Matt Koch Stats & Scouting Report

IP	.1
ERA	81
WHIP	12
BB/9	27
SO/9	0

Full name Matthew David Koch
Born 11/02/1990 in Cherokee, IA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Louisville
Debut 09/09/2016
Drafted in the 3rd round (107th overall) by the New York Mets in 2012 (signed for $425,000).

View Draft Report

A swingman in his first two seasons at Louisville, Koch may have found his true calling in the Cape Cod League last summer. Used solely in relief by Chatham, he finished the summer with 15 1/3 straight scoreless innings, including an appearance in the Cape all-star game. The Cardinals have kept him in that role this season, which he opened by showing at 96-97 mph for one inning at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge in Florida. He has pitched at 92-96 mph this spring, though scouts have had a difficult time seeing him because he shares closing duties with Derek Self. Koch has been inconsistent with his secondary pitches, the main reason that opponents have hit a surprising .319 against him this year. He'll flash a plus changeup and a low-80s slider with depth, and some scouts think it's still worth trying to develop him as a starter. Koch is built for durability at 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds, leading to more credence for that belief. There's mixed opinion as to whether he's better than former Louisville closer Tony Zych, who signed for $400,000 as a Cubs fourth-round pick last year. Zych throws harder but Koch has a better body, a superior pitch and less effort in his delivery.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

A closer during his college career at Louisville, Koch (pronounced "cook") has jumped back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen during his five-year pro career. The Diamondbacks acquired him from the Mets in 2015 for big league reliever Addison Reed. After 14 starts for Double-A Mobile and seven for Triple-A Reno in 2016, Koch finished the year with seven big league appearances, including a pair of solid starts in which he gave up just three runs in 11 innings. He is an effective strike-thrower who doesn't miss a lot of bats who uses a four-seam fastball and cutter in the low to mid-90s with sinking action. Koch's average low-80s slider has good depth, and he uses an above-average, firm changeup in the mid-80s. He effectively repeats his three-quarters arm slot. While he pitched effectively as a starter in the minors, Koch is viewed by most observers as a big league bullpen arm with a good chance of earning a job in the D-backs pen out of spring training.
A closer at Louisville when the Mets made him a third-round pick in 2012, Koch moved into the low Class A Savannah rotation in 2013 before a comebacker to the head ended his season that August. He recovered to log 120 innings at high Class A St. Lucie in 2014, but his performance regressed across the board. The Mets believe Koch is around the zone too much with his 89-91 mph fastball and three average to below-average offspeed pitches. Scouts like his mid-80s slider best among his secondary weapons, followed by his fringe curveball and below-average changeup. He probably will wind up in the bullpen, and the Mets were heartened when Koch came out firing 95 mph heat and an 88 mph slider in 2014 upon entering a Double-A Binghamton playoff game in long relief. His 2015 season at Double-A will be telling.
A third-round pick out of Louisville in 2012, Koch signed with the Mets for $425,000 and made 13 appearances for short-season Brooklyn, mostly in relief. Koch joined low Class A Savannah's six-man rotation in 2013 and produced an incredible 17.0 SO/BB ratio before being struck in the head by a comebacker in his Aug. 2 start. He brings an aggressive, reliever-type mentality to the mound, pounding the zone and throwing predominately fastballs with some cutters and sliders mixed in. Koch shows above-average command of a plus 93-95 mph four-seamer and a low-90s two-seamer with good sink. He'll need to add depth to a slurvy breaking ball to generate more swings and misses, though his high-80s cutter is good more often than not. He's still learning the finer points of throwing a changeup. Koch has an ideal pitcher's frame, plus athleticism and he repeats his mechanics with a clean arm action, so scouts who like him see him as a potential mid-rotation arm.

Draft Prospects

A swingman in his first two seasons at Louisville, Koch may have found his true calling in the Cape Cod League last summer. Used solely in relief by Chatham, he finished the summer with 15 1/3 straight scoreless innings, including an appearance in the Cape all-star game. The Cardinals have kept him in that role this season, which he opened by showing at 96-97 mph for one inning at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge in Florida. He has pitched at 92-96 mph this spring, though scouts have had a difficult time seeing him because he shares closing duties with Derek Self. Koch has been inconsistent with his secondary pitches, the main reason that opponents have hit a surprising .319 against him this year. He'll flash a plus changeup and a low-80s slider with depth, and some scouts think it's still worth trying to develop him as a starter. Koch is built for durability at 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds, leading to more credence for that belief. There's mixed opinion as to whether he's better than former Louisville closer Tony Zych, who signed for $400,000 as a Cubs fourth-round pick last year. Zych throws harder but Koch has a better body, a superior pitch and less effort in his delivery.

Career Transactions

Albuquerque Isotopes activated RHP Matt Koch from the temporarily inactive list.
Albuquerque Isotopes placed RHP Matt Koch on the temporarily inactive list.
Colorado Rockies sent RHP Matt Koch outright to Albuquerque Isotopes.
Colorado Rockies designated RHP Matt Koch for assignment.
Colorado Rockies selected the contract of RHP Matt Koch from Albuquerque Isotopes.
Colorado Rockies selected the contract of RHP Matt Koch from Albuquerque Isotopes.
Colorado Rockies selected the contract of RHP Matt Koch from Albuquerque Isotopes.
RHP Matt Koch roster status changed by Colorado Rockies.
RHP Matt Koch roster status changed by Colorado Rockies.
Colorado Rockies invited non-roster RHP Matt Koch to spring training.