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Tekoah Roby
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45
Ranked No. 144 in the 2020 Draft class by MLB Pipeline, Roby went 86th overall to the Rangers and was signed away from a Troy commitment with a $775,000 bonus. He showed promise on the mound during his time in the Texas system, particularly in 2022, but battled a sprained elbow in 2021 and a shoulder injury in the first half of 2023. The Cardinals picked up the Double-A arm at the Trade Deadline in the Jordan Montgomery deal, gave him four starts in Springfield and then got him innings in the Arizona Fall League.
Roby touched as high as 99 mph in the Fall League as he re-established his health and was generally around 93-96 in the Texas League with a four-seamer that played up with good extension and flat angle. He spots the fastball well too, giving it another chance to be a plus pitch. His 80-83 mph curveball plays well off the heat, dropping nearly straight downward to get swings-and-misses. He added a low-80s slider with the Rangers, but it’s a tighter pitch that can be hammered when left up. His 81-83 mph changeup can generate whiffs but lacks consistency.
The 6-foot-1 righty repeats his delivery and sidestepped free passes well in 2023 (6.3 percent walk rate). He could avoid the center of the zone better and might just need more experience to improve the command. Shoulder issues have continued to dog Roby in his first full season as a Cardinal, bringing greater questions about his ability to handle a starter's workload. The stuff remains undeniable, however. - mlbpipeline
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