Colorado Rockies: Ranking the 40-Man Roster: 26-30

Number 30

Scott Oberg: Relief Pitcher Points: 175 Highest Rank: 27 Lowest Rank: 33

Scott Oberg is a 26-year old relief pitcher who has spent a good portion of time with the Rockies over the last two seasons. With 88 big league games under his belt, he is one of the most experienced players in this portion of the rankings. The reason for Oberg’s low rating is his inconsistency at the big league level.

Over the 84 innings he has pitched with Colorado, Oberg has a combined 5.12 ERA and a 6.83 K/9 rate. These numbers are a far cry from the ridiculous numbers he put up in AAA Albuquerque in 2015 and 2016. Before his big league debut in 2015, Oberg posted a 1.13 ERA with the Isotopes. After an underwhelming rookie season, he started the 2016 campaign in  AAA again, where he posted a 2.43 ERA over 30 innings.

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As for his potential impact with the Rockies in 2017, Oberg will have to prove he can be better than his previous two stints with the club. He still has another year of options, which could be beneficial to himself and the team, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Rockies are willing to deal with the inconsistencies he has struggled with through his first two seasons.

At only 26 years old, he can still develop in to a solid option in the middle of the Rockies bullpen, but the 2017 season could be very important in deciding how he fits in to the future plans of the club.

Number 29

Jordan Lyles: Relief Pitcher Points: 164 Highest Rank: 23 Lowest Rank: 32

The most experienced player in this portion of the ranking, is former starting pitcher turned long reliever, Jordan Lyles. With 144 games played and over 600 innings logged in the big leagues, Lyles seems like a seasoned veteran. However, he is still just 26 years old and has not fully settled in to any one role with the club.

Lyles joined the Rockies in 2014 as part of the trade that sent Dexter Fowler to the Astros. He showed promise early in his Rockies career by posting a respectable 4.33 ERA over 22 games, all of which he started. Lyles suffered freak injuries in back-to-back seasons, including a broken bone in his non-throwing hand in 2014, and a broken bone in his foot in 2015.

The injuries seemed to derail Lyles, and he has never shown the same control or promise as he did during his first year in Colorado. Poor depth and other injuries have forced the club to turn to him on different occasions, but his numbers are anything but encouraging heading in to 2017.

At best, 2017 could be the year Jordan Lyles identifies himself as the long relief option the Rockies have been needing. He could also provide added security to the rotation if unexpected injuries or struggles arise with the young pitchers.

However, there is a large possibility Lyles could be heading in to his final Spring Training with the Rockies. He is out of minor league options and would need to pass through waivers before accepting an assignment to the minors. If he does enough to impress the club right out of Spring Training, he could start the year in the majors, but he will have a short leash with such talent and depth knocking at the door.

Number 28

Jordan Patterson: OF/1B Points: 163 Highest Rank: 20 Lowest Rank: 32

Jordan Patterson enters the 2017 season in a tough spot. His ranking also reflects the different roles he could inherit. He could be relied upon heavily if *crosses fingers* things fall through with Ian Desmond at first base, or he could be used as an extra outfielder if the team trades one of their current outfielders. He could also be another victim of a crowded roster and spend a majority of the season with the Isotopes in AAA ball.

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Patterson is now four years removed from being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 Draft, and he has shown steady improvement in every step through the minor leagues. Last year, he got a brief glimpse of the big leagues as a September call-up. He carried a .444 avg over the 10 games, and showed a good bit of speed on the bases.

Patterson’s ticket to the big leagues will be his ability to play multiple positions and his sneaky power at the plate. He hit 14 bombs last year in the minors and 17 the year before. Good ol’ Coors Field could never hurt a young player when it comes to building confidence in the long ball, and Patterson has the opportunity to capitalize in the coming years.

2017 is a big year for Patterson, as he could step up as the temporary answer at first base if Desmond eventually moves to the outfield. At best, I see Patterson as an added bit of security and depth this season for the Rockies. He can grow as a player and work on his strengths with an added year of regular playing time and at-bats in AAA.

Number 27

Miguel Castro: Relief Pitcher Points: 156 Highest Rank: 22 Lowest Rank: 32

Miguel Castro faced some lofty expectations in his first year with the Rockies, but after being included in one of the biggest trades in franchise history, it was to be expected. Castro is a hard-throwing right-handed reliever with a fastball that can reach triple digits. He has only been used as a reliever in his young career, but there was some bit of expectation he would move to the rotation after developing a solid offspeed pitch.

At just 22 years old, Castro has plenty of time to develop in to the superstar the Rockies were expecting when they shipped out Troy Tulowitzki. He spent a good bit of time in the minors in 2015, where he worked an impressive 2.82 ERA over 27 games, including a 1.32 ERA with AAA Albuquerque. After breaking in to the majors again in 2016, he suffered an injury and was limited to just 19 games.

The 2017 bullpen for the Rockies will look very different from 2016, and Castro has the chance to prove himself again this spring. If he does not do enough to break camp with the Rockies, they could begin his transition to starter if they see fit. He could also work as the primary closer in AAA, which was a role he held for the Blue Jays before being traded.

Whether Miguel Castro becomes a rotational piece for the Rockies, or a solid late-inning flamethrower, his long term promise is greater than the impact he will make in 2017. It will be interesting to see how his ranking changes next season as well.

Number 26

Raimel Tapia: Outfielder Points: 151 Highest Rank: 17 Lowest Rank: 36

Finishing out this portion of the ranking is one of the most exciting Rockies prospects in recent memory. Raimel Tapia has a career .317 AVG in the minors, and excluding his first year in the minors, has hit over .300 every season since.  He won’t blow anyone away with overwhelming power, but he could literally blow someone away on the base paths.

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As far as power goes, Tapia’s best season came in 2015, where he hit 12 homers in Single-A Modesto. His best season in stolen bases came in 2014, as he stole 33 bases for the Asheville Tourists. The most unique part about Tapia is his batting stance and ever-changing approach at the plate. He has a different stance for almost every count at the plate, and seems to hit just as well from one as any other.

He is a speedy left-handed hitter who could very easily lead off for the team for years to come. However, like many others, he is limited in his ability to make an impact due to an overcrowded outfield. A position change is not likely for the 23-year-old, so he will have to prove his worth by excelling in every position in the outfield.

Tapia is best suited in center field due to his lighting fast speed, but the Rockies seem to be in no hurry to usher out Charlie Blackmon … and for good reason. Though Blackmon’s name has come up in many trade discussions over the years, the Rockies remain reluctant to shake up the current roster.

In 2017, Tapia would benefit most from another year of consistent playing time and daily at-bats. Though his ranking is very high this time around, it remains unlikely he will have an immediate impact this season. That is unless the Rockies fall short of expectations and move toward a youthful retooling.

Next: Check Out The Players Ranked 36-31