Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | TEX | RHP | 21 | 45 |
Grades Update: Mar 2021
| OFP | Role | FB | CB | CH | Cont/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 55/50 |
Mar 2021 Report
Evaluator: Mike Kinsela
Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Round 3
RuleV: 2024
Physical Description: Roby has an athletic, solid build that is neither large or small for a starting pitching prospect, with leanness throughout that projects well in terms of added strength. He is a solid-average athlete.
Delivery & Mechanics: Roby has solid athleticism and puts it on display on the mound, with good lower half directionality and incorporation, a loose arm stroke with above-average arm speed and a clean path, as well as good present repeatability. He generates good extension over his front side and projects well given the existing traits.
Fastball: Generally in the 90-94 mph range for most of the summer/fall circuit and into the COVID-shortened spring, with reports of early-start peaks higher than that. The pitch features good sink down in the zone and plays at the letters as well given his extension. The above-average arm speed and physical projection allow us to project on the velocity somewhat, and it's not unrealistic to expect Roby to be a 92-96 mph guy. Grade: 55
Curveball: Roby's best secondary at present, thrown in the mid-upper 70's with above-average traits and bite at times, featuring good depth and late break on an 11/5 plane at it's best. He will lose it low and cast it at times, and he occasionally leaves it up when he doesn't finish spinning it out front, but the ingredients are there for a consistently above-average pitch for him long term. Grade: 50
Changeup: His 3rd pitch, per usual for most high school pitchers, he's shown some flashes of a solid-average changeup but it's comfortably more of a below-average offering at present. He has some feel for turning it over and generating fade while maintaining his arm speed, but will occasionally let his slot drift and turn the pitch very flat. With repetitions, an average pitch exists here long term. Grade: 45
Control and Command: Roby has been consistently around the plate in his prep career and had the "strike thrower" tag on the circuit, thanks in part to how well he repeats his delivery at present. There's some room for improvement in the command department, as there is for all teenage arms, but the upside of starter-level control/command does exist here. Control: 55 | Command: 50
Overall: Roby has some of the same qualities that made current LSU starter Landon Marceaux so attractive on the circuit several years ago, given his size, some projection, repeatability, and strikes. He's not a big upside guy, in my view, though the ingredients of a backend starter do exist here-and he's likely got a little bit higher floor than the average prep arm given his strikes also.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Long Reliever
Risk: High
