Cole Rohrbough Stats & Scouting Report

IP	269
ERA	5.019
WHIP	1.416
BB/9	3.881
SO/9	9.401

Full name Cole W. Rohrbough
Born 05/23/1987 in Medford, OR
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Western Nevada CC
Drafted in the 22nd round (670th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2006 (signed for $675,000).

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Braves' final draft-and-follow sign before the process was eliminated with the 2007 draft, Rohrbough received a $675,000 bonus and ranked as the Appalachian League's top prospect in his pro debut. An ankle injury that begat a shoulder problem limited his performance in 2008. Last season, he struggled to find any consistency. After he made his first start, he spent a month on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. He gave up a total of six runs in his first four starts back, then got bombed for 10 runs in his next outing and had a 2.70 ERA through five starts, then gave up 10 runs in his next outing and had a 6.53 ERA from June on. When Rohrbough is on, he has a 92-94 mph fastball with plus movement and a power curveball with late, hard break. His changeup continues to need work, and he still tends to drop his arm angle on occasion, which flattens his pitches and makes them hittable. Rohrbough gets down on himself and dwells on his difficulties, and he wasn't able to snap out of it in 2009. He has electric stuff at times and the ability to be a solid major league starter, but Atlanta still isn't sure what it has in him. His 2010 performance in Double-A should help make his future more clear.
The final draft-and-follow signed by the Braves before MLB eliminated the process, Rohrbough received a $675,000 bonus and ranked as the top prospect in the Appalachian League in his pro debut. An ankle injury suffered during offseason workouts and rotatorcuff tendinitis hampered his development last season. Rohrbough has electrifying stuff with three above-average pitches at times, including the best fastball/curveball combination in the system. His fastball has good movement while residing at 92-94 mph. His power curve borders on being unhittable when it is sharp with nasty late break. He has a tremendous feel for pitching and mixes his offerings well. Rohrbough tends to drop his arm slot on occasion, which decreases his fastball velocity and makes his curve flatter and hittable. He also needs to improve the consistency and fade of his changeup. Atlanta believes Rohrbough is a special talent and projects him as a possible No. 2 starter. He should be completely healthy in spring training and should advance to Double-A at some point in 2009, with a late-2010 big league ETA.
After earning all-tournament honors at the Junior College World Series, Rohrbough capped Atlanta's final class of draft-and-follows by signing for $675,000. Rohrbough ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Rookie-level Appalachian League and was just as dominant in six starts in low Class A after getting promoted. Danville pitching coach Jim Czajkowski realized that Rohrbough became untouchable when his arm slot rose and was more hittable when he dropped down. When he maintained the higher angle, his fastball went from sitting in the high 80s to regularly touching 94. He also has a plus power curveball with sharp, late break. He studies hitters and already mixes his pitches like a veteran. Rohrbough needs to improve his changeup consistency and repeat his delivery. Experience should take care of both flaws. Rohrbough has the best fastball-curveball combination in the system. He moved quickly in his debut and could continue at that same rapid rate. Though he may return to Rome to begin 2008, he should reach high Class A by midseason.

Minor League Top Prospects

Rohrbough burst onto the pro scene last year, dominating as the Rookie-level Appalachian League's top prospect before pitching equally well in the SAL. A bout of rotator-cuff tendinitis delayed his start to the 2008 season, and a lingering ankle injury from offseason workouts reared its head in June. Nevertheless, he managed to average 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings prior to a promotion in August. Rohrbough sits in the low 90s with his fastball and throws a power curveball that resembles a slider with its sharp, late break. He mixes his pitches well and works both sides of the plate, though his changeup and control still need improvement. At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, he has good size and plenty of projection remaining. "His stuff is electrifying," Ingle said. "Everything he throws is above average. When he's sharp, particularly with his breaking ball, he's close to unhittable. He also eats innings and competes very well."
Rohrbough became one of the last draft-and-follow signees ever, agreeing to a $675,000 bonus shortly after Western Nevada was eliminated at the Junior College World Series in June. After just flashing intriguing stuff on occasion when the Braves took him in 22nd round out of high school in 2006, he did so on a more consistent basis this year.Rohrbough pitched at 88-90 mph with his fastball in the Appy League, and he's capable of touching 94. He dominated Appy hitters with his fastball and power curveball, and he had no problem making the jump to low Class A in August. Though Rohrbough easily threw strikes out with a low three-quarters delivery, he raised his slot one night when he got into a bases-loaded jam. After he escaped, Danville pitching coach Jim Czajkowski encouraged him to keep throwing from the higher slot.