Joe Rock (baseball)

Joseph Richard Rock (born July 29, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Joe Rock
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 68
Pitcher
Born: (2000-07-29) July 29, 2000 (age 25) Sewickley, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
June 28, 2025, for the Tampa Bay Rays
MLB statistics (through June 28, 2025)
Win–loss record	0–0
Earned run average	9.00
Strikeouts	4
Teams
Tampa Bay Rays (2025–present)

Amateur career

Rock grew up in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania and attended Hopewell High School.^[1]

Rock played college baseball for the Ohio Bobcats. He pitched in 16 games with 11 starts as a freshman and went 2–4 with a 5.19 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched.^[2] In 2019, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.^[3] In 2020, Rock was declared academically ineligible as a sophomore and redshirted the season.^[4] He started 14 games as a redshirt sophomore and pitched to an 8–3 record with a 2.33 ERA and 117 strikeouts.^[5]

Professional career

Colorado Rockies

Rock was selected in the second round (68th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft. After signing with the team he was assigned to the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Rockies, where he had a 1.13 ERA and 11 strikeouts in eight innings pitched.^[6] Rock was assigned to the High-A Spokane Indians at the start of the 2022 season.^[7] In 22 starts split between Spokane and the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats, he accumulated a 7-8 record and 4.82 ERA with 120 strikeouts across 115+2⁄3 innings pitched.^[8]

Rock split the 2023 campaign between Hartford and the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. In 20 starts for the two affiliates, he posted a cumulative 1-10 record and 4.66 ERA with 112 strikeouts across 92+2⁄3 innings pitched.^[9]

Tampa Bay Rays

On March 21, 2024, Rock was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Greg Jones.^[10] In 27 games (23 starts) for the Triple–A Durham Bulls, he logged a 7–8 record and 4.58 ERA with 132 strikeouts over 139+2⁄3 innings pitched. On November 18, the Rays added Rock to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.^[11]

Rock was optioned to Triple-A Durham to begin the 2025 season.^[12] In 15 appearances (14 starts) for the Bulls, he compiled a 3-5 record and 4.81 ERA with 63 strikeouts over 73 innings of work. On June 28, 2025, Rock was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.^[13]