Colorado Rockies Top 20 PRE-SEASON Prospects in Review

by John Sickels on Sep 10, 2009 11:17 AM EDT

This list was originally published December 17, 2008. This is a review of the PRE-SEASON list for 2009, not a revision of that list. This is a REVIEW of the old list. I'm not doing new grades or lists until I start working on the 2010 book.

1) Dexter Fowler, OF, Grade A-: Hitting .270/.372/.421 for the Rockies with 26 steals in 35 attempts. He can and will improve from this.

2) Jhoulys Chacin, RHP, Grade B+: 3.21 ERA with 97/48 K/BB in 118 innings between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Colorado Springs. Has gotten hit around a bit due to control problems in the majors but that's not unexpected.

3) Christian Friedrich, LHP, Grade B: 2.35 ERA with 157/43 K/BB in 119 innings between Class A Asheville and Class A Modesto, 91 hits allowed. Looks really good to me.

4) Wilin Rosario, C, Grade B-: Hit .266/.297/.404 in 58 games for Modesto. Not very impressive, with weak strike zone judgment a big issue. We'll have to see if he can improve in the Arizona Fall League.

5) Connor Graham, RHP, Grade B-: 3.14 ERA with 87/41 K/BB in 80 innings for Modesto. Traded to Cleveland, 5.13 ERA with 34/20 K/BB in 33 innings for Double-A Akron. Good stuff, shaky command.

6) Michael McKenry, C, Grade C+: .278/.375/.450 for Tulsa. Possible breakthrough guy for 2010.

7) Eric Young Jr, 2B-OF, Grade C+: .299/.387/.430 with 58 steals in 72 attempts for Triple-A Colorado Springs. Loads of speed, will take a walk.

8) Aneury Rodriguez, RHP, Grade C+: Traded to Tampa Bay. 4.50 ERA with 111/59 K/BB in 142 innings for Double-A Montgomery, 122 hits. OK numbers.

9) Casey Weathers, RHP, Grade C+: Rehabbing from Tommy John.

10) Charlie Blackmon, OF, Grade C+: .308/.370/.435 for Modesto, 27 steals in 40 attempts. Good tools, still putting his skills together.

11) Darin Holcomb, 3B, Grade C+: .272/.346/.414 with 52 walks, 49 strikeouts in 464 at-bats for Tulsa. Love his approach, but tools and power are marginal.

12) Will Harris, RHP, Grade C+: Rehabbing.

13) Dan Mayora, 2B, Grade C: .288/.351/.389 with 19 steals in 27 attempts for Tulsa. Good athleticism, bat may not do well at higher levels.

14) Hector Gomez, SS, Grade C: .274/.311/.418 in 81 games for Modesto. Like Mayora, good tools but marginal skills.

15) Seth Smith, OF, Grade C: Hitting .298/.392/.516 for the Rockies. I wish he'd get more regular playing time.

16) Chris Nelson, SS, Grade C: Hit .280/.355/.477 in 29 games for Tulsa before going on DL May 23^rd.

17) Brandon Hynick, RHP, Grade C: 3.83 ERA with 92/48 K/BB in 155 innings for Colorado Springs, very strong for this environment. Just traded to White Sox.

18) Parker Frazier, RHP, Grade C: 4.48 ERA with 98/33 K/BB in 131 innings for Asheville, 158 hits. Throws strikes, projectable, but hittable at this stage.

19) Chaz Roe, RHP, Grade C: 3.13 ERA with 74/42 K/BB in 112 innings for Tulsa, 97 hits. Strikeout rate is lower than I'd like to see.

20) Delta Cleary, OF, Grade C: .257/.310/.377 with 31 steals in 42 attempts for Asheville. Raw and toolsy.

Fowler and Smith have provided a rookie boost to the major league outfield, while Chacin and Friedrich are a good one/two punch in upcoming pitching. After that things thin out fast, with several tools/projection players who haven't lived up to their potential yet. I like the talent mix in the 2009 draft and there is lots of room for players like Matzek and Brothers to rank in the next list.

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Comments

Seth Smith is awesome

.317/.402/.566 up to date

by LCT on Sep 10, 2009 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

TOTALLY AGREE

I hope they are able to trade Brad Hawpe in the off-season so that Smith can finally get some regular playing time. A .300+ average along with 25+ HR is achievable next season IMO.

http://deweymoney.blogspot.com/ Dewey's Picks for Sports Betting

by Dewey Finn on Sep 10, 2009 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Very strong performance

Either he or Hawpe will probably be traded this offseason, because right now the Rockies have four starter-quality OFs for only three positions. As a Rockies fan, I hope they’d trade Hawpe rather than Smith, since Hawpe is older and closer to his downslope.

by Tom (RFTN) on Sep 10, 2009 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions

And Smith is a whole heckuva lot cheaper too

"I got my pregnant wife (the Yankee fan) with me. Hoping my kid learns to kick her everytime the Mets score." -Schifftis-

by future on Sep 11, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Who is #1 now....

Chacin or Friedrich?

by soccerman0 on Sep 10, 2009 2:12 PM EDT reply actions

Gotta be Friedrich

He is a potential Ace IMO, Chacin is not.

http://deweymoney.blogspot.com/

Dewey's Picks for Sports Betting

by Dewey Finn on Sep 10, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I am a big Friedrich fan, was since he was drafted...

….but Chacin has ace potential as well, at least in my opinion. He’s younger than Friedrich and has similar stuff.

by soccerman0 on Sep 10, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions

If you're going just by potential

it’s Tyler Matzek, hands-down, despite the fact that he hasn’t pitched an inning of professional ball.

Of the two, I see Friedrich as more of a Jeff Francis type (good #2 or #3 man.) It’s hard to get a read on Chacin, because he doesn’t have the big strikeout numbers that you’d like from an ace.

by Tom (RFTN) on Sep 10, 2009 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Where would Esmil Rogers rank?

And what does the future hold for him?

Adoptive parent of Kyle Nicholson

by gore51 on Sep 10, 2009 3:21 PM EDT reply actions

by kosmo on Sep 11, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

So easy

CarGo makes everything look so easy and effortless on the baseball diamond. As his offensive approach has matured and he has gained confidence he has become really fun to watch play.

by MADness on Sep 12, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions