Padres signed Stock to a minor league contract on November 27, 2017, with a non-roster invitation tospring training included.[34] In spring training, his fastball reached 100 mph on a few pitches.[24][35] Stock began the 2018 season playing for theSan Antonio Missions of the Double-ATexas League, and received a midseason promotion to theEl Paso Chihuahuas of theTriple-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 over37+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 over39+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 onlyAroldis 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 in10+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 (161.9 km/h), the second-fastest pitchStatcast had ever recorded for a Padre (behind only a 100.8 miles per hour (162.2 km/h) pitch byJose Dominguez in 2016).[40] Later in the season he was timed at 102 miles per hour (164 km/h).[41] He regularly reached 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) with his fastball.[42] His season ended three months early, as he suffered a rightbiceps strain.[38][43] During the season, he threw afour-seam fastball that averaged 98 mph, an 83 mph slider, and an 85 mphchangeup.[43][44]
In the minor leagues in 2019, pitching 25 games for theEl Paso Chihuahuas and 2 games for theAZL Padres inArizona League, he was a combined 3–0 with a 3.86 ERA as he struck out 45 batters in30+1⁄3 innings (averaging 13.4 strikeouts per 9 innings).[45]
On October 30, 2019, Stock was claimed off waivers by thePhiladelphia Phillies. He wasdesignated for assignment on July 23, 2020, just before the start of theshortened 2020 season.[46]
On July 26, 2020, Stock was claimed off waivers by theBoston Red Sox.[47] He made his first appearance for the Red Sox on August 11, pitching a scoreless1+1⁄3 innings against theTampa 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 the2020 Red Sox, Stock appeared in 10 games, all in relief, compiling an 0–1 record with 4.73 ERA and 14 strikeouts in13+1⁄3 innings pitched.[38] On November 25, Stock was designated for assignment.[53]
On December 2, 2020, Stock was claimed off waivers by theChicago 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-AIowa 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 theNew York Mets, struggling with command and walking 6 batters. On June 20, Stock was designated for assignment by Chicago.[58]
On June 22, 2021, Stock was claimed off waivers by theNew York Mets and optioned to the Triple-ASyracuse Mets.[59] On July 7, 2021, He started the second game of a double-header against theMilwaukee 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]
On January 4, 2022, Stock signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with theDoosan Bears of theKBO 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]
On January 26, 2023, Stock signed a minor league contract with theMilwaukee Brewers.[65] He began the year pitching for the Triple-ANashville 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 June 16, 2023, Stock signed with theLong Island Ducks of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball.[66] He threw ano-hitter against theSouthern Maryland Blue Crabs on July 18.[67] In 16 starts for Long Island, Stock registered a 9–4 record and 4.40 ERA with 92 strikeouts across102+1⁄3 innings pitched.[68]
On February 13, 2024, Stock signed with theTecolotes de los Dos Laredos of theMexican 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, across98+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 byTrevor Bauer.[71]
Stock next played forNaranjeros de Hermosillo in theMexican 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]
On January 14, 2025, Stock signed a minor league contract with theBoston Red Sox, with an invitation to spring training.[74][75]
Stock played forTeam Israel in the2023 World Baseball Classic.[76][77][78] He earned one save and made one start, taking the loss.[79]
Stock is married to Sara Stock (née Krutewicz), whom he met on ablind date when she was on spring break in Palm Beach while Stock was in the area for Cardinals spring training.[27][32][80]