Roc
Riggio

Riggio wasted no time starting his season off with some hard contact and a 4-for-11 (.364) showing at the Showdown. On Sunday he even played a for sure double into a single. After a slow start last spring for the Cowboys, Riggio poured it on to finish with a .295/.413/.519 slash for his true freshman season. The draft-eligible sophomore has good feel at the plate and plenty of pop in his strong, compact 5-foot-9, 185 pound frame. He uses a balanced, athletic open stance and gets his hands into a good hitting position. He's a solid defender at second base and could also potentially have utility value as a left fielder. Physically and athletically, he evokes comparisons of former OSU infielder Kaden Polcovich, a third-round pick in 2020, but the lefty-swinging Riggio is a better natural hitter and has a late first-round ceiling.

Cape Cod: After a slow start this spring for the Cowboys, Riggio poured it on to finish with a .295/.413/.519 slash for his true freshman season in Stillwater. On the Cape he again struggled early and hit his stride late, highlighted by a two-homer, five-RBI outburst at Falmouth in late July. Despite his season-ending numbers of .200/.258/.339 Riggio has good feel at the plate and plenty of pop in his strong, compact 5-foot-9, 185 pound frame. He uses a balanced, athletic open stance and gets his hands into a good hitting position. He's a solid defender at second base, could also likely have utility value as a left fielder. Physically and athletically, he evokes former OSU infielder Kaden Polcovich, a third-round pick in 2020, but the lefty-swinging Riggio is a better natural hitter and has a first-round ceiling.

SoCal ProCase: 

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. 

Riggio is a known name in recruiting circles and rightfully so, the athletic rising junior shows all-fields power with the ability to go over-the-fence. The power in the bat is real and he showed that today in his second round of batting practice. Riggio covers the plate very well while showing great pitch selectivity/recognition as demonstrated in-game where he saw 13 pitches in an at-bat. Riggio played second base in-game and showed he can handle the position with ease. His hands work there and the arm is plus from there as well. Got handcuffed on a ball in-game, but gathered himself and made a clean throw to nail the runner by a step.

Uncommitted. Riggio’s energy and athleticism help propel his abilities at the plate, and it is easy to see why he is one of the top prospects/hitters in the 2021 class. Unafraid at the plate, and confident in his abilities, the left-handed hitter hit in the middle of a loaded lineup of 2020 prospects for GBG Marucci. Hitting from an athletic base, his hands rock further back into a power position with a slight scoop before his strong wrists and quick hands drive the barrel through the zone on a flat path. His strong bottom hand allows the barrel to lag in the zone as he showcases the ability to drive the ball to all fields. An athletic runner with some strength in the lower-half of his 5-foot-9, 165-pound frame, he gets into his legs at the dish helping to provide for a bit more power. While he is aggressive early on in counts, he also demonstrates the ability to adjust late when behind, changing the barrel plane, and driving whatever pitch comes his way. Overall, Riggio features plenty of upside, and with his hit-tool already advanced, he should be able to progress and a more rapid rate the next couple of years.

UCLA recruit, Riggio 5-foot-9, 165-pounds. Featuring an exaggerated uphill path with quick, twitchy hands. Riggio showcased advanced feel for the barrel with impressive pull side power.

2018 Underclass Area Code Games - UCLA commit. Serious bat control from the left side with strong wrists/forearms. Works impressively uphill with present pull side power. The quick hands were on display during a loud BP session in which he peppered gaps and the wall. Athletic with one of the more impressive bats in the class right now. Well put together and strong with advanced athleticism.

UCLA commit. 5-foot-9, 160 pound frame. Lots of strength throughout his frame, defined lower half, present strength through shoulders to hands. One of the top outfielders in his class in California, a premier athlete that has position versatility. The present carrying tool is the bat where he drives balls to all fields with authority and on a line, shows loose wrists in getting barrel into the zone where he shows homerun type power. An advanced athlete that plays within himself and under control, takes good routes to ball in the outfield where he possesses an above-average arm that generate online throws that at times show carry. Also worked at catcher where he is a bit raw, but the arm plays, constantly popped 2.01 - 2.1 on throwdowns between innings.