Down on the farm: Colorado Rockies prospect recap at August’s end

As we all know, the Colorado Rockies’ MLB roster doesn’t inspire a whole lot of confidence at the moment and the future deserves some attention. With that being said, we’ll be starting a bi-weekly farm update here at Rox Pile.

Each recap will feature some notable performances on both sides of the ball from every level starting with AAA, all the way down to the Dominican Summer League. Significant prospects at each level will be highlighted in every recap and a few less-heralded names will be included based on performance.

Considering the structure of the Rockies system, the upper levels of the minors (AAA & AA) won’t receive quite as much attention given their lower quantity of noteworthy prospects. Conversely, the lower levels are ripe with talent that the Rockies fanbase needs to stay updated on.

Note: All stats are from August 16-29.

Starting in Albuquerque, it’s a two-sided coin with the Colorado Rockies prospects bats on fire and the arms on ice.

AAA

Hitters:

Colton Welker: 46 PAs, .300/.370/.425, 98 wRC+, 3 2B, 1 3B, 5 BB, 10 K
Ryan Vilade: 52 PAs, .354/.365/.542, 112 wRC+, 6 2B, 1 HR, 2 BB, 10 K
Brian Serven: 31 PAs, .357/.419/.643, 158 wRC+, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 4 K 🔥
Taylor Snyder: 46 PAs, .182/.217/.386, 36 wRC+, 3 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 13 K ❄️

Of the four most important prospect bats with the Isotopes, three of them turned in a quality stretch, though the recently promoted Snyder scuffled a bit.

Colton Welker quickly readjusted to pro-ball following his first-half PED suspension. He’s continued to hit and get on base, even if it’s come at the expense of power. His current pace bodes well for a late-season cup of coffee in Colorado.

Ryan Vilade continued his resurgence following a sluggish start to the season in AAA. It’s surprising he hasn’t produced more in the power department playing in one of the most hitter-friendly environments in all of baseball, but he has displayed his development as a pure-hitter. Like Welker, Vilade’s trajectory has him set for a big-league debut in September.

Finally, keep an eye on Brian Serven. The 26-year-old glove-first catcher has produced consistently at the plate and appears to be peaking at just the right time.

Pitchers:

Antonio Santos: 4.2 IP, 9.64 ERA, 6.33 FIP, 2 BB, 4 K ❄️
Justin Lawrence: 4.1 IP, 10.38 ERA, 6.97 FIP, 2 BB, 3 K ❄️
Jake Bird: 2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 1.97 FIP, 2 K
Julian Fernandez: 5.2 IP, 1.59 ERA, 1.68 FIP, 1 BB, 8 K 🔥
Reagan Todd: 3.2 IP, 4.91 ERA, 6.98 FIP, 3 BB, 5 K

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The prominent pitchers in AAA all reside in the bullpen. As mentioned above, this wasn’t the best couple weeks for the Isotopes’ bullpen.

Antonio Santos and Justin Lawrence, both up and down from the big league roster, got hit hard. Meanwhile, Julian Fernandez, a flame-throwing September call-up hopeful, dominated AAA-West in his five appearances.

Jake Bird represents another potential big-league arm and will get his chance sometime in the next year.

On to the Hartford Yard Goats, where both sides of the ball saw standout performances.

AA

Hitters:

Elehuris Montero: 25 PAs, .381/.400/.429, 122 wRC+, 1 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
Jameson Hannah: 41 PAs, .270/.341/.351, 93 wRC+, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 BB, 12 K
Sean Bouchard: 37 PAs, .273/.351/.576, 146 wRC+, 1 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 10 K
Coco Montes: 47 PAs, .317/.383/.610, 161 wRC+, 6 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 8 K 🔥
Willie MacIver: 33 PAs, .276/.364/.448, 123 wRC+, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 BB, 12 K
Michael Toglia: 45 PAs, .205/.289/.308, 65 wRC+, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 BB, 15 K ❄️

Elehuris Montero returned from the IL picking up where he left off, continuing to get his barrel on baseballs. Montero tag-teamed with Sean Bouchard and Coco Montes to carry the freight for the Yard Goats as the latter two shredded opposing pitching. Montes continues to elevate his profile as a potential MLB-utility player.

Jameson Hannah continued his respectable pace. He’s not blowing anyone away, but he’s been a consistent on-base threat at the top of the order. After a concerning start to his AA career, Willie MacIver looks to be back on track.

Michael Toglia is still searching for himself in AA. The slugging first baseman was promoted to Hartford a little over a month ago and hasn’t quite made his mark yet. This halts the momentum he had to begin 2022 sitting on the Rockies’ doorstep in AAA.

