4 prospects the Rockies should not trade

The Rockies are in the midst of a rebuild, and you don't expect rebuilding teams to trade prospects, usually they are trying to acquire them. There comes a time to be aggressive and move those prospects for some proven players. The Rockies are not at that stage yet, and are probably still at least a year or two away.

The Rockies are an interesting team and could look to become competitive and fight for one of the Wild Card spots sooner rather than later. If the Rockies decide to become aggressive within the next two years, these are four prospects that they should look to keep and build around.

These two bats will be cornerstones in the Rockies offense

Robert Calaz

The Rockies just signed Calaz in January this year to a $1.7 million deal. The 18-year old is listed at 6'2" and 202 pounds, already a physically mature kid. MLB Pipeline had him as the No. 24 international prospect this last year and gave him 55-grade power, stating, "The teen has the potential to have plus raw power and be a plus runner."

If there is one player in the Rockies prospect ranks that has the ability to be a superstar, Calaz might be the most likely name.

Calaz wasted no time making his impact felt in the Dominican Summer League, slashing .325/.423/.561 with seven home runs and six stolen bases in only 43 games. Maybe even more impressive were the exit velocities he posted, with some reports stating he hit the ball as hard as 114 mph. That is insane for an 18-year-old.

With Calaz's size, he profiles best as a corner outfielder, especially with Gold Glover Brenton Doyle patrolling centerfield for the foreseeable future. Calaz has the potential to be an impact bat for a long time in Colorado. With his performance, albeit in a small sample size, he is going to shoot up prospect rankings, and another solid season could move him into the top 100 prospects in all of baseball.

Cole Carrigg

Carrigg is one of the most recent prospects to join the Rockies' list, selected 65th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, out of San Diego State.

Carrigg, like Calaz, wasted no time showing his potential, slashing .350/.408/.600 between rookie ball and Single-A Fresno. He also hit five home runs and stole 13 bases, flashing his power/speed combination.

Carrigg is a plus defender and has a lot of versatility, spending time in center field (his natural college position), shortstop, and catcher. Playing those three positions at a solid level shows you how athletic this kid is. MLBPipeline.com gives him some pretty impressive grades with a 50-grade hit tool, 60-grade run and 70-grade arm.

A plus runner who can steal a base, Carrigg has shown ability at three up-the-middle positions. He’s natural in center field and has shown he can play a solid shortstop as well. But many scouts agree his best value might come behind the plate as a switch-hitting backstop with athleticism and a plus-plus arm, which was on display with throws 100 mph and harder from shortstop and the outfield at the Draft Combine. He played the outfield exclusively for San Diego State in 2023 but saw time at all three positions during his pro debut with the Rockies.

The Rockies will have a tough decision with Carrigg as he moves through the minor leagues, but make no mistake, Carrigg's bat will carry him. He has the potential to be a .300 hitter with 15+ home run pop and 20+ stolen bases. For someone with as much defensive versatility and upside on the offensive side, Carrigg should be a fixture in the Rockies for years to come.

For a Rockies team seriously lacking pitching, these two offer a lot of upside and should be off limits

Chase Dollander

The story of this whole offseason and, really, the Rockies' franchise in general, dating all the way back to the early 2000s and the Matt Holliday era, is a lack of pitching. The Rockies have struggled to develop pitching, and it is nearly impossible to attract free agents to sign here knowing how hitter-friendly the environment is. That's why it makes it even more important to keep your young pitching when you find a potential ace.

A potential ace is what the Rockies were able to get when they drafted Chase Dollander with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 draft. Dollander was one of the top prospects coming into the 2023 draft, with some projecting him as high as the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick. He was widely seen as the best arm available in the draft. After some struggles with command led to a walk rate that doubled his 2022 number, he was the third pitcher taken off the board.

Dollander's devastating arsenal begins with a 95-97 mph fastball that peaks at 99 and produces elite swing-and-miss rates with its combination of velocity and carry. His best secondary pitch is a tight slider that parks in the mid-80s and reaches 91 mph, and it can be a well-above-average offering with sweep at its best. He also has a bigger mid-70s curveball and a fading upper-80s changeup, both of which can be solid pitches.

Dollander has the pitch-mix of a future ace, with MLB Pipeline stating he "continued to display frontline starter stuff" in 2023, with an elite fastball and a very solid slider. He also possesses a curveball and changeup that are reported to be at least average offerings.

Dollander should make his major league debut in 2024 and has the potential to move relatively quickly. He has the upside of an ace for a team that has desperately lacked a true ace for a long time. A lot was invested into Dollander, and the Rockies would be wise to keep him for as long as possible and reap those rewards.