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3 Players from the Rockies who have impressed in April
Undoubtedly, the Colorado Rockies have faced their fair share of struggles throughout the early 2023 season. The team is ranked 24th in hitting, 27th in pitching, and is facing an overall record of 9-20 that has them placed last in the NL West.
Apart from The Denver Post's report on Coors Field having the most affordable beer in Major League Baseball, the Rockies fans haven't had many reasons to celebrate. Even though the cheers from the Rocky bleachers are subdued these days, I have compiled a list of three notable players from the early 2023 season to give fans a reason to be excited.
3. Justin Lawrence
Lawrence is entering his third season on the Rockies Major League roster as he was a 12th-round Pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. Over the last two seasons, he struggled in the Colorado bullpen as he had an ERA of 8.64 in 2021. In 2022, his ERA dropped to 5.70 but is not an ideal number for any pitcher.
Despite being ranked 38th at a tier-five level in the Rockies Minor League system in 2021, Lawrence from Jacksonville, Florida is proving to be a valuable asset in the bullpen. The 28-year-old right-hander has already played in 11 games and pitched a total of 14 innings, with an impressive 1.93 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and only five walks allowed. Lawrence's performance shows that he is a reliable and promising young player.
According to MLB Statcast, Lawrence’s most reliable pitches have been his sweeper. So far, his sweeper has struck out a total of 13 batters and is his most used pitch using it 56.1% of the time. Followed by his dominant sweeper, Lawrence's sinker has been used 43.9% of the time against batters as he is finding ways to dominate hitters.
2. Kris Bryant
Bryant is entering his second season on the Rockies roster after signing a seven-year $182 million contract in the 2022 offseason. Bryant is a former MVP and World Series champion in 2016. Last season, he went back and forth on the team's injured list, dealing with back and foot injuries. Now, he is playing healthy and is starting to prove why the team gave him such a large contract.
Bryant currently has a .297 batting average followed by three home runs, 30 hits, and four doubles with an OPS of .786. Most notably, Bryant made headlines after hitting his first career home run at Coors Field as a member of the Rockies on April 17.
Staying healthy, being a productive at-bat, and playing consistent defense from a former NL MVP is just what this young Rockies roster needs if they want to win in the future. Bryant knows what it takes to win a World Series and he knows how to lead by example. When he is playing well, the rest of the team will follow.
At long last, Kris Bryant has FINALLY hit his first Coors home run as a Rockie pic.twitter.com/3MVolfXsS5
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 18, 2023
1. Brent Suter
Without a doubt, the Rockies clubhouse has been impacted greatly by the outstanding performance of one player this season. Brent Suter stands out as the most impressive piece by far, having spent the first six years of his career with Milwaukee where he demonstrated exceptional productivity. In the previous year, Suter recorded 5 wins, 53 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.07 in 66.2 innings pitched.
Suter recently signed a one-year $3 million contract this past winter. So far, the 33-year-old left-handed pitcher has pitched in 10 games and has provided 16 innings worth of relief. Currently, he has an ERA of 1.04, 14 strikeouts, and has allowed seven walks. Suter is paving the way in the bullpen and is showing guys like Lawrence what it takes to be a productive reliever in the Major Leagues and is making starting pitchers feel relieved when he enters the game.
Suter's strategic use of his changeup has proven highly effective, especially after setting up hitters with his fastball. In fact, over the course of April, his changeup has resulted in eight strikeouts.
As we are a month underway into the 2023 season, it will be safe to say that Suter will remain one of the Rockies most pivotal pieces in the bullpen. However, if the Rockies don’t start to win more games Suter could be a piece that is traded before August as he is a reliable arm from the bullpen.