Pitchers:

Ryan Feltner: 11.2 IP, 2.31 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 2.55 FIP, 2 BB, 15 K 🔥
Karl Kauffmann: 10.2 IP, 4.22 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 7.15 FIP, 5 BB, 9 K
Yoan Aybar: 4.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 1.24 FIP, 1 BB, 6 K 🔥
Zach Matson: 4.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 1.56 FIP, 2 BB, 9 K 🔥
PJ Poulin: 4.1 IP, 4.15 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 3.49 FIP, 1 BB, 3 K

Ryan Feltner has made his case to be regarded as a top 5 pitching prospect in the Rockies system. He continued his dominant showing in AA the last two weeks and figures to get a crack at AAA before the season expires. The hard-throwing righty impressed in instructionals last year, flashing three MLB quality pitches in his fastball, slider, and changeup.

Karl Kauffmann might finally be gaining some traction in AA. The 2019 second-round pick appeared to stagnate once joining the Yard Goats — and still isn’t excelling — but he’s finally meeting the challenge.

In the pen, a pair of pitchers, Yoan Aybar and Zach Matson, were untouchable. Meanwhile, PJ Poulin had a quality pair of weeks following a difficult transition to AA. All three deserve some recognition as bullpen candidates as soon as late next season.

Now, up in Spokane, the Rockies High-A affiliate has impressed as of late. They feature great depth at the plate and on the bump which has been on display.

High-A

Hitters:

Brenton Doyle: 49 PAs, .383/.408/.787, 207 wRC+, 1 2B, 6 HR, 2 BB, 12 K 🔥🔥🔥
Hunter Stovall: 46 PAs, .350/.435/.475, 150 wRC+, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 BB, 8 K 🔥
Ezequiel Tovar: 47 PAs, .302/.333/.512, 122 wRC+, 3 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 7 K
Jack Blomgren: 51 PAs, .333/.353/.542, 133 wRC+, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 1 BB, 10 K
Daniel Cope: 20 PAs, .412/.500/.412, 161 wRC+, 3 BB, 3 K 🔥
Isaac Collins: 43 PAs, .257/.395/.343, 113 wRC+, 3 2B, 7 BB, 6 K
Daniel Montano: 42 PAs, .286/.333/.314, 77 wRC+, 1 2B, 4 BB, 7 K
Niko Decolati: 43 PAs, .289/.310/.421, 90 wRC+, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 BB, 5 K
Aaron Schunk: 39 PAs, .257/.308/.514, 111 wRC+, 3 HR, 2 BB, 14 K
Grant Lavigne: 45 PAs, .179/.289/.205, 47 wRC+, 1 2B, 5 BB, 16 K ❄️

One month ago, Brenton Doyle’s daughter was born. Since then, he’s taken dad strength to a new level, bashing home run after home run and revitalizing his season.

Hunter Stovall has become a name to get familiar with. The 5’8″ infielder just rakes with no holes apparent in his offensive game.

Middle infielders Ezequiel Tovar and Jack Blomgren shined for the Indians, both racking up hits and each smacking a pair of long balls. Both players have really established themselves in the Rockies system this year with Tovar looking like a top 10 organizational prospect and Blomgren pushing for the top 30.

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Another prospect drawing lots of attention is backstop Daniel Cope. The 2019 draftee plays quality defense but has proven to be a force at the plate this year, drawing his fair share of walks to pair with a high contact rate. With the Rockies’ organizational catching depth thin, Cope has stepped up as the organization’s third-most prominent backstop behind Drew Romo and Willie MacIver.

Outfielders Isaac Collins, Daniel Montano, and Niko Decolati all posted respectable numbers over the last couple weeks with Collins continuing to assert his patient approach. Montano and Decolati racked up hits but, otherwise, didn’t produce a whole lot more.

Off to a really rough start this season, 2019 2nd-rounder Aaron Schunk turned the power on recently, nearly doubling his season HR total in two weeks.

Finally, Grant Lavigne, like fellow 1B Michael Toglia, has not acclimated to his new environment yet and has been cold at the plate. The hulking Lavigne was excellent in low-A but looks to adjust after moving up a level.

Pitchers:

Chris McMahon: 13.0 IP, 2.08 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.12 FIP, 2 BB, 15 K 🔥
Helcris Olivarez: 11.0 IP, 4.91 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 4.88 FIP, 3 BB, 12 K
Mitchell Kilkenny: 9.1 IP, 9.64 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 7.18 FIP, 4 BB, 12 K
Noah Davis: 13.0 IP, 2.77 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 5.04 FIP, 0 BB, 14 K 🔥
Will Ethridge: 12.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 4.05 FIP, 3 BB, 12 K
Dugan Darnell: 6.0 IP, 7.50 ERA, 5.13 FIP, 1 BB, 11 K
Jared Biddy: 5.1 IP, 5.06 ERA, 2.28 FIP, 0 BB, 11 K
Shelby Lackey: 1.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 BB, 3 K

2020 2nd-rounder Chris McMahon has snapped into form, recently. Given what was a seriously challenging assignment by the Rockies for his pro-debut, McMahon has dominated as of late, highlighted by his most recent pair of starts.

