Christian
Roa

02.23.17
Throws his fastball 83-85 mph. Has good command of a sharp curveball he throws for strikes at 72-73 mph, with nearly identical arm motion as his fastball. Also looks to be able to hit with some power, hits clean-up for Memorial.

2020 DRAFT: A physical 6-foot-4 righthander with a straight over the top delivery, Roa works downhill with a 91-95 mph fastball, showing some riding life up in the zone and tough angle when down. His fastball command can come and go, and was on this look at Frisco when he issued two homers, both coming on 93 mph fastballs over the heart of the plate. He also issued four walks and allowed eight hits in 4.2 rocky innings, leading to five earned runs. Roa's best pitch is his slider, a true power offering at 83-86 mph with hard, late bite. The slider was a plus pitch repeatedly, but he struggled to find the feel for his sharp 12-to-6 curveball until the fifth, when he snapped off some good ones with depth and power at 80 mph. He also didn't have great feel for his 81-84 changeup for much of his outing, though he threw some solid-average ones toward the end. With a strong starter's frame and a promising four-pitch arsenal, Roa has a real chance to stick in a starting role in the majors as he continues to finetune his command. He's a solid bet to be drafted in the first three rounds this year.