Cory Mazzoni

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Diego Padres #12 prospect in 2016
  The Mets intended to begin Mazzoni at Triple-A Las Vegas as part of a prospect-laden rotation alongside Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Rafael Montero. Instead, New York wound up trading Mazzoni (along with 6-foot-9 lefthander Brad Wieck) to the Padres at the end of spring training for veteran lefthanded reliever Alex Torres. A solidly-built righthander, Mazzoni is durable and has a repeatable delivery, but the Padres found his stuff ticked up after being moved to the bullpen. His four-seamer sat 90-94 mph as a starter but rose to 96 as a reliever, and his slider showed sharper break and better depth. He generates a healthy rate of groundballs and a fair share of swings and misses with his above-average slider. Mazzoni doesn't throw his changeup much. It's firm and he can cut it. With his competitive nature and plus fastball, Mazzoni should get another shot in the big league bullpen, where he could be a setup man.
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  Ranked New York Mets #15 prospect in 2015
  The Mets like what they see from Mazzoni when he takes the mound, but that has been an increasingly rare sight the past two seasons for the 2011 second-rounder. He dealt with problems in his right knee in 2013 that ultimately resulted in surgery to repair a torn meniscus, and then he missed the first half of 2014 with a strained right lat muscle before reporting to Triple-A Las Vegas in mid-July. He made 26 starts combined during the two seasons, and he missed out on an Arizona Fall League opportunity in 2014. Mazzoni misses bats and exhibits above-average control of a power repertoire headlined by a 92-95 mph fastball he locates to both sides of the plate. His low-80s slider flashes plus and his average splitter continues to improve his effectiveness against lefthanders. A plus athlete, Mazzoni repeats his delivery consistently, but a long arm action and below-average command in the zone point to a future as a No. 4 starter or reliever. Now a member of the 40-man roster, Mazzoni will be on call at Las Vegas if the Mets need an extra arm for the back of the rotation or to serve a bullpen apprenticeship.
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  Ranked New York Mets #16 prospect in 2014
  Mazzoni's rapid transit from the second round of the 2011 draft to the big leagues took a detour in 2013, when he dealt with problems in his right knee that knocked him out of action in April, July and then for good in early August when he had surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He fires low-90s sinkers and low-80s sliders in quick succession from a three-quarters arm slot, though he can dial his heater up to 95 mph with cutting action as necessary. His slider features depth and late break when it's working. Mazzoni gained confidence in a low-80s splitter that sinks as it nears the plate. Many scouts have pegged him as a bullpen candidate because of a long, hooking arm action and because his stuff tends to lose crispness late in his starts. He also tends to emphasize his fastball at the expense of developing his secondary pitches, which could further indicate a future role change. The Mets expect Mazzoni to be at full strength during spring training, and if that's the case then he could begin at Triple-A Las Vegas and make his big league debut during the season. He could be a No. 4 type starter or a late-inning reliever.
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  Ranked New York Mets #10 prospect in 2013
  Mets scouts saw the quality of Mazzoni's stuff improve throughout his junior year at North Carolina State, leading to his selection in the second round of the 2011 draft. He showed an explosive two-pitch mix as a reliever in his pro debut, then had little trouble returning to the rotation in 2012. He was spectacular at times after reaching Double-A in June. At his best, Mazzoni unleashes 93-95 mph fastballs with tailing action and mid-80s sliders with depth and late break. He has made strides with a splitter that he uses as a changeup, but he'll have to show continued growth after allowing Double-A lefthanders to hit .342/.385/.541 against him. While Mazzoni has above-average control of his stuff, he struggles to locate the ball with precision due to the effort in his delivery. His fastball drops in velocity and his slider loses crispness the further he works in a game, leading many scouts to project him as reliever. Mazzoni is moving quickly through the minors, but he'll need to improve his third pitch and command to profile as a starter. Failing that, he has a future in the big leagues as a late-game reliever. He's on track to make his big league debut in 2014.
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  Ranked New York Mets #13 prospect in 2012
  Mazzoni arrived at North Carolina State as a strong-armed but raw Pennsylvania prep product, and he blossomed into staff ace as a junior in 2011, ranking third in NCAA Division I with 137 strikeouts in 115 innings. After he signed quickly for $437,500 as a second-round pick, Mazzoni eased into pro ball as a reliever. Mets scouts saw Mazzoni's stuff improve dramatically over the course of the Atlantic Coast Conference season, and he pitched at 93-97 mph out of the bullpen after turning pro. His fastball doesn't have excessive life, but he locates the ball down in the zone and backs it up with a late-breaking 82-85 mph slider. Working in one-inning relief stints every five days, he didn't have occasion to throw his splitter, a fringe-average pitch he treats as a changeup. Mazzoni sat more comfortably at 90-94 mph as a starter in college, and that's the role the Mets plan to develop him in this season. He profiles as a back-of-the-rotation arm or perhaps a quality set-up man, and he could advance quickly to the big leagues in the latter role.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Mets scouts saw the quality of Mazzoni's stuff improve throughout his junior year at North Carolina State, leading to his selection in the second round of the 2011 draft. He showed an explosive two-pitch mix as a reliever in his pro debut, then had little trouble returning to the rotation in 2012. He was spectacular at times after reaching Double-A in June. Scouting Report: At his best, Mazzoni unleashes 93-95 mph fastballs with tailing action and mid-80s sliders with depth and late break. He has made strides with a splitter that he uses a changeup, but he'll have to show continued growth after allowing Double-A lefthanders to hit .342/.385/.541 against him. While Mazzoni has above-average control of his stuff, he struggles to locate the ball with precision due to the effort in his delivery. His fastball drops in velocity and his slider loses crispness the further he works in a game, leading many scouts to project him as reliever. The Future: Mazzoni is moving quickly through the minors, but he'll need to improve his third pitch and command to profile as a starter. Failing that, he has a future in the big leagues as a late-game reliever. He's on track to make his big league debut in 2014.