Comeback Players to Watch This Spring

4.  Eddie Butler – Right-Handed Pitcher

Up until now, all the players profiled have been set back due to injury. Butler however is just a case of a touted prospect not meeting his high expectations. In 2015, Butler made the starting rotation after winning the job out of Spring Training but wouldn’t end his season in Denver as he was demoted to the minors. Butler posted a very uninspiring 5.90 ERA in 79.1 innings pitched at the big league level. Once considered a top pitching prospect in all of baseball, Butler badly needs to piece together a nice 2016 season, or critics will starting saying bust.

The great news is that Butler is yet another very young guy (he is only 24), so he still has time to right the ship, but if the baseball has taught us anything, it’s that patience is a short-lived luxury. Also, apparently Butler was still working on a few pitches during 2015, and baptism by fire is generally a very bad idea at Coors Field. Let’s hope that Butler can get his pitches down and is lights out this Spring. Because, if he isn’t, I don’t know when he might get back the big leagues. If the downward spiral continues, the Rockies might be forced to experiment and move him to the bull-pen for any real that he can stay put in Denver.