Roc Riggio
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2002)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name = Roc Riggio
| image = Roc Riggio Hudson Valley.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Riggo playing for the Hudson Valley Renegades in 2024
| team = New York Yankees
| position = Second baseman
| birth_place = Tarzana, California, U.S.
| birth_date = {{bda|2002|6|11}}
| bats = Left
| throws = Right
}}
Roc Jack Riggio (born June 11, 2002) is an American professional baseball second baseman in the New York Yankees organization. He played college baseball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Career
Riggio began playing for the USA Baseball when he was 11 years old. After playing as a catcher, third baseman, and outfielder, Riggio worked with retired Major League Baseball (MLB) shortstop Jack Wilson to become a second baseman, first by taking thousands of ground balls on his own, and later training with Wilson's son, shortstop Jacob Wilson. While he was in the eighth grade at Grace Brethren School, Riggio committed to attend the University of California, Los Angeles to play college baseball.{{cite web|author=USA TODAY High School Sports |url=https://usatodayhss.com/2017/calif-eighth-grader-roc-riggio-commits-to-ucla-baseball |title=Calif. eighth-grader Roc Riggio commits to UCLA baseball |work=USA TODAY High School Sports |date=April 25, 2017 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}}
Riggio attended Chaminade College Preparatory School in Los Angeles for his freshman year of high school. He transferred to Thousand Oaks High School in Thousand Oaks, California, to play for Wilson, who became the baseball team's head coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocolly.com/sports/wild-thing-roc-riggio-s-flair-launching-baseball-stardom/article_8fd822ce-e5e5-11ed-8c53-d781200143a7.html|title=Wild Thing: Roc Riggio’s flair launching baseball stardom|first=Daniel |last=Allen|date=April 28, 2023|website=ocolly.com|accessdate=July 26, 2023}}{{cite web|first=Tarek|last=Fattal |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2021/06/15/daily-news-boys-athlete-of-the-week-roc-riggio-thousand-oaks/ |title=Daily News Boys Athlete of the Week: Roc Riggio, Thousand Oaks – Daily News |work=Los Angeles Daily News |date=June 15, 2021 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/sports/high-school/2021/03/30/riggio-providing-pop-top-powerful-thousand-oaks-lineup/7039511002/ |title=Riggio providing pop at the top of a powerful Thousand Oaks lineup |work=Ventura County Star|first=Loren|last=Ledin |date=March 30, 2021 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}} In November 2020, Riggio signed a National Letter of Intent with Oklahoma State University to play college baseball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.{{cite web|url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/columns/2020/11/13/osu-baseball-roc-riggio-headlines-deep-cowboys-recruiting-class/312327007/ |title=OSU baseball: Roc Riggio headlines deep Cowboys recruiting class |work=The Oklahoman|date=November 13, 2020 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}}
The Milwaukee Brewers selected Riggio in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB draft. He chose not to sign with the Brewers and enrolled at Oklahoma State.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.simivalleyacorn.com/articles/riggio-picks-cowboys-over-brewers/ |title=Riggio picks Cowboys over Brewers |work=Simi Valley Acorn |date=July 30, 2021 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}} As a freshman in 2022, Riggio batted .295 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs. He batted .555 in the 2022 NCAA Division I baseball tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/baseball/after-his-prolific-college-career-roc-riggio-awaits-future-ahead-sundays-mlb-draft/article_7b1501da-1dd1-11ee-bae7-7f67ea27fdb3.html|title=After his prolific college career, Roc Riggio awaits future ahead Sunday's MLB Draft|first=Daniel |last=Allen|date=July 8, 2023|work=Tulsa World|accessdate=July 26, 2023}} After the Cowboys' season, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1583346&seasonid=33239 |title=#57 Roc Riggio |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=July 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://capecodchronicle.com/en/5729/sports/9042/Athlete-Of-The-Week-Roc-Riggio-Cape-Cod-Baseball-League-Athlete-of-the-Week.htm |title=Athlete Of The Week: Roc Riggio |first=Brad |last=Joyal|work=Cape Cod Chronicle |date=July 20, 2022 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}} In 2023, his sophomore year, Riggio batted .333 with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs.
The New York Yankees selected Riggio in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yankees-draft-pick-roc-riggio-built-to-succeed-in-new-york|title=Fourth-round spark plug Riggio already has a NY swagger|website=MLB.com|first=Bryan|last=Hoch|date=July 11, 2023|accessdate=July 26, 2023}} He signed with the Yankees for a $693,000 signing bonus.{{Cite web|url=https://pistolsfiringblog.com/oklahoma-state-second-baseman-roc-riggio-signs-with-new-york-yankees/|title=Oklahoma State Second Baseman Roc Riggio Signs with New York Yankees|first=Marshall|last=Scott|date=July 24, 2023|accessdate=July 26, 2023}} After he signed, he played for the Tampa Tarpons of the Class A Florida State League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2023/08/yankees-prospect-roc-riggio-talks-wild-side-tense-contract-talks-hall-of-fame-aspirations-in-qa.html|title=Yankees prospect Roc Riggio talks wild side, tense contract talks, Hall of Fame aspirations in Q&A|first=Randy Miller | NJ Advance Media for|last=NJ.com|date=August 25, 2023|website=nj}} In 2024, the Yankees assigned him to the Hudson Valley Renegades of the Class A-Advanced South Atlantic League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/sports/2024/04/04/kyle-carr-roc-riggio-among-yankees-prospects-to-watch-as-renegades-open-season/73164006007/|title=Carr, Riggio among the heralded prospects as the Hudson Valley Renegades open season|website=Poughkeepsie Journal}}
Personal life
Riggio's father, Jayme, played college baseball at The Master's University. He built a batting cage at their home in Simi Valley, California, to train with Roc.{{cite web|url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/college/cowboys/2023/02/17/oklahoma-state-cowboys-roc-riggio-has-grown-up-since-playing-college-baseball-villain/69910772007/ |title=Oklahoma State's Roc Riggio grows up after playing a baseball villain |publisher=Oklahoman.com |date=February 17, 2023 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|brm=riggio000roc}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riggio, Roc}}
Category:People from Simi Valley, California
Category:Baseball players from Ventura County, California
Category:Baseball second basemen
Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball players
Category:Chatham Anglers players
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:Thousand Oaks High School alumni
Category:Florida Complex League Yankees players
Category:Tampa Tarpons players