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If your team happens to tank the 2007 MLB season..

Mik

By Mik
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Mik Newbie

Mik

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This will probably end up being your prize...

 

There's a lot that goes into being one of the best youth baseball players in the country, and Robert Stock has the market cornered on practically every criterion.

 

The 6-foot, 180-pound 15-year-old was tossing 90 mph fastballs by the time he was 14 and has been known to connect on 400-foot home runs, using a wood bat. He also has the intangibles, the moxie, the mental edge, as well. Just ask his teammates, who have seen Stock's competitiveness on the field and off it.

 

"We're pretty serious when it comes to poker," said Stock, who began participating in games as a freshman when some of his Agoura (Calif.) High senior teammates invited him to join in. "I wear glasses and a hat and try and stay as stone-faced as I can."

 

Whether he's leaning on pocket kings or his lightning-quick arm, Stock has spent much of his amateur career winning. He was named Baseball America's best 13-year-old in 2003, best 14-year-old in 2004 and this year's best 15-year-old in our annual Baseball For the Ages feature. He also is being recognized as BA’s 2005 Youth Player of the Year, the first time a high school underclassman has won the honor.

 

Impressive Resume

 

The precocious Stock possesses outstanding skills as a catcher and pitcher. His arm strength is his most outstanding tool, as he hit 94 mph this summer and one scout clocked him at 95 on a couple of pitches this fall in a scout league game. He racked up 29 strikeouts in 20 innings as Agoura's closer as a sophomore last spring, and later turned heads at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, touching 92 mph while dealing against some of the top players in the High School Class of 2006, despite being more than a year younger than most of them.

 

Stock, who turns 16 on Nov. 21, also shows impressive raw power from the left side of the plate, and his arm strength plays well behind the plate, where he has the potential to be a sound defensive catcher. He hit .404-8-29 in the heart of Agoura's lineup and scouts have long loved his potential and proven track record of performance.

 

"It might be a 50-50 split with scouts in Southern California which way we like him," one area scout said. "I asked him what he liked most about hitting or pitching and he just sad, 'I just love to dominate, whether it be hitting or pitching.' And that's what he does, he just dominates games."

 

Stock solidified his spot as BA's top youth player with another sensational summer, spent playing against older and more experienced competition.

 

At the age of 14 last summer, Stock became the youngest player ever to make Team USA's youth national team, which finished second in a qualifying tournament in Mexico. He was the second-youngest player of the roster—yet the team’s No. 1 pitcher.

 

He was on the team again for the World Youth Championship this summer, and again the Americans drew Cuba in the championship game. Stock, who struck out 15 against the Netherlands earlier in the tournament, eagerly awaited the opportunity.

 

"The whole year I was looking forward to and practicing for that game," Stock said. "To bring back the gold medal and have a chance to pitch in that game was all I could think about."

 

Stock was sharp early on, racking up eight strikeouts in four innings before a three-hour rain delay prevented him from completing the game, which Cuba eventually won 5-0.

 

"Stock was incredible," USA Baseball's Jeff Singer said. "I really would have liked to see him try and close it out, because before it started raining he had dominant stuff."

 

Ace in the Hole

 

Stock follows in the footsteps of Delmon Young, Nick Adenhart and Cameron Maybin as BA's Youth Player of the Year, but he wins the award as a 15-year-old, after the others all picked up the award based on their performance and prospect status as rising seniors.

 

All three of BA's previous winners are off to promising starts as professionals, and while we'll have to wait a little longer to see how Stock fares in professional baseball, he has grown accustomed to looking ahead.

 

"At this point, I feel I'm more talented at pitching, but I have a better body and stature for catching," he said. "So down the road, who knows, but I'm ready for whatever's next."

 

As Stock continues to refine his skills, his attitude and perseverance figure to serve him well. And when it's not batting practice or pitching lessons, there's always poker to help him hone his game face. "Sixty dollars, that's the biggest pot I've won so far," he said with a smile.

 

The ante figures to be upped in due time.

 

Wow. All he has to do is avoid the injury bug.

Mik Newbie

Mik

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Or for that matter, Al - Josh Hamilton. Both similar stories.

 

Hopefully this kid won't become a crackhead like Hamilton or flop like Nash. He looks menacing in his USA player profile.

EVIL~! alkeiper Newbie

EVIL~! alkeiper

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It's hard to project a player like this. His work ethic could suffer. He could suffer an arm injury pitching as players of his age tend to do. He could have simply physically matured early. It's a long way to the majors. Colt Griffin could fire a 100 mph fastball, but he can't break AA. Juan Richardson could hit light tower home runs, but he can't hit above .230.

Guest Leelee

Guest Leelee

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What I'm most amazed with is that people are scouting kids at the age of thirteen. Jeez.

 

That's nothing.

 

Try being a women's tennis fan where every pre-teen is hyped to the moon. It gets rather annoying. Not to mention how it's messed up tons of heads.

  • 2 months later...
EVIL~! alkeiper Newbie

EVIL~! alkeiper

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Since I picked up Baseball America's Almanac, here are their picks for the best player at each age...

 

12: Delino DeShields Jr., of

13: Vinny Ponce, c

14: Miles Head, c/1b

15: Robert Stock, rhp

16: Cody Johnson, 1b/of

17: Brett Anderson, lhp

18: Andrew McClutchen, of (Pirates' org.)

19: Delmon Young, of (Devil Rays)

20: Brandon Wood, ss (Angels)

21: Huston Street, rhp (Athletics)

22: David Wright, 3b (Mets)

23: Dontrelle Willis, lhp (Marlins)

24: Jake Peavy, rhp (Padres)

25: Albert Pujols, 1b (Cardinals)

 

I don't agree with Street. Jeff Francouer, Jeremy Hermida, Brian McCann, Prince Fielder, Scott Kazmir and Ryan Zimmerman are all better choices than a closer, in my view. Mik will surely argue Miguel Cabrera over David Wright, and I probably agree.

Mik Newbie

Mik

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David Wright over Miguel Cabrera is a little silly, in my opinion.

 

It's all about hype and perception.

 

If David Wright was on Florida he would be regarded pretty similarly how Mike Lowell was a few years ago (although Wright is better, in my opinion.

 

Put Cabrera on the Mets and the New York papers would be photoshopping pictures of him walking on the Hudson River.

 

To put it simply: I strongly disagree.

 

I think Miguel will go a long way towards proving just how good he is next season.

2GOLD Newbie

2GOLD

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Wait, wait, wait, wait...Delino DeShields JUNIOR!?

 

Honestly how does one determine who's the best 12-year old?

Probably plays little league or something..

 

Travel teams actually. Seen him, I guess he's good for a 12 year old.

  • 2 years later...
EVIL~! alkeiper Newbie

EVIL~! alkeiper

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Old topic. From Jim Callis' chat today.

 

Teddy (Los Angeles): Jim, Robert Stock was so highly regarded out of high school that he was predicted to be a Top 10 pick had he played his senior season. After two below-average seasons (compared to his expectations) where do you project him heading into the 2009 draft?

 

SportsNation Jim Callis: I'd say third to fifth round right now, based more on a hoped-for rebound. He was the most disappointing player in the Cape Cod League this summer.

 

Which is why even the best looking player at 15 is no sure thing. That prospect by age list is interesting three years later. Cody Johnson is in the Braves' organization. Hit 26 home runs in the Sally League but his plate discipline is awful. Brett Anderson is a legit top prospect. Andrew McCutchen is nice though Jay Bruce surpassed him. And sorry Mik, but I WOULD take David Wright over Miguel Cabrera now. Wright has a chance to rank among the ten greatest third basemen ever to play the game. (I said a CHANCE.)

Guest Vitamin X

Guest Vitamin X

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I hope he likes it in Tampa Bay.

 

Or Detroit.

 

Or Pittsburgh...

 

Ha.

Guest Vitamin X

Guest Vitamin X

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You can always count on the Pirates for ineptitude, however.

  • 2 weeks later...
Mik Newbie

Mik

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Well at this point I think David Wright is a better player than Cabrera but at the time I thought the argument was silly. Miguel hasn't progressed as many had imagined he would. He's still a damn fine player, but yeah... I figured he'd be MVP level at this point.

 

Funny reading this thread back again now that Hamilton has made the bigs and isn't a wasted prospect "crackhead" anymore.

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