Colorado Rockies: MLB.com’s prospect rankings show a huge shakeup in the farm system

MLB.com released their new prospect list with the 2021 draft picks and prospect acquisitions at the trade deadline and the Colorado Rockies had a huge shakeup in their farm system.

The Rockies are still not well ranked amongst other MLB teams, as they did not add any top 100 prospects in the 2021 Draft or their single trade at the trade deadline when they traded Mychal Givens to the Cincinnati Reds. This is not surprising, as Baseball America updated the Rockies farm system rankings and they still do not view them favorably.

But the Colorado Rockies did do a lot to add to their farm system in the 2021 Draft

The Colorado Rockies first-round pick, outfielder Zac Veen, tops the Rockies prospect list as he is the Rockies only prospect in the top 100, per MLB.com. The Rockies 2021 first-round pick, outfielder Benny Montgomery, is now the Rockies #2 overall prospect.

Left-handed pitcher Ryan Rolison, third baseman Elehuris Montero (who was acquired in the Nolan Arenado trade), outfielder Ryan Vilade, first baseman Michael Toglia, outfielder Brenton Doyle, catcher Drew Romo (the Rockies second first-round pick in 2020), infielder Aaron Schunk, and right-handed pitcher Chris McMahon (the Rockies second-round draft pick in 2020) round out the Rockies top ten prospects.

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2021 second-round draft picks, right-handed pitcher Jaden Hill and left-handed pitcher Joe Rock, debut at #12 and #13 in the Rockies farm system. Fourth-round draft pick, catcher Hunter Goodman, debuts at #15. 2020 3rd round draft pick, left-handed pitcher Sam Weatherly, is #16 and right-handed pitcher Noah Davis, who was acquired in the Mychal Givens trade, appears at #18.

2021 third-round pick, right-handed pitcher McCade Brown appears at #26 on the list.

Other than the 2020 and 2021 draft picks, there are some other things to note as well.

Third baseman/first baseman Colton Welker had the biggest drop in the rankings, partially due to his 80-game suspension for PEDs. In 2019, Welker was the Rockies #3 prospect (and MLB.com’s #95 prospect) and he dropped down to the Rockies #8 prospect in 2020. Now, MLB.com ranks him as the Rockies #20 prospect.

Additionally, catcher Willie MacIver is now at #25 when, at least to start the season, he was unranked. Right-handed pitcher Case Williams, who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2020 draft by the Rockies, was ranked #21 prior to being traded to the Cincinnati Reds in the Jeff Hoffman-Robert Stephenson trade but now that the Rockies reacquired him in the Givens trade, he is no longer ranked.

Also, MLB.com updated the MLB ready dates on some players too. Now, they believe that the aforementioned Rolison, Montero, and Vilade will be ready this season but Rockies #21 prospect, outfielder Jameson Hannah, who turned some heads in spring training after he was acquired in the aforementioned Hoffman-Stephenson trade, joins the trio in having an MLB projection date of this year.