Colorado Rockies Top 20 Prospects in Review

by John Sickels on Aug 9, 2025 1:50 PM EDT Comment 13 comments

This list was originally posted January 14, 2008. THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST!!! THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE OLD LIST AND OLD GRADES!!!!!

1) Franklin Morales, LHP, Grade A-
    Mechanics and command fell apart this spring. 5.65 ERA with 65/61 K/BB in 86 innings in Triple-A after a disastrous April with the major league team. At this point I have no idea what to expect.
2) Casey Weathers, RHP, Grade B+
     3.15 ERA with 48/27 K/BB in 40 innings for Double-A Tulsa, with 30 hits allowed. Strong ground ball tendency with strikeouts. Needs sharper command.
3) Ian Stewart, 3B, Grade B
     .280/.372/.607 in Triple-A, .286/.381/.529 in the majors. Strikeout rate is high in the majors but it hasn't hurt him yet. Should have a long and successful career as long as that doesn't eat him up.
4) Hector Gomez, SS, Grade B
     Season ended after one game in April. Out with Tommy John.
5) Christopher Nelson, SS, Grade B
     .223/.301/.340 for Tulsa, lost time to injury as well. A lost season after a strong 2007.
6) Dexter Fowler, OF, Grade B-
     ,337/.430/.514 with 20 steals for Tulsa. Making huge progress this year, power developing to go with on-base skills and speed. Now a personal favorite of mine.
7) Greg Reynolds, RHP, Grade B-
     4.06 with 25/13 K/BB in 44 innings in Triple-A, 55 hits allowed. 6.71 with 18/24 K/BB in 11 major league starts, 58 innings. Overmatched in the majors, with very poor components. I think he was rushed.
8) Juan Morillo, RHP, Grade B-
     5.87 ERA with 48/41 K/BB in 46 innings, 41 hits allowed in Triple-A. Good stuff, poor command.
9) Brandon Hynick, RHP, Grade B-
     4.98 ERA with 73/24 K/BB in 145 innings for Tulsa, 164 hits and 27 homers allowed. Retains strong command but stuff looks short.
10) Seth Smith, OF, Grade B-
      .323/.426/.524 with 11 steals and 10 homers in Triple-A, .270/.333/.429 in 35 major league games. I think he's a very solid platoon player/fourth outfielder who could help a lot of teams.
11) Eric Young Jr, 2B, Grade B-
      .292/.403/.403 with 36 steals for Tulsa. Good plate discipline and on-base ability, very fast, needs to improve his stolen base success ratio but has made progress in most phases this year.
12) Dan Mayora, INF, Grade B-
      .290/.366/.415 for Class A Modesto. A decent but unspectacular season. Strikeout rate lower than last year.
13) Brian Rike, OF, Grade B-
      .247/.345/.399 with 15 homers, 12 steals for Class A Asheville. Strikeout rate is very high, 139 in 373 at-bats. Power/speed potential but batting average/OBP look problematic at higher levels.
14) Pedro Strop, RHP, Grade C+
      2.57 ERA in seven games for Tulsa, went on DL in April. Has a fractured elbow.
15) Chaz Roe, RHP, Grade C+
      4.64 ERA with 51/30 K/BB in 76 innings for Tulsa, 74 hits allowed, 12 homers. Unimpressive components. Has a good arm but needs more polish.
16) Joe Koshansky, 1B, Grade C+
       .283/.361/.573 with 131 strikeouts in 368 at-bats in Triple-A. K-rate way up this year. He's probably being too aggressive out of an attempt to hit for even MORE power and force his way to the majors.
17) Will Harris, RHP, Grade C+
       2.52 ERA with 64/16 K/BB in 54 innings for Modesto. Solid numbers, need to see what carries forward to Double-A next year.
18) Aneury Rodriguez, RHP, Grade C+
      3.76 ERA with 113/36 K/BB in 129 innings for Modesto, 126 hits. Not sure this is going to translate well into the Texas League. See the Brandon Hynick experience.
19) Connor Graham, RHP, Grade C+
      2.18 ERA with 110/67 K/BB in 124 innings for Class A Asheville, 82 hits allowed. K/BB is not great, but H/IP is excellent and he gets grounders. Needs better command.
20) Jhoulys Chacin, RHP, Grade C+
      Huge breakthrough season, 16-2, 1.88 with a 142/39 K/BB in 158 innings, 123 hits combined at both A-ball levels, also a 2.84 GO/AO. Moves from pre-season sleeper to one of the best pitching prospects in the game.

