Miami Marlins Bullpen 2021: Reliever Colton Hock

Colton Hock is currently the number 25 prospect in the Miami Marlins system.

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 228 of 286.

Colton Jack Hock is a 6’4″, 220 lb. right-handed relief pitcher from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, population 14,231. Four players from the small town have eventually reached the majors, including 2B/OF John Hummel (1905-1915, Brooklyn Dodgers, 17.7 career WAR).

Hock was born on March 15th, 1996, and eventually played his high school ball with Bloomsburg Area HS. After going undrafted after his senior year, he joined Stanford University, where he pitched out of their bullpen for three seasons. Follow Hock on Twitter @Hockeye.

Hock pitched 140 innings of Division I ball for the Cardinal. He appeared in relief in 75 of his 77 games, pitching to a 10-8 record and a 2.87 ERA. Hock struck out 120 and registered a 1.16 WHIP.

A big and physical right-hander, Hock was effective as Stanford’s closer and set a Cardinal single-season record with 16 saves in 2017. Hock operates with a lively fastball that sits at 92-94 mph and reaches 95 with heavy sinking action and arm-side run. His above-average curveball is his go-to out pitch and nets him whiffs, while his changeup remains a distant third pitch that will need to be developed in the professional ranks. There is some effort to his delivery, resulting in inconsistent command as well as an inability to maintain his velocity deeper into starts. – MLB Pipeline

After Hock’s junior season, the Miami Marlins picked him in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Amateur Entry Draft. Chosen 119th overall, Hock would be the 15th player chosen with the selection to make it to the majors. The “119 Club” is led by Sal Bando (1965, Kansas City Athletics, 61.5 career WAR), Todd Stottlemyer (1983, New York Yankees, 23.0 WAR), and Steve Henderson (1974, Cincinnati Reds, 11.5 WAR). Here he is with the GCL Marlins in 2017, courtesy of Baseball Census.

Hock came to terms with the Miami Marlins for a $500,000 bonus and reported to the GCL Marlins, in the rookie-level, Florida-based Gulf Coast League on July 10th. He struck out 10 in nine innings of work over four games, and was pushed up a level after two weeks.

After joining the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League, Hock played in another seven games. He struck out 13 in 17 2/3 innings. Between the two levels, Hock had a 6.75 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP.

Despite his struggles at the rookie-level and low-A, Hock was promoted to the single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers in the South Atlantic League for the 2018 campaign. Hock would reward the Marlins with a winning record (9-8) for a losing team (60-76). In 91 innings of work over 30 games, he struck out 77 and had a 4.45 ERA. Hock started in 10 of those games and relieved in the other 20, turning in a 1.30 WHIP.

More from Marlins Prospects

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• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 2
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 1

Of particular interest in Hock’s 2018 performance was his extreme starter/reliever splits. As a starter, he was 1-5 with a 6.65 ERA and a 1.612 WHIP. By contrast, in relief he was 8-3 with a 2.33 ERA and a 0.993 WHIP. His K/9 rate was also vastly better as a reliever, 9.3-to-5.8. The solution to Hock seems simple enough – don’t start him. He kept the opposition scoreless in 15-of-20 trips out of the bullpen.

On May 14th, Hock struck out five over two innings of perfect relief in a 5-2 loss to the Augusta GreenJackets.

Hock is currently the Miami Marlins number 25 prospect, and is attached to the Clinton LumberKings in the single-A Midwest League. He should start the 2019 season with the high-A Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League.

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