Colorado Rockies: Handing out the rookie report cards

Tim Melville

Melville has been one of the more pleasant surprises of the Rockies disappointing 2019. This season has seen him transform from indy league afterthought to potential rotation piece in 2020.

Despite the fact that the Rockies are the well-traveled 29-year-old’s fourth big league team, he entered the year with only 14.1 innings under his belt and his rookie status well intact. Like Lambert, Melville was probably called up based more on need than the belief that he was ready – but that didn’t stop him from making an immediate impact on the team.

Melville’s first game in black and purple was a seven-inning, two-hit gem vs the D-backs that he followed up with five shutout innings against a potent Braves club. All told, the former Royals fourth-rounder has put together a competent 4.86 ERA and 1.44 WHIP, good for 0.8 WAR on the season.

Kyle Freeland, German Marquez and Jon Gray will be back from injury by the start of next year, leaving Melville to fight with Lambert, Antonio Senzatela, Chi Chi Gonzalez and Jeff Hoffman for one of the remaining rotation spots. His gutsy performance, though – along with improved usage of his potent slider – mean that Melville may actually have found a team that he can stick with long-term.

GRADE: B+