Here’s Who The Colorado Rockies Are Sending To The Arizona Fall League

Tom Murphy

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Acquired: Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 3rd round of the 2012 amateur draft from the University at Buffalo.

2015 team: Tom Murphy split 2015 between AA New Britain and AAA Albuquerque.

2015 stats: In New Britain, the catcher was .249/.320/.468 in 294 plate appearances with 13 home runs and 17 doubles. After his promotion to Albuquerque a little more than a month ago, Murphy slashed .273/.304/.582 with seven more homers and nine more doubles in just 115 plate appearances.

Additionally, for his career behind the plate, he’s thrown out 27% of would-be base stealers while posting a .983 fielding percentage and just 41 passed balls in nearly 2,000 innings of work as a catcher in the minor leagues.

Notes: Murphy is supposed to be the Colorado Rockies’ catcher of the future, and likely the man the Rox will go to after next season when Nick Hundley‘s contract expires. If things go right, expect Murphy to spend at least part of 2016 up in Denver as Hundley’s back-up, while being groomed for an every day role in 2017.

The New York state product has power (53 career home runs in less than 300 minor league games) while also playing good defense behind the plate, so it seems he might become a more-improved version of what the Rockies were hoping to get from Wilin Rosario.

One thing to note: Murphy has never played in more than 100 games in a year over the four years he’s been in the Colorado Rockies’ system. It will be interesting to see how his body holds up in an extended fall league, and then next year, should he split time between Albuquerque and Denver.

Next: Matt Carasiti

Matt Carasiti

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Acquired: Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 6th round of the 2012 amateur draft from St. John’s University.

2015 team: Matt Carasiti spent 2015 at Class A-Advanced Modesto.

2015 stats: In 48 games thus far in Modesto, Carasiti has finished 41 and earned 21 saves, striking out 55 hitters in 55.2 innings. He’s taken seven losses, and has a 1.33 WHIP as Modesto’s closer, but that is in the offensively-skewed California League, and in his 55.2 innings this year, Carasiti has only allowed three home runs.

Notes: The St. John’s University product is an example of organizational relief depth — or, rather, he will be in another couple years when he’s hopefully big league ready.

The Colorado Rockies have several closers they are going to look at closely coming through the minor leagues (including one on the very next slide), but that doesn’t mean Carasiti couldn’t soon do what Scott Oberg is attempting to do with the big league club: earn his way towards the back end of a bullpen by showing power pitches.

After all, if there’s one thing the Colorado Rockies can absolutely never get enough of, it’s quality bullpen depth.

Next: Carlos Estevez

Carlos Estevez

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Acquired: Signed by the Colorado Rockies as a free agent from the Dominican Republic, 2011.

2015 team: Estevez split time between the Class-A Advanced Modesto Nuts and the AA New Britain Rock Cats in 2015.

2015 stats: Estevez was dominant in Modesto; 5-0 with 5 saves and a 1.37 ERA in 14 games (10 games finished). Add to that a 0.864 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 19.2 innings, and he more than earned the call to New Britain.

In New Britain, though, Estevez got out of the gate very slowly. Although he found his way near the end of the year, he still finished with gaudy numbers in relief there: a 1.353 WHIP and 5.03 ERA in 34 innings. However, he did strike out 39 and save 12 ball games at the AA level, so he’s got some power reliever chops to him even in a down period.

Notes: Depending on how he does in the AFL this October, expect him to start the year in 2016 back in New Britain, though another good month or two would certainly propel him to Albuquerque.

From there, depending on the Colorado Rockies’ bullpen options at the time, well, your guess is as good as mine. But, it’s likely we won’t see Estevez in the big leagues in 2016.

Next: Sam Moll

Sam Moll

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Acquired: Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 3rd round of the 2013 amateur draft out of the University of Memphis.

2015 team: The left-handed pitcher split 2015 between the Class-A Advanced Modesto Nuts, and the AA New Britain Rock Cats, just as his teammate Carlos Estevez.