There are a few disappointments here, but the development of Chacin and Fowler into premium prospects are huge positives. I dunno what is going to happen with Morales, I have a bad vibe about that one.

0 recs | Comment 13 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Lots of ups and downs

I have to admit that I was a big Nelson, Morales, and Gomez fan heading into this season. It just goes to show you how much can happen in one year.

On the plus side, Chacin is skyrocketing up the charts and looks to be cementing himself as possibly the best young starter in the minors.

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Aug 10, 2025 11:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just have to comment.

Overall, Chacin is a very similar pitcher to Cahill, be it from the left side.

Yet, you say he may possibly be the best young starter in the minors, but you think Cahill is extremely overrated. Can you elaborate?

ProjectProspect.com - Sullivan10x@yahoo.com

by sully10x on Aug 10, 2025 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Same thing?

They have much different stuff in terms of velocity and even pitch selection.

Also, when Chacin moved up a level his peripherals (k’s/9 and bb’s/9) actually improved. Cahill’s peripherals decreased significantly. I do think Cahill is a very good pitcher, but those who were annointing him a top 15 prospect are starting to look very silly. Chacin’s stuff is just flat out better then Cahill’s although I do think Cahill will be ranked around the top 40-60 prospects.

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Aug 10, 2025 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You seem to be way off.

As BaseballAmerica, Rotowold, and ProjectProspect all have Cahill top 15.

Chacin moved from A to A+.
Cahill moved from A+ to AA.

And Cahill is younger. So there’s no way you can make the claim that Chacin’s made such leaps and bounds. And I love Chacin

As far as stuff goes, they have pretty similar stuff. Chacin may have a mph or 2 better on average than Cahill, but I don’t even know if that claim would be true. In Cahill’s team USA start against Canada his sinker hung around 90-93 and his fastball touched 96 and 97 on one occasion each.

If those that are anointing Cahill a top 15 prospect are looking silly now, than I guess that means that basically every major prospect website (BA, BP, PP, Rotoworld) are looking silly, while you are the only one that isn’t. Good for you.

ProjectProspect.com - Sullivan10x@yahoo.com

by sully10x on Aug 10, 2025 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why do you ask?

You ask my opinion and I give it to you and then you just sit and whine. I am not a Cahill fan so just deal with it. I have explained that his peripherals have DECREASED since his promotion. Why is it that Oakland A’s fans tend to overreact every time someone does not love one of their prospects?

Also, Rotoworld’s prospect list is an absolute JOKE and I don’t think you will find many people on this site who would argue with that. I haven’t read where BP stated that Cahill is a top 15 prospect and would love a link (BA link would also be appreciated). I am also intrigued whether these lists were composed prior to Cahill’s promotion.

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Aug 10, 2025 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Assumption number 1

I’m not an A’s fan.

The BA link is subscriber only: http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2008/266496.html

It gave a midseason top 25 where Cahill was ranked #13.

And as for his peripherals decreasing after his promotion, isn’t that the case with 90% of promotions? Not to mention, Cahill is the youngest pitcher in the league. And still has a 2.19 ERA. I don’t see how that could possibly cause his stock to drop, especially when his velocity is at it’s highest, he has a repertoire of 5 pitches including a developed slider, and scouts and analysts from every site are hailing him a future star.

I don’t think I’m whining, just pointing out a huge flaw in your logic.

ProjectProspect.com - Sullivan10x@yahoo.com

by sully10x on Aug 10, 2025 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BP link please

Can you provide the link or not?

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Aug 10, 2025 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They haven't had a recent rankings update, but

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7765

ProjectProspect.com - Sullivan10x@yahoo.com

by sully10x on Aug 10, 2025 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmm

No mention of top 15 list there. I might point out that Mr. Sickels also notes his drop in peripherals. I think Cahill is a very good prospect (hence the 40-60 ranking) but just not on Chacin’s upside level. I don’t know why you feel the need to convince everyone of Cahill’s greatness. I am sure he will be a good pitcher but I doubt he will be ranked a top 15 prospect in any of the two major publications at the end of the season. I will leave it at this and wish you well in your Cahill defense league.

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Aug 10, 2025 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs