One well-traveled pitcher believes his stock will only rise upon his return to the Mets organization.
Right-hander Robert Stock, who signed a minor league pact this week that included an invitation to spring training, is back with the Mets, nearly five years after he last suited up for the team.
Stock, 36, has an inflated 4.90 ERA through 57 career games – numbers that have kept him bouncing around the baseball world since he was first drafted as a catcher in 2009.
Since turning pro, Stock has been a part of eight different MLB organizations, as well as playing in Korea, Mexico and two independent leagues.
“I’m 36 years old and have had extremely limited MLB success,” Stock said in an X thread. “And yet MLB teams continue to give me opportunities. Why? Because I’m constantly finding new ways to improve.”
After six seasons in the minors, Stock had a solid MLB debut in 2018, posting a 2.50 ERA in 32 games with the Padres. He failed to replicate that success in subsequent seasons with the Red Sox and Cubs.
Stock’s wife, Sara, even joked during the 2020 campaign that she would consider filing for divorce “if he continues to walk first batter.”
The Mets picked him up in 2021, and after a solid first outing at Citi Field, Stock suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in his next outing.
Despite being designated for assignments, injuries and independent competitions six times, Stock never considered stopping his pursuit of MLB success.
“Especially because what else is better than playing baseball?” Stock told KSDK in 2019. “I played baseball independently for a year, and that’s about as low as you can get, but it was one of the best times I’ve had playing baseball. There was no question of quitting.”
He didn’t return to the Majors until last season — a brief stint that yielded two rough outings with the Red Sox and a 10.13 ERA — but Stock insists 2025 was a step forward.
“Latest trick for 2026 – the knuckle curve,” Stock continued, breaking down a new feat and refining it to strong results. “In 2025, I devoted a year to throwing weapons and was very successful at that [right-handed hitters]and terribly against it [left-handed hitters].”
Stock included video from the field last season with Boston’s Triple-A team and from his recent run with Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican winter league.
It’s still a work in progress, but Stock says early results are encouraging.
“But on my very last outing, I threw a knuckle curve for the first time,” Stock said. “It immediately became my best pitch. Since then I have thrown the pitch exactly nine times. The result is 6 Ks, 1 checkswing groundout and 2 balls.”
“More importantly, it is a much more platoon-neutral field that has the potential to solve my problems against LHH.”
Stock’s velocity remains solid — his fastball reached 90 mph last year, according to Baseball Savant — but his control (5.3 BB/9) and inability to limit hits (13.9 H/9) have hampered him in the majors.
However, recent Mets history offers a blueprint. The club has turned journeymen into valuable bullpen arms, including Reed Garrett and Brooks Raley – and Stock believes he can follow that path.
“MLB teams agree, and I get to continue my journey to becoming an established, established MLB pitcher,” Stock said.
“So stay tuned to see how it works in 2026, and join me in hoping this is the year I can put the pieces together and help the Mets get deep into the playoffs! Let’s go Mets!”
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