The Colorado Rockies are the epitome of average this season because they’re trying out a lot of young players. These five prospects could help them turn a corner.
The Colorado Rockies have dealt with some serious roster turnover this season. They lost D.J. Lemathieu, Adam Ottavino and Gerardo Parra through free agency. Then, they lost Carlos Gonzalez, but what was once a superstar is now basically a Minor Leaguer so it’s not much of a loss. Because of the turnover this team dealt with, a lot of their best prospects are already on the team.
Top prospect Brendan Rodgers was called up just a few weeks ago. Garrett Hampson is also up, and he’s the fourth-rated prospect in their system. Three of their key players, Ryan McMahon, Raimel Tapia and Carlos Estevez are all on the team since the start of the season.
The Rockies are literally average right now. They’ve won as many games as they’ve lost. Most of the problems have to do with pitching. They have an over-five ERA as a team. Despite the rough start, they are only two games out of the final Wild Card spot in the National League. Of course, it’s way too early to start scoreboard watching, but to know that they aren’t close to out of this race means that making the right prospect decisions are even more crucial.
The biggest problem with the Rockies prospects right now is that their pitchers, who they sorely need, are doing terribly. Especially the ones who are pitching for AAA Albuquerque, who should be the closest to playing in the big leagues. Yes, there are issues for pitchers playing in the PCL, and in a place like New Mexico with thin air, but it’s only going to get worse in Colorado.
While the Rockies need pitching, the best prospects still need time. So we had to work around that fact to find players who could make an impact for the Rockies this season. These five could help the Rockies make another playoff run, like their surprise run last season.