Prized pitchers Helcris Olivarez and Mitch Kilkenny both got hit a little in their last two starts, especially Kilkenny. Olivarez seems to have reigned in his command a bit, a golden possibility for the explosive lefty.

Starters Noah Davis and Will Ethridge both performed in their last two starts. The recently acquired Davis has walked just one hitter in his last 19.1 IP. Meanwhile, Ethridge looks comfortable after struggling after his promotion to Spokane.

The trusty Dugan Darnell didn’t have a great pair of weeks but he got a lot of whiffs and his command stayed sharp. Jared Biddy also generated lots of whiffs and had a great couple weeks aside from a 3-run homer he gave up Sunday.

Finally, lights-out reliever Shelby Lackey returned from the IL in style, getting all three of his outs via the strikeout.

Dropping down a level to one of MiLB’s most exciting teams, the Fresno Grizzlies had a commendable couple weeks headlined by a newcomer and some solid bullpen performances.

Low-A

Hitters:

Zac Veen: 48 PAs, .359/.458/.538, 157 wRC+, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 BB, 16 K 🔥
Drew Romo: 48 PAs, .261/.271./.413, 72 wRC+, 4 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 10 K
Eddy Diaz: 50 PAs, .362/.388/.532, 138 wRC+, 4 2B, 2 3B, 2 BB, 7 K, 7 SB
AJ Lewis: 25 PAs, .300/.440/.350, 128 wRC+, 1 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
Bladimir Restituyo: 35 PAs, .324/.343/.353, 87 wRC+, 1 2B, 1 BB, 5 K
Julio Carreras: 50 PAs, .292/.320/.375, 84 wRC+, 4 2B, 2 BB, 13 K
Mateo Gil: 27 PAs, .240/.259/.640, 109 wRC+, 1 2B, 3 HR, 1 BB, 9 K
Robby Martin Jr.: 24 PAs, .333/.417/.762, 187 wRC+, 3 HR, 3 BB, 6 K 🔥

Zac Veen just keeps doing Zac Veen things. The prodigious 19-year-old has not taken his foot off the gas since hitting his stride early this summer. His plate discipline and power are ultra-impressive for someone so young and show he’s worthy of a promotion to Spokane.

Drew Romo is coming off a lukewarm stretch. Most of his value comes from behind the plate, but even when he’s off with the bat, he still manages to produce. His speed was on display Saturday night when he legged out an inside-the-park home run.

The speedy Eddy Diaz has officially arrived in 2021. The 20-year-old Cuban looked outmatched early in the season but he’s since turned into a hitting machine, allowing his legs to make an impact with 7 steals in his last 11 games.

Catcher AJ Lewis has caught on since being demoted from High-A. His quality plate discipline has been evident since joining the Grizzlies.

The Dominican-born pair Bladimir Restituyo and Julio Carreras along with Mateo Gil haven’t had the seasons they had hoped for but all three have been on an upward trajectory as of late.

The first 2021 draftee to make it to full-season ball, Robby Martin Jr. has quickly made his presence felt, as he crushed a 3-run homer on Sunday.

Pitchers:

Tony Locey: 15.0 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.72 FIP, 8 BB, 19 K
Anderson Pilar: 13.2 IP, 0.66 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 3.16 FIP, 4 BB, 15 K
Case Williams: 4.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 6.26 FIP, 4 BB, 2 K
Juan Mejia: 5.1 IP, 3.38 ERA, 2.19 FIP, 3 BB, 10 K
Tanner Propst: 5.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.26 FIP, 0 BB, 9 K 🔥
Gavin Hollowell: 4.0 IP, 2.25 ERA, 1.01 FIP, 0 BB, 8 K
Blake Goldsberry: 5.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.06 FIP, 1 BB, 7 K

Tony Locey has thrived since being converted to a starter a few weeks ago. His control still hasn’t been sharp but he overpowers hitters and doesn’t give up a lot of damage. Anderson Pilar, another pitcher recently converted to the rotation, has been even more impressive.

A hot-name for Rockies fans at the 2021 trade deadline, Case Willams has continued his slow acclimation to pro-ball. The young righty hasn’t yet established his pitching identity.

Then, we have relievers galore. Juan Mejia, Tanner Propst, Gavin Hollowell, and Blake Goldsberry have all been fantastic, keeping Fresno’s injury-depleted pitching staff afloat. Hollowell is making his case as the organization’s top relief prospect.