Chaz Roe

CHAZ ROE
RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: October 9, 1986
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 190
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 1st round, 32nd overall, 2005 (Rockies)
How Acquired: Waiver claim (from Yankees)
High School: Lafayette (KY) HS
Agent: Sosnick/Cobbe

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

The Rockies drafted Roe out of high school in the supplemental first round on the strength of a projectable frame and a low-90s fastball.  His secondary stuff and control were less impressive and remained that way through much of his time in the minors.  He started pitching better the year after he was moved to the bullpen.  As a reliever, he sits at 91-92 and relies heavily on a slider.  Like a lot of fastball/slider relievers, he’s had a significant platoon split in the majors, allowing a .654 OPS to right-handed hitters and 1.045 to left-handed hitters.

2005
R+:  5-2-0, 4.17 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 49.2 IP, 6.5 BB/9, 10.0 K/9

Pitching as a starter, Roe missed a lot of bats and didn’t allow many hits in his debut, but he struggled to throw strikes.  Baseball America rated him the Rockies’ fourth best prospect after the season.

2006
A:  7-4-0, 4.06 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 99.2 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 7.2 K/9

Roe spent the season in the rotation at low A, which was a fairly aggressive promotion for a prep draftee.  He was considerably more hittable than the previous year, but did cut his walk rate.

2007
A+:  7-11-0, 4.33 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 170.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 6.9 K/9

Roe moved up to the hitting happy California League and allowed far fewer hits, but gave up 17 HRs after allowing only four the previous year.  His innings total took a large jump, more than a lot of teams would allow from one year to the next with a young pitcher.

2008
A+:  2-1-0, 5.49 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 19.2 IP, 1.4 BB/9, 7.3 K/9
AA:  5-4-0, 4.27 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 105.1 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 6.0 K/9

Roe missed the start of the season as a result of off-season knee surgery.  The Rockies sent him to high A for three starts, then moved him up to AA.  He pitched reasonably well there, with much better control, but missed fewer bats.  BA dropped his prospect rating in the Rockies’ system to 25th after the season, down from 10th the previous two seasons.

2009
AA:  7-3-0, 3.15 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 117.0 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 5.9 K/9

The Rockies sent Roe back to AA.  He missed about six weeks due to an oblique strain.  Otherwise he pitched largely the same as the previous year, despite the improved ERA.  Colorado added Roe to their 40-man roster after the season.

2010
AAA:  9-13-0, 5.98 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 158.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 6.6 K/9

Roe got hit hard at Colorado Springs.  After the season, the Rockies traded him to Seattle.

2011
AAA:  0-7-2, 6.59 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 99.2 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 7.5 K/9

Roe struggled badly in AAA with Seattle, posting a 7.33 ERA over ten starts.  The Mariners moved him to the bullpen at the beginning of June, but he didn’t pitch a great deal better.  Seattle outrighted him to AAA in early July and he became a free agent after the season.

2012
IND:  3-2-1, 1.47 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 55.0 IP, 1.1 BB/9, 11.3 K/9

Roe was suspended for 50 games in January 2012 for violating baseball’s substance abuse policy.  He pitched during the season with an independent league team, solely in relief.  In September, Arizona signed him to a minor league contract for 2013.

2013
AA:  0-1-1, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 2.1 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 11.6 K/9
AAA:  0-0-7, 1.23 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 22.0 IP, 1.6 BB/9, 8.2 K/9
MLB:  1-0-0, 4.03 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 22.1 IP, 5.2 BB/9, 9.7 K/9

Roe pitched well in AAA and was called up to the majors several times in July and August, then for good in September.  He missed a lot of bats with the Diamondbacks, but had control problems.  After the season, Arizona put him on waivers and Texas claimed him.  The Rangers then put Roe on waivers and, after he cleared, he refused assignment to AAA.  Roe signed a minor league deal the next day with the Marlins.

2014
AAA (Mia):  3-3-14, 3.66 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 64.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 10.1 K/9
MLB (NYY):  0-0-0, 9.00 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 13.5 BB/9, 18.0 K/9

Roe pitched well as a closer in AAA for Miami, but didn’t get called up.  At the end of August, the Marlins sent him to the Yankees for cash and he made three appearances in the majors.  The Yankees designated him for assignment after three weeks and the Pirates claimed him.  He did not pitch for the Pirates before the season ended.

The Pirates claimed Roe the day after they clinched a playoff spot.  Most likely they added him for bullpen depth going into 2015, but depending on off-season developments it wouldn’t be surprising if they designated him for assignment during the off-season.  He has no options left, so he’ll have to make the team out of spring training or go through waivers.

STATS
Baseball Reference–Majors
Baseball Reference–Minors
Fangraphs
MLB.com
MiLB.com
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2014: Major league minimum
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $1,025,000
MiLB Debut: 2005
MLB Debut: 7/1/2013
MiLB FA Eligible: N/A
MLB FA Eligible: 2020
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Added to 40-Man: 11/20/2012
Options Remaining: 0 (USED:  2010, 2011, 2013)
MLB Service Time: 0.079
TRANSACTIONS
June 7, 2005: Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 1st round, 32nd overall pick; signed on June 18.
November 20, 2009:
Contract purchased by the Colorado Rockies.
December 2, 2010: Traded by the Colorado Rockies to the Seattle Mariners for Jose Lopez.
June 29, 2011: Designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners; outrighted to AAA on July 5.
November 2, 2011: Became a free agent.
September 15, 2012: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
July 1, 2013: Called up by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
November 1, 2013: Claimed off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks by the Texas Rangers.
January 29, 2014: Designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers; outrighted to AAA on January 3; became a free agent on February 5.
February 6, 2014: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Florida Marlins.
August 31, 2014: Traded by the Florida Marlins to the New York Yankees for cash considerations.
September 21, 2014: Designated for assignment by the New York Yankees.
September 24, 2014: Claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the New York Yankees.