Cardinals pitching prospect Tekoah Roby ‘throws a high rate of strikes with a high pitching IQ’
Cardinals right-handed pitching prospect Tekoah Roby was one of the players acquired in the Jordan Montgomery at the MLB trade deadline.
Roby took part in the Arizona Fall League, showing off his four-pitch mix. The righty throws a 93-95 mph heater, the four-seamer has touched 97 mph at it’s peak.
His fastball is described as having “average ride and arm side run but moves toward the plate on a efficient plane, allowing the pitch to play when elevated,” according to Baseball America.
Roby also offers a high-spin curveball and a plus changeup with great fade. His changeup dazzled in his first AFL start in October.
“Any time I can have my changeup working, which is my fourth pitch, it’s going to be a good night,” said Roby following his first AFL appearance. “I felt very comfortable. I had pretty much everything working, which is awesome. I think I got a strikeout on every pitch.”
Roby tossed three frames in his debut, only surrendering one hit and struck out five batters (10 batters faced).
“I think when I have all four, I’m very tough to beat,” Roby said. “I think my best pitch is probably just my heater. When I can locate that to all four quadrants, then I can throw anything off of it. When the fastball’s on and it rides and I have that extension working, it’s typically a tough pitch to square up.”
His ability to mix and locate his pitches resulted into an impressive 230/57 K/BB ratio in 185 innings over three years of pro ball. Roby projects as a future starter, potentially as a mid-rotation type hurler.
“Roby throws a high rate of strikes with a high pitching IQ. He’s still learning to command his changeup and slider, but each pitch projects to reach average,” wrote Baseball America.
The Florida native is ranked as the Cardinals No. 2 prospect heading into the 2024 season. He is a former third-round pick during the 2020 MLB draft out of high school in Pensacola, Fla.
The Cardinals are excited over Roby and his potential down the line for the organization. His shoulder injury limited Roby to 70 innings, including in the AFL. His workload increase will in 2024, but St. Louis will watch his innings.
“I think he’s done well when he came to us,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. “Obviously he was limited. You’ve got to love the horsepower you’re seeing. We’re very excited we got him.”
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