‘We’re going to be an elite team’
Rockies prospects see hope after trade deadline
HARTFORD >> From across the country, the top positional players in the Yard Goats’ clubhouse got the message the Rockies’ front office sent at the trade deadline.
After flipping five veterans for seven pitching prospects, Colorado sees a window on the horizon to become competitive again — especially with a wealth of positional talent.
“It shows that the front office believes in what they have right now on the position side, and I think that if we keep expanding pitching, we’re going to be an elite team in a couple years,” explained outfielder Jordan Beck, Colorado’s No. 4 prospect who’s mashed 23 homers this year. “I’m just glad, and excited, (that movement) is happening.”
Colorado’s recent misses on the mound at the top of the draft — see: Mike Nikorak, Robert Tyler, Riley Pint and the yet-to-debut Ryan Rolison — plus a rash of injuries to its top-ranked starters in the system suddenly had the club facing a dearth of pitching. Right-handers Gabriel Hughes, Jackson Cox and Jordy Vargas, three of Colorado’s top starting prospects, all underwent Tommy John surgery last week.
Hence GM Bill Schmidt’s focus ahead of the deadline, and in the draft, where Colorado spent the majority of its capital on college arms.
“It’s an exciting time for a lot of these young prospects and draft picks to be in the Rockies organization, because with how things stand (in the majors), there’s going to be so many good opportunities for them to advance and hopefully get a taste of the big leagues (in the near future),” Hartford manager Chris Denorfia said.
With that tangible plan in place, does that mean the Rockies are closer to finding an identity in the majors? To getting out of the cellar of the National League West? Or — as Beck dares suggest, and top catching prospect Drew Romo echoes — could Colorado soon become a club that can again compete for its first divisional title, as the Rockies did in 2018?
“I completely think so,” Beck asserted. “My goal coming into pro ball is not to lose, I’ll tell you that. I’ve always expected to win, and I think there’s a lot of likeminded prospects (around the organization) right now.
“That’s huge for this… and building the culture that’s right to win, that’s a large piece of it, too, and the trades are showing the front office is serious about that culture, too, and about adding the pieces we need to win.”
Much of Colorado’s projected
lineup for two seasons from now is either currently locked up long-term (Ryan Mcmahon and Kris Bryant), just reached the majors (Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle, Michael Toglia and Elehuris Montero) or is tracking to be there “closer than you might think,” Denorfia said.
Now it’s time to solve the pitching problem.
In deals that sent away veterans C.J. Cron, Randal Grichuk, Mike Moustakas, Brad Hand, Pierce Johnson and cash, the Rockies got back four starting pitching prospects and three bullpen prospects.
While left-landed reliever Justin Bruihl (acquired from the Dodgers) is with Triple-a Albuquerque, and right-hander Jake Madden and left-hander Mason Albright (starters acquired for Cron/grichuk) were assigned to Low-a Fresno, four of the organization’s new farm arms are right-handers now pitching in Hartford.
Victor Vodnik, formerly the Braves’ No. 10 overall prospect, profiles as a back-end bullpen arm. He can gas his fastball up to 101 mph, and pairs that with a plus-changeup. The Yard Goats also feature reliever Alec Barger (acquired for Hand) plus starters Connnor Van Scoyoc (acquired for Moustakas) and Tanner Gordon (part of the Vodkin deal for Johnson).
“We all know with playing at Coors Field, we need the arms to match the bats, so loading up on pitchers is important,” Romo said. “I can tell you right now, these guys are going to help us in a few years.”
Vodnik has a 2.76 ERA in 33 games this year, while Barger has similarly impressive numbers (3.29 ERA in 30 games). Both are high-strikeout pitchers: Vodnik with a career 11.08 strikeouts/nine innings, and the fastball/ slider-heavy Barger at 11.46.
“I’m excited that I’m a part of the plan as one of the arms they’ve brought in,” Barger said. “I’m going to keep the same thing I’ve been doing for the Braves, and hopefully I’m along for the ride when they’re moving guys up in the future.”
The new pieces to the Hartford rotation rely on command to get outs. Van Scoyoc has more of a traditional makeup for a pitcher at Coors Field, with a low90s sinker/cutter combo that induces a lot of ground balls. Van Scoyoc’s fourpitch mix also features a slurve and changeup, while Gordon has a low90s fastball plus a slider and changeup.
Both starters understand the runway they’ve been given in an organization that no doubt wants to see their newly acquired arms get to Lodo at a brisk pace, to match the window presented by the emerging positional depth.
“I like the sound of it, of me (as a future projected starter at Coors),” Van Scoyoc said. “Obviously it feels good to be wanted. Being traded for a big-leaguer straight up, that’s a huge boost in the confidence. I do love that part of it because I’ve been pulling my shoulders back, I’ve been standing a little taller.
“I’m ready for this chance, and I think all these new pitchers are. We understand what the club is asking of us.”