Zobac came into the 2025 minor league season with plenty of hype.

The former Cal product pitched in Spring Training with the Big League club, and he was coming off a solid 2024 campaign in which he logged 126 innings across High-A and Double-A. In that sample, he posted a 3.64 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.03 FIP, and 23.8% K rate. As a result, he was seen as one of the organization's best pitching prospects going into 2025.

Unfortunately, things didn't go quite to plan for Zobac in 2025.

He got off to a rough start with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, landing on the IL on April 16th with right knee patellar tendonitis. He eventually returned to the mound with the Naturals, but he wasn't the same. In 11 starts and 36.1 IP, he posted a 7.68 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, and 5.68 FIP.

On a positive note, he still posted a decent strikeout rate (21.1%) and K-BB% (13.1%).  When he was locked in, the 2022 fourth-round pick showed why he was seen as a dark-horse pitching prospect in the Royals system at the conclusion of the 2024 season. 

Conversely, Zobac struggled with the long ball. He gave up a HR/9 of 1.98 and a HR/FB rate of 16% with the Naurals last season. For context, in 55.1 innings in Double-A in 2024, his HR/9 was 0.65 and his HR/FB rate was 6.8%. 

The mechanics and control are there for Zobac to be an end-of-the-rotation type at the Major League level. While he doesn't have an elite offering, his three-pitch mix (fastball, slider, changeup) is solid, sporting decent shape and upside.  The main issue is command, which regressed heavily in 2025. 

Perhaps Zobac can put his injury issues behind him, recapture that command, and be the pitching prospect he was back in 2024.