2015 stats: Moll was good in Modesto, and he’s been ever better once he got to New Britain.

The lefty a 0.969 WHIP and 3.35 ERA in Modesto, with 57 strikeouts against just 12 walks and 40 hits in 53.2 innings. Then, in New Britain, he’s logged a 0.805 WHIP and 1.32 ERA in his first 12 games in AA, proving himself to be difficult to square up, having allowed just seven hits in 13.2 innings.

Notes: As tough as it’s been for batters to square up Moll and hit the ball all year, he likely profiles as a decent left-handed relief option that the Colorado Rockies could see in Denver early in 2017. At 5’10”, 185 lbs., he’s not the ideal size for a late-inning power reliever, but there’s a lot he can do as a situational lefty for the Rockies should they choose to use him like that in the bullpen.

Next: Jordan Patterson

Jordan Patterson

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Acquired: Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 4th round of the 2013 amateur draft out of the University of South Alabama.

2015 team: Patterson split 2015 between Class A-Advanced Modesto and AA New Britain.

2015 stats: In 77 games in Modesto, Patterson slashed .304/.378/.568 with 26 doubles, 12 triples and 10 home runs in 339 plate appearances. He did well in New Britain, too, slashing .290/.346/.521 in 185 plate appearances with 18 doubles and seven more home runs.

If there’s a knock on him so far here, it’s that of many minor leaguers: he strikes out quite a bit (125 in 524 plate appearances this year), and doesn’t walk very much (just 29 walks in 121 games). As he sees more and better pitching, though, the Colorado Rockies have to believe he’ll develop simply as he gets more professional at-bats under his belt.

Notes: Patterson is something of a utility option, with the ability to play the outfield as well as first base. The Colorado Rockies already have several guys like that — Ben Paulsen, Kyle Parker, and Matt McBride — and even though Patterson likely won’t be in the big leagues in 2016, it’s interesting to see them stockpiling similar talents.

Next: The open slots

The two open slots

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The Colorado Rockies still have two open slots for their Fall League roster, and will likely use them on an outfielder and a pitcher. More below on the pitcher — who is as good as anyone’s guess — but for the outfielder, the likely choice would be David Dahl, the Rockies’ 2013 top draft pick and currently an outfielder in AA with New Britain.

Dahl missed time this year when he had to have his spleen removed after a collision on the field while trying to catch a fly ball. So it’s likely that since he missed about two months’ worth of at-bats, he’s probably due to make up some of that playing time in the AFL.

He’s also not far from Denver; the Colorado Rockies could count on seeing him in the big leagues as soon as the end of 2016, though (barring a huge setback or injury) he’ll surely be in Denver by 2017. So, the AFL would make sense for him right now.

Next: Who'd we miss?

Who’d we miss?

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So who’d we miss? (Also, what about that extra spot the Colorado Rockies are still holding for a pitcher?). Well, there is this guy:

Harrison Musgrave has had a monster year split between Modesto and New Britain, although I’m actually doubtful he’d be in the AFL this October, only because he’s thrown so many innings already this season, already nearing 150 total between the two farm clubs.

Other pitchers — Shane Carle, Ryan Carpenter, and Matt Flemer — all had nice seasons in New Britain as starters this year and could certainly fit the bill if the Colorado Rockies believe they’re good enough for the level. Austin House — who recorded 20 saves in New Britain — and lefty Tyler Ybarra are two relievers the Rockies ought to consider for the slot, as well.

I think the slot will end up going to Antonio Senzatela, though. The starter had a great year in Modesto, going 9-8 with a 2.42 ERA and is younger than Musgrave while throwing about as many innings, so the Colorado Rockies might want to see how his age holds up against a big jump in levels this fall.

Either way, we’ll find out soon enough. Who would you pick?

UPDATE, September 4, 5:11pm MT: The Colorado Rockies have announced they will send Kyle Freeland to the Arizona Fall League:

Freeland missed a good deal of time earlier this season with an injury, so it makes sense that the Rockies would like to make up some innings with him this fall.

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