Colorado Rockies: Catching up on Wilin Rosario and Matt Carasiti

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Wilin Rosario #20 of the Colorado Rockies reacts to a strike during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 14, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers won 4-1.(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Wilin Rosario #20 of the Colorado Rockies reacts to a strike during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 14, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers won 4-1.(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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After Eric Thames made the successful transition from the Korean Baseball Organization to Major League Baseball last offseason, could former Colorado Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario follow suit for the 2018 season?

Rumors indicate that Major League teams are interested in Rosario’s services this upcoming season. It would be the first MLB action for Rosario since he appeared for Colorado against the San Francisco Giants on October 4, 2015. After two seasons in Korea where he smacked a total of 70 home runs, his return to playing in the States could happen soon.

A recent Yahoo Sports article ranked Rosario fourth among free agent catchers this offseason with Jonathan Lucroy, picked up by Colorado in a trade deadline deal from the Texas Rangers last season, rated as the top overall catcher available.

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There could well be interest from teams in Rosario, who are looking more at the stats he put up in Korea than his last two seasons with the Rockies where he recorded just 19 home runs in 652 plate appearances and struck out 126 times while drawing 31 walks. After a career-high .530 slugging percentage in 2012, Rosario slipped every year in a Rockies uniform after that, down to a career-low .416 in 2015.

However, Korea worked well for Thames and his return to MLB last season with the Milwaukee Brewers where he pounded 31 homers. Could the blueprint work for Rosario? It is something to watch as the Winter Meetings kick off next week in Orlando.

Speaking of overseas baseball, former Rockies reliever Matt Carasiti announced on Instagram earlier today that he would be joining the Tokyo Yakult Swallows next season.

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The 26-year-old right-hander saw action in 19 games for the Rockies in 2016, posting a 9.19 ERA. He allowed 25 hits in just 15.2 innings of work, spiking his WHIP to 2.298 for his short time on the mound in Colorado. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs for southpaw reliever Zac Rosscup last June.