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Three names to watch for the Colorado Rockies bullpen of the future

By Logan Whaley

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 02: Manager Bud Black #10 of the Colorado Rockies calls for Carlos Estévez #54 from the bullpen to relieve Kyle Freeland #21 during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on April 02, 2019 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 02: Manager Bud Black #10 of the Colorado Rockies calls for Carlos Estévez #54 from the bullpen to relieve Kyle Freeland #21 during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on April 02, 2019 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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Colorado Rockies hat and glove
DENVER – APRIL 06: Close-up of the baseball cap, sunglasses and glove of Matt Holliday #5 of the Colorado Rockies on the steps of the Rockies dugout during the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on April 6, 2008 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

Moises Ceja, Lancaster JetHawks

As a late-round selection in the MLB Amateur player draft, Moises Ceja set out with a chip on his shoulder, ready to prove to the Rockies why he was a great selection. So far, he has done more than enough to bring faith to that selection.

Ceja is only 23 years old and is currently in the midst of his third season in professional baseball. Having spent four successful seasons at UCLA, Colorado selected Ceja in the 32nd round of the 2017 June Amateur Draft. Since then, Ceja has pitched very well.

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Beginning his professional career at Low-A Boise, Ceja finished with a 3.26 ERA over 30.1 innings, recording an impressive 29% strikeout rate while walking a mere 5.7% of batters faced. Last season, Ceja spent time between Grand Junction and Asheville, compiling an outstanding 2.96 ERA in 30 games, spanning 48.2 innings.

If that was not good enough for both Colorado and Ceja himself, he has followed that performance up with one this year that will turn heads. Now at Class-A Advanced Lancaster, Ceja has improved immensely. In the 15 games in which he has seen action, Ceja is 3-0 as a reliever with a 2.92 ERA, and a 3.23 FIP. The strikeout rate is up to 25.5%, and Ceja has somehow magically managed to pull off only a 2.9% walk rate.

Of his past six appearances for the JetHawks, five of them are scoreless, including back-to-back scoreless two-inning appearances with seven strikeouts and zero walks. The control is there and is also much improved. If Ceja can continue to climb the ranks, we could be looking at Colorado’s next closer by 2022.

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