Colorado Rockies Rundown: Minors, Prospects, End Of Year

Mar 6, 2015; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; General view of the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Oakland Athletics in the fourth inning during a spring training baseball game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Rockies’ prospects keep playing this fall

(via MLB.com)

Brendan Rodgers and Mike Nikorak will be playing in the Rockies’ instructional league over the next couple weeks. Here’s what that means:

"The team isn’t concerned about any of those numbers, said Rockies senior director of player development Zach Wilson. The Rockies aren’t trying to incorporate any major changes with Rodgers or Nikorak during their instructional league camp, which opened in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Wednesday and will last for three weeks. “The stats don’t matter at that level,” Wilson said. “What matters is the process and how they go about the process. Early on, that’s all we’re trying to do with the young kids, help them to become more comfortable and learn how to prepare. Naturally, the players think about results, but results are the last thing on our mind.”"

[ Related: Colorado Rockies’ trade values as the offseason approaches ]

Instructional league is even more informal than Arizona Fall League, or rookie ball — the stats matter even less at this level than they possibly could anywhere else, I suppose besides a back field Extended Spring Training game in, like, May.

Either way, Nikorak and Rodgers each have lots of work to do having been drafted out of high school, so this is another few weeks where the Rockies can help them develop into professional athletes, up from teenagers getting paid big-time bonus money to play a game.

Next: Any hope for Eddie Butler?