Pitching Prospects the Rockies should target in the 2023 MLB draft

The MLB Draft will commence in Seattle, Washington in less than a week. The Rockies will enter the draft with six of the first 200 picks in this year's draft and will aim to strengthen their team with the ongoing youth movement. Their current draft picks are numbered 9, 46, 65, 77, 109, and 145.

As the draft approaches this year, I believe the Rockies should focus on seeking out college pitchers who are MLB-ready and can contribute to their near-future success.

Despite having a 33-51 record, the Rockies offense currently ranks 12th overall in all of baseball, proving to have a competent offense that can compete with any team. The pitching side on the other had has not been so remarkable. The Rockies currently rank 29th overall in pitching, just ahead of the Oakland A's.

For a team in need of pitching, General Manager Bill Schmidt, should consider replicating the strategy of Los Angeles Angels GM Perry Minasian as he selected 20 pitchers in the 2021 MLB Draft. In 2020, the Angels pitching staff was ranked 25th in the Majors and finished 22nd in 2021. Fast-forward two years, and the Angels now have a pitching staff that ranks 16th overall in the MLB, with a bullpen that could be their biggest strength this year.

For this occasion, I decided to write out a list that highlights what NCAA pitchers the Rockies could target in the draft and also features some they might be able to get in the later rounds so that they can return to the postseason in the near future for the first time since 2018.

Grant Rogers

If Skenes is drafted within the first eight picks, Grant Rogers is another pitcher who could fall into the Rockies lap and could be an MLB-ready player right away. Rogers is a right-handed pitcher from Groves Texas who pitched at McNeese University last season.

Last year, Rogers held a 12-1 record with a 1.82 ERA and pitched four complete games that featured two shutouts. His ability to pitch deep into games is just what the Rockies pitching staff needs. The Rockies bullpen has been one of the biggest strengths of the team since the emergence of Justin Lawrence this year. However, as of late the bullpen has been getting depleted by starters not being able to pitch deep into games. Rogers would be a great starting rotation piece for the Rockies as he is someone that will be able to give the bullpen a day off as needed, especially late in the season. Last season, he pitched in a total of 186 innings with 88 strikeouts and only gave up four home runs.

In 2022, Rogers was selected as the Southland pitcher of the year and also earned an all-conference first-team selection.

Rhett Lowder

Rhett Lowder is a pitcher that I love heading into this year's draft. Realistically if Skenes is not available, Lowder could very well be available for the Rockies at number nine. He is projected to be a first round selection in the draft and the Rockies should have their eye on him. Lowder is a pitcher who possesses the ultimate competitive edge and is exactly what the Rockies need. His slider is his most effective pitch, as he tends to entice batters to chase outside and secure strikeouts with it.

Last season, he pitched a perfect 15-0 with a 1.87 ERA in 19 appeareances. Following his perfect record, he pitched in a total of 120.1 innings last year and gave up just nine home runs with 143 strikeouts.

Last year he broke the Wake Forest single-season record for wins and strikeouts. He was also announced as the 2023 ACC pitcher of the year and was announced as the 2023 Baseball America First Team All-American.

Nico Zeglin

Nico Zeglin is a fifth-year college pitcher who spent his last year of eligibility pitching for the Long Beach State Dirtbags. Long Beach has always had a great history of producing MLB prospects such as Jered Weaver, Evan Longoria and former Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Zeglin spent the early parts of his collegiate career pitching at San Mateo College and Gonzaga. When deciding where to go for graduate school, he ended up at LBSU.

Last season, he finished with an 8-4 record, 2.00 ERA, 117 strikeouts, and 94.2 innings pitched. He also had an impeccable complete game against UC Santa Barbara last year where he threw 99 pitchings with 10 strikeouts in one outing. Earlier in the season he also threw a 13-strikeout game against South Florida which was followed up by a seven-inning no-hitter.

During his time at LBSU, Zeglin experienced one of the most successful years in his collegiate career. He managed to improve his game significantly, going from a career 6.11 ERA at Gonzaga to being recognized as a Collegiate Baseball All-American Second Team member. Additionally, he received multiple accolades, including the 2023 Big West Pitcher of the Year award and a spot on the First Team All-Big West.