Rockies take another chance on Chance Adams

The Rockies have agreed to a minor-league deal with former top pitching prospect Chance Adams. The deal with the 29-year-old includes an invite to spring training. Adams is not a starting pitcher anymore, and yes, the Rockies definitely need help in the rotation, but Adams could provide some solid depth for a bullpen that needs it almost as badly.

Adams was a fifth-round pick in 2015 and looked to be destined for the Yankees' rotation after really solid seasons in 2016 and 2017. He made it as high as No. 8 in the Yankees' top prospects in 2018 (per MLB Pipeline), as well as 75th overall in the Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects.

He struggled in 2018 and 2019 in the upper-level minor leagues before requiring Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2020 season. That also kept him out for most of the 2021 season; he only threw 6.1 innings. In 2022, he didn't pitch for any team in the major leagues or minor leagues, sitting out the whole year. The Rockies took a shot on the former top pitching prospect, who will be only 29 for most of the 2024 season.

Adams spent much of his younger career as a starting pitcher, but will look to carve out a role as a rotational bullpen arm for a team that is lacking pitching in every aspect. Once a high strikeout guy, Adams has reinvented himself it seems, as evidence of his 5.79 K/9 in Triple-A last year. He seems to have found a nice niche in this new era for him, as he walked just 2.76 batters per 9 innings and was able to run a very solid ground ball rate of 44.9% last season, something that could prove valuable at Coors Field.

In Triple-A Albuquerque, he was able to work up to 32.2 innings pitched, a good sign for a pitcher who had thrown just 15 innings since 2019. He put up a respectable 3.86 ERA, showing there is a solid reliever in there still. Adams will surely look to build off that solid season and hopefully work to 40-50 innings at least.

Bud Black struggled in 2023, but a decimated pitching staff and a bullpen lacking talent made his job pretty tough. Hopefully, Adams can help Bud Black get through a 2024 season after the 2023 was patched together with a number of arms.