Colorado Rockies: Top Prospect Jeff Hoffman to Make Debut vs. Cubs

The Colorado Rockies needed a pitcher to pitch in tomorrow night’s game versus the Chicago Cubs with starter Tyler Chatwood placed on the 15-day disabled list with a mid-back strain. The Rockies have decided to call up their top pitching prospect Jeff Hoffman to fill the role.

Though the Colorado Rockies have yet to officially announce the move, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reported earlier that a major league source confirmed that Hoffman (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) will make his major league debut tomorrow night:

"The Rockies have not officially announced Hoffman’s promotion and a corresponding roster move also has not yet been announced. Hoffman is not on the 40-man roster so the Rockies would need to either designate a player for assignment or move an injured player to the 60-day disabled list. Either first baseman Mark Reynolds or shortstop Trevor Story are candidates for the 60-day DL."

Hoffman was the top prospect acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in last year’s trade deadline of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

Hoffman has steadily risen through the Rockies farm system beginning at Class-A and moving up to Triple-A in 2016. Hoffman has had an up-and-down year with the Isotopes, going 6-9 with a 4.02 ERA in 22 games, with 44 walks, 124 strikeouts and a 1.36 WHIP.

Hoffman has pitched well in his last two starts. On August 7 versus Las Vegas, he pitched four innings with three hits, zero earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts. He was even better against Colorado Springs on August 14, going five innings, with one hit, zero earned runs, one walk and nine strikeouts.

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Hoffman will become the seventh Rockies player to make his major league debut in 2016, joining shortstop Trevor Story, catcher Tony Wolters, outfielder David Dahl, and pitchers Carlos Estevez, Matt Carasiti and Tyler Anderson.

This is a good move by the Rockies to give Hoffman a taste of the majors without placing undue stress on him or his development.

As Saunders further notes, the Rockies are likely to place an innings limit on him, like they did last season with Jon Gray.

Good luck to Jeff Hoffman tomorrow night.

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All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MiLB.com unless otherwise indicated.