Where will the Colorado Rockies top prospects be playing in 2022?

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March 15, 2019; Port Orange, FL, USA; Spruce Creek High School player and Colorado Rockies top prospect Zac Veen. Mandatory Credit: Lola Gomez/Daytona Beach News-Journal via USA TODAY NETWORK /

The Colorado Rockies do not have one of the better farm systems in baseball. However, in the last two years, they have started to rebuild themselves and see their prospects develop.

In 2022, they are hoping that some of their top draft picks will progress into the higher minors as it was very apparent that the organization’s talent was in the lower minor leagues. Just look at their records.

Triple-A Albuquerque: 58-72
Double-A Hartford: 39-79
High-A Spokane: 67-49
Low-A Fresno: 74-41
Rookie-level Arizona Complex: 41-15
Dominican Summer League Rockies 1: 39-20
DSL Rockies 2: 37-22

But some of the talent will be moving up in 2022. For this exercise, we will be looking at the Rockies’ top prospects and where they will likely start out the season. If players play well enough they could end up a level (or two) higher than where they started.

Let’s dive in.

Outfielder Zac Veen: Colorado Rockies High-A affiliate: The Spokane Indians

Zac Veen is widely regarded as the Rockies’ top prospect. The Rockies recognized him for his play in Low-A Fresno last year with the Doug Million Minor League Player of the Year Award earlier this week for a reason: he played very well.

Since he was excellent at Fresno, it’s time for him to go to Spokane. Perhaps, he could even end up in Double-A Hartford if he plays well enough in the first few months of the season.

Catcher Drew Romo: High-A Spokane

Like Zac Veen, Drew Romo also flourished in Fresno and as of now, he is on the same path as Veen since they were drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the first round of the 2020 Draft. However, since his bat isn’t as developed as Veen’s, he will likely spend the entire season in Spokane.

DENVER, CO – APRIL 22: Snow falls ouside the stadium as the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies was postponed due to snow at Coors Field on April 22, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. The game will be made up as a split double header on Tuesday April 23, 2013. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

Outfielder Benny Montgomery: The Colorado Rockies Low-A affiliate Fresno Grizzlies

Since Benny Montgomery was drafted in the first round of 2021, he will almost certainly spend the entire season in Low-A Fresno, as Veen and Romo did in 2021.

Montgomery hit well in limited action in the Arizona Complex League but the Rockies need to see him at a full-season level and that will almost certainly come at Fresno.

Left-handed pitcher Ryan Rolison: Triple-A Albuquerque

Ryan Rolison is on the 40-man roster so he is different than the other prospects because he (and the next three players on this list) can’t play in the minors until the lockout is done. Rolison dealt with appendicitis in 2021 so he only appeared in 10 starts at the Triple-A level.

That and his 5.91 ERA there indicate that he should be there to start the season but, perhaps, he will start the season in the majors.

First baseman/third baseman Elehuris Montero: Triple-A Albuquerque

Elehuris Montero is also on the 40-man roster so he could start the season later than he hoped. He spent most of the 2021 season (92 games) in Double-A Hartford before he was promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque (28 games) so he will be there to start his season.

However, he could be in the majors to end the season if his bat continues to develop.

Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar: High-A Spokane

Ezequiel Tovar started his season in Low-A Fresno but unlike Zac Veen and Drew Romo, he was promoted to Spokane toward the end of the season for 32 games.

However, he struggled at the plate in Spokane after he hit well in Fresno. Like Romo, he’s great defensively but the bat may need some work.

Jul 1, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies mascot Dinger celebrates a win against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports /

First baseman Michael Toglia: The Colorado Rockies Double-A team in Hartford

Michael Toglia started his season in High-A Spokane but was promoted to Double-A for the final third of the season.

However, he struggled at the plate at both levels so perhaps the Rockies could even start him out in Spokane.

Left-handed pitcher Sam Weatherly: High-A Spokane

Sam Weatherly spent his first pro season with Fresno in 2021 and he pitched well for them. He struck out 12.5 batters per nine innings and 7.7 hits per nine innings but his control is the biggest problem right now (4.2 BB/9 and 10 hit batsmen in 69 innings).

Outfielder Brenton Doyle: Double-A Hartford

Brenton Doyle skipped Low-A as he was in Rookie-level Grand Junction in 2019 but spent the 2021 season in High-A Spokane.

He hit .280/.336/.454 with 16 homers and 54 RBI in 97 games so he will likely be in Hartford to start the season.

Right-handed pitcher Chris McMahon: Double-A Hartford

Chris McMahon was drafted in the 2020 Draft by the Colorado Rockies but unlike Veen and Romo, he had some college play under his belt. The Rockies accounted for that and started him out in High-A Spokane.

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He went 10-3 with a 4.17 ERA in 22 games (20 starts). He struck out 9.4 batters and walked just 2.5 per nine innings so he will likely head to Hartford to start the 2022 season.

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