Pitching prospect is back on track
Ryan Rolison carries pressure of Rockies’ No. 1 draft pick in 2018
Ryan Rolison started spring training in 2020 on the fast track to the major leagues, but the COVID-19 pandemic kept him from pitching an inning that counted all season.
His goal was to get what he could out of a lost year. By all indications, he is right back on track.
“It was a challenging year, for sure,” said Rolison, who debuted in Double-A on Tuesday night with five dominant innings for the Hartford Yard Goats in a 6-3 victory at Richmond. “When spring training got shut down, I went home, I was able to keep my arm going a little bit until we had spring training 2.0 [in July]. I really went in there with a plan to work with the coordinators, to be around some of the big league faces, ask them as many questions as I could. I took a big step last year in mydevelopment to be the pitcher I want to be.
“It was a step in the right direction for me last year, regardless of the circumstances we had.”
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In two seasons at Ole Miss, Rolison, a 23-year-old lefthander from Jackson, Tennessee, had a 3.45 ERA against the rugged competition of the SEC, striking out 184 in 159 innings with 69 walks. The Colorado Rockies took him in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft, No. 22 overall.
Rolison dominated his first two minor league assignments with a 1.86 ERA at Grand Junction and an 0.61 ERA at Asheville. Rolison made the California League’s All-Star Gamedespite a 4.70 ERA at Lancaster in 2019. He was ticketed for Hartford in 2020.
“What impresses me is just his poise out there,” Yard Goats manager Chris Denorfia said. “He knows what he’s doing, especially for how young he is. He’s very developed for what, honestly, is a very tough job.”
The 6-foot-2, 213 pounder, whose curve ball is his signature pitch, is often seen with a smile on his face. He gave the Colorado Rockies organization every reason to beam after his opening night assignment on Tuesday. He allowed three hits, walked none and struck out seven in his five innings against the Flying Squirrels, a San Francisco Giants affiliate. He’d be lined up to pitch against Richmond again on Sunday unless Denorfia decides to save him for the Yard Goats’ home opener at Dunkin’ Donuts Park next Tuesday. If he goes Sunday, Rolison could make his Hartford debut on May 14 or 15 against the Portland Sea Dogs.
“They’re going to see a guy who likes to have fun on the mound,” Rolison said. “I’ve got a fastball, curve ball, changeup. There will be a lot of emphasis developing my changeup right now. So you’re going to see a lot of changeups mixed in there to try to get that third pitch, make it a really good pitch for me. ... I’m going to go out there and take the ball and compete my tail off and try to get as deep into games as I can.”
Developing that third pitch with coach Frank Gonzales figures to be a key in expediting Rolison’s route to the major leagues. It will be worth watching as he works in the six-game series plotted for Double A-Northeast. He’ll be seeing the same hitters a lot.
“You’ll have to be able to make adjustment from your first start and show them something different second time out,” Rolison said.
Speculation has been that if Rolison does well with the Yard Goats, he could move to Triple-A by midseason and debut in Colorado in September.
His first start likely generated a buzz in Denver around the rebuilding Rockies. Rolison is used to that. As first-round pick, he has grown accustomed to his every start being analyzed.
“I think it comes with being first-round pick,” Rolison said. “You’ve got all this pressure. If you have a bad game, everybody thinks you’re a bust or whatever. It’s easy to listen to the noise. After years of having this kind of pressure, I’m able to put it to the side. I fall back on my routine and my work ethic in between starts and getting ready for the next one, really keeping myself busy in between starts and making sure my body is ready to go, and my mental health is ready for the next start.”
If his arrival in Hartford was delayed a year, it doesn’t look like difficult detour. Rolison will be facing hitters whoare more selective, but he has the look of a lefty in command, who knows where he is going.
“He doesn’t ride the roller coaster,” Denorfia said. “He’s very even-keeled, which is so important in a game so filled with emotions and success and failures, and he’s very focused. Those are all great qualities that can make for a great major league player that can last for a long time.”