Drafted in the 3rd round (86th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004 (signed for $440,000).
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Mock was dazzling at the Cape Cod League all-star game last summer, setting himself up for a good chance to follow in the footsteps of Houston's two 2003 first-round righthanders, Ryan Wagner and Brad Sullivan. While he showed his 89-94 mph sinker and hard curveball at times, Mock endured a frustrating spring. He got shelled early and then injured his left ankle practicing bunt coverages, and what initially was thought to be a sprain turned out to be a slight break that sidelined him for a month. Mock has to do a better job of throwing strikes and letting his curveball and changeup play off his fastball, rather than trying to nibble at the plate and trick hitters. Mock still can be an early pick for a team that remembers how good he was on the Cape.
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A favorite of Nationals assistant general manager Mike Rizzo from the days when both were with the Diamondbacks, Mock was acquired as part of the Livan Hernandez trade in 2006, when he struggled while trying to pitch through a knee injury, which limited his workload in 2007. He stayed healthy for all of 2008, pitching well in a starting role in Triple-A before breaking into the big leagues mostly as a reliever. Mock has fought to stay on top of his four-seam fastball by raising his arm slot, so in 2008 he shelved it in favor of a sinking two-seamer that comes more naturally and has better life. He tends to pitch in the high 80s as a starter but works at 90-92 mph out of the bullpen, touching 93-94. He's aggressive with his heater and has improved his command, but it still comes and goes. Mock also features a solid-average slider, a fringe-average curveball and a changeup that can be average at times. He relies mostly on his fastball and slider out of the pen. Some scouts think Mock could follow the development path of Adam Wainwright or Brandon Morrow, breaking into the majors as a reliever before transitioning to a starting role. Others believe he's better suited to a Jon Rauch-type role in the pen, where he can just let it fly and not overthink things. Either way, Mock should stick in the big leagues for good this year.
A favorite of Nationals assistant general manager Mike Rizzo from the days when both were with the Diamondbacks, Mock was acquired as part of the Livan Hernandez trade in 2006, when he struggled trying to pitch through a knee injury. He had surgery that fall to remove a lesion from a tendon in his left knee, and he pitched just 65 innings in 2007 while trying to work his way back to his previous form. Toward the end of the season and in the Arizona Fall League, Mock once again started to flash electric stuff, showing an 89-94 mph fastball, a power slider that can be a plus pitch, a sharp curveball and a changeup that remains underdeveloped. He has a big, physical frame with strong legs and has the potential to be a workhorse if he can stay healthy. Mock is very good when his command is on, but he needs to become more consistent. He's a fierce competitor but also a little flaky. He talks too much at times and has a tendency to out-think himself. Added to the 40-man roster in November, Mock will compete for a spot in Washington's Opening Day rotation in 2008 but probably will get some more minor league time to refine his command and work on the mental part of his game.
In his first full season in 2005, Mock led the high Class A California League in wins and strikeouts despite pitching in Lancaster, one of baseball's best hitter havens. He came to big league camp the following spring and nearly earned a job on Arizona's Opening Day roster before heading to Double-A. He struggled all season with a slight tear under the meniscus in his left knee, and he was shelled after coming to the Nationals along with Matt Chico in an August trade for Livan Hernandez. A big, strong Texan with a fierce competitive streak, Mock did not let on that he was hurt, but it was obvious something was wrong when his fastball sat at 89-90 mph and topped out at 92. In years past he pitched at 92 and topped out at 95 with a heavy, boring fastball. When he's right, Mock's hard, short-breaking slider is an out pitch, and his changeup and overhand curveball are at least average. He got into bad mechanical habits because he couldn't extend on his landing leg, so he was searching for a comfortable arm slot. He had surgery to repair his knee and should be healthy by spring training, and the Nationals hope he will trust his stuff when he's back to 100 percent. He should push for a job in Triple-A in 2007, and he could be a middle-of-the-rotation workhorse by 2008.
Mock was seen as a first-round talent entering his junior year at Houston, but a broken ankle hurt his performance and he fell to the third round. In his first full season, he gutted through pitching at one of the friendlier hitter's parks in baseball to lead the California League in wins and strikeouts. Mock has a full arsenal, touching 94-95 mph with his four-seam fastball while mixing in an 88-91 cutter with excellent movement. His slider and curveball are both quality offerings, and he commands all of his pitches well. He's a big-bodied power pitcher who maintains his stuff deep into games. Scouts remain concerned about the difference between Mock's stuff and results. He gives up too many hits, leaving too many pitches over the heart of the plate when he clearly has the command to work the corners. His changeup needs more work, but it should be an average pitch in the end. Mock's bulldog approach helped him survive the tough environment of the California League, and with a few refinements, he could take off. He'll start 2006 in Double-A.
Mock was in line to be a first-round pick after a strong showing in the Cape Cod League before his junior year at Houston, but a broken ankle derailed him. He didn't allow a run in his first four professional outings, and more than held his own after a promotion to low Class A. Mock has a prototypical pitcher's body and unleashes a heavy 91-94 mph fastball with plenty of sink that can touch 97. He throws a big downward breaking ball and the Diamondbacks love his never say die attitude, as evidenced by the month he pitched at Houston with the broken ankle. Mock has trouble keeping his curveball in the strike zone, and his changeup is still well below his other offerings. Mock can be a bit of a perfectionist at times, trying too hard to make the perfect pitch as opposed to letting his stuff simply work for him. He'll begin the year on one of the two Arizona class A affiliates.
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