John Rooney Stats & Scouting Report

IP	60.1
ERA	4.33
WHIP	1.49
BB/9	4.77
SO/9	10.59

Full name John Rooney
Born 01/28/1997 in Melrose, NY
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: L
School Hofstra
Drafted in the 3rd round (104th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 (signed for $563,240).

View Draft Report

A 6-foot-5, 225-pound lefthander, Rooney has had an incredible season for Hofstra in 2018. Through his first 12 starts, Rooney compiled a 8-1, 1.01 record, striking out 99 batters and walking 22 in 89 innings. He also pitched in the Cape Cod League last summer, and while his overall numbers (1-2, 4.38 with 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 37 innings) weren't great, he was better in the second half of the summer. Rooney's fastball can reach 93 mph and he also throws an above-average slider that comes across in the low to mid-80s. He does well throwing both pitches for strikes and shows at least average control. He's remade his body since his summer in the Cape and has lost some weight, but he still isn't overly athletic. He also has a longer arm action and has yet to find consistency with his third-pitch changeup. For those reasons, there is some reliever risk with Rooney, who could be an effective two-pitch lefty out of the bullpen. But it's hard to argue with Rooney's results as a junior, so if a team believes in his ability to find an average third pitch he could go off the board higher than his ranking suggests.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 40/Medium

Track Record: Rooney finished second in the nation with a 1.23 ERA as a junior at Hofstra and set school records with 108 strikeouts and 95 innings pitched in a season. The Dodgers drafted him in the third round and signed him for $563,240. Rooney struggled as a starter against upper-level hitters, but his stuff ticked up with a move to the bullpen in 2023. He gained more than 4 mph on his fastball and posted a 2.86 ERA in 53 appearances across Double-A and Triple-A.

Scouting Report: Rooney is a long, lanky lefthander who generates deception with an extreme crossfire delivery and low arm slot. His fastball sits 92-93, touches 95 and plays up with his deception and tough angle. His primary pitch is a horizontal, 83-85 mph slider that sweeps across the zone and is effective against both lefties and righties. Rooney also has a fringy, mid-80s changeup, but it’s not a significant part of his arsenal in the bullpen. He throws strikes with average and control, and keeps traffic off the bases with an elite pickoff move. Rooney is especially dominant against lefties and held them to a .202/.297/.247 slash line in 2023.

The Future: Rooney projects to be a deceptive middle reliever, who matches up against lefties. His big league debut should come in 2024.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50
Track Record: After posting ERAs above 5.00 his first two years at Hofstra, Rooney stood out in the summer of 2017 in the Cape Cod League and then had an All-American junior season. Rooney finished second in the nation with a 1.23 ERA and set the Hofstra program record for strikeouts (108) and innings pitched (95). The Dodgers drafted him in the third round, No. 104 overall, and signed him for $563,240.

Scouting Report: An imposing 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Rooney cleaned up his previously husky body and improved his stuff and control as a result. His fastball sits in the low 90s and ramps up to 94 mph with ride, and Rooney commands it in all four quadrants of the strike zone. He mixes in an above-average mid-80s slider and his changeup began showing average. He mixes all his pitches and keeps traffic off the bases with an elite pickoff move. After signing, he picked off 10 runners in eight games.

The Future: Rooney's track record is short, but the Dodgers believe he'll move fast as a lefthanded strikethrower with three pitches. He'll head to high Class A Rancho Cucamonga in 2019.

Draft Prospects

A 6-foot-5, 225-pound lefthander, Rooney has had an incredible season for Hofstra in 2018. Through his first 12 starts, Rooney compiled a 8-1, 1.01 record, striking out 99 batters and walking 22 in 89 innings. He also pitched in the Cape Cod League last summer, and while his overall numbers (1-2, 4.38 with 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 37 innings) weren't great, he was better in the second half of the summer. Rooney's fastball can reach 93 mph and he also throws an above-average slider that comes across in the low to mid-80s. He does well throwing both pitches for strikes and shows at least average control. He's remade his body since his summer in the Cape and has lost some weight, but he still isn't overly athletic. He also has a longer arm action and has yet to find consistency with his third-pitch changeup. For those reasons, there is some reliever risk with Rooney, who could be an effective two-pitch lefty out of the bullpen. But it's hard to argue with Rooney's results as a junior, so if a team believes in his ability to find an average third pitch he could go off the board higher than his ranking suggests.