SoCal ProCase Spotlight: INF/OF Roc Riggio

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FULLERTON, CALIF. - When a player commits to a Power 5 school prior to your freshman year of high school it’s well understood that player is talented. And while his school of choice has changed, what hasn’t changed is the passion, talent, and joyful exuberance with which 2B/OF Roc Riggio of Thousand Oaks HS plays the game. 

It’s true that Riggio, the 5th overall ranked player in the state, has been a known name for some time, but it was at the 2019 Underclass Area Codes where he cemented himself as one of the best overall players in his class. Riggio made base stealing/running look like child’s play. In one sequence after getting a base hit, he stole second, then third, then home. It was at the end of the event after he’d shown his overall game and is, to this day, the singular standout moment of the event for me. 

Fast forward through the fall and into spring and Riggio simply did what he does which is hit and defend at a high level all while causing havoc on the bases where he puts constant pressure on the defense. In other words, he’s a guy you love to have on your team and a guy you hate to play against because you always have to account for him. 

While there may be some questions as to where he slots in defensively, there are no questions about his ability to impact a game from in a multitude of ways.

THE REPORT:

Body: 5-foot-9, 175-pounds; defined musculature throughout the frame, particularly in the upper body where he’s added significant strength over the spring cancellation. 

Hit: LH - The first thing that stands out is the pure bat speed where his average of 76.7 mph and peak speed of 81.5 mph are above the MLB average of 70.3 mph per Blast Motion. These numbers registered over two BP rounds in front of close to 70 pro scouts in attendance. Very impressive 66% line drive percentage. Average rotational acceleration of 25.2g (28.4g max). Those numbers support what the eyes see which is a powerful hitter who shows the ability to adjust late to pitches and consistently gets the barrel on the ball. It’s a controlled violent swing. 

Power: 101.3 mph exit velo (avg 93.5 mph) in BP via Trackman using a wood bat. A dive into his metrics show the power to be very real and very consistent. With a peak hand speed average of 23.9 mph (25 mph max), Riggio shows consistency with the hands that allow him to adjust late to pitches while still maintaining barrel plane through the zone. His rotational acceleration of 25.2g is well above the MLB average of 16.8g from the 2019 season. Add it all together and you have a hitter with legitimate over-the-fence power that is able to adjust to pitches after starting his swing. Something not many high school players are capable of combining. 

Field: Here’s where it gets interesting, is Riggio a 2B of an OF at the next level? He showed himself more than capable of handling both positions at the ProCase and in other viewings. His actions are clean at both positions with fluid footwork and excellent body control. While his size may seem like a deterrent for the outfield, he makes up for it with excellent jumps on the ball and very good routes. He gets very good reads off the bat at both positions. Throws are accurate from both positions (threw from SS at ProCase) while flashing carry. 

Arm: 92 mph (OF), 86 mph (INF) velo. Like the rest of his game, there’s power in the arm. Among the outfielders in the group at the ProCase his velocity was the best, and was third best for infielders proving that is an area of strength rather than a deterrent. The raw velocity numbers will undoubtedly stick in the minds of scouts who have seen Riggio on the biggest stage now for at least a couple of years. 

Run: Did not run the 60 yard dash at the ProCase. 

Summary: Riggio is an interesting prospect if for nothing else the indecision as to where to play him defensively. He certainly can handle both the outfield - where he profiles as a corner outfielder - and the infield where his power numbers would put him amongst the best second baseman at the next level. Getting that kind of power output from a second baseman is something that scouts desire. Combine that with his defensive abilities and you have a very desirable prospect heading into his senior season of high school. While committed to Oklahoma State, there’s a feeling that Riggio is headed for pro ball after the 2021 MLB Draft. He profiles best as a power hitting second baseman in pro ball where, barring serious injury, he should have a long career. Hitters hit, and Riggio is nothing if not a hitter. He’s shown he can hit and handle elite pitching both at the high school level and above. He’s been seen hitting tanks in Big League stadiums during workouts where he’s facing pitchers several years older than him. The ability to do that should have Riggio in a position to hear his name early in July’s MLB Draft.