%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201069.9%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201069.9%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23939598%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23111111%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%235E30B1%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%23999999%3B%7D%0A%09.st5%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%09.st6%7Bfill%3A%23371C5C%3B%7D%0A%09.st7%7Bfill%3A%234D4D4D%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M626.3%2C1.3h-67.8c-9.9%2C0-17.6%2C7.7-17.6%2C17.6v168c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h17.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.4-5.3%2C11.4-11.8v-56%0A%09%09h41.8c34%2C0%2C64.1-24.8%2C67.5-58.2C694.6%2C34.1%2C664.3%2C1.3%2C626.3%2C1.3z%20M626.3%2C90.1h-44.6V42.4h44.6c13.3%2C0%2C23.8%2C10.5%2C23.8%2C23.8%0A%09%09C650.1%2C79.3%2C639.6%2C90.1%2C626.3%2C90.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M746.5%2C1.3h-23.5c-6.5%2C0-11.8%2C5.3-11.8%2C11.8V187c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h23.5c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V13%0A%09%09C758.2%2C6.6%2C753%2C1.3%2C746.5%2C1.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M908.2%2C163.4h-88.8V13c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8H790c-6.5%2C0-11.8%2C5.3-11.8%2C11.8v168c0%2C9.6%2C8%2C17.6%2C17.6%2C17.6%0A%09%09h112.3c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8v-11.8C919.9%2C168.7%2C914.7%2C163.4%2C908.2%2C163.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M1058.1%2C36.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V13c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8H957.6c-9.9%2C0-17.6%2C7.7-17.6%2C17.6v162.1%0A%09%09c0%2C9.6%2C7.7%2C17.6%2C17.6%2C17.6h100.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8v-11.8c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8h-77v-45.8h61.9%0A%09%09c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V94.1c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8h-61.9V36.6H1058.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M117.9%2C122.3c22-12.7%2C35.9-37.4%2C31.9-65.3c-4.6-32.5-34-55.7-66.5-55.7H17.6C7.7%2C1.3%2C0%2C9%2C0%2C18.9v168%0A%09%09c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h17.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.4-5.3%2C11.4-11.8v-56h33.7l39%2C59.7c3.1%2C5%2C8.7%2C8%2C14.5%2C8h22c7.7%2C0%2C12.1-8.7%2C8-15.2%0A%09%09L117.9%2C122.3z%20M85.4%2C90.1H40.8V42.4h44.6c13.3%2C0%2C23.8%2C10.5%2C23.8%2C23.8C109.2%2C79.3%2C98.7%2C90.1%2C85.4%2C90.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M471.4%2C116.6c2.4-5.1%2C3.7-10.8%2C3.7-16.8c0-5.9-1.3-11.5-3.6-16.6l48.1-69.6c3.4-5.3-0.3-12.4-6.5-12.4h-25.4%0A%09%09%09c-5.9%2C0-11.4%2C3.1-14.9%2C8l-35.1%2C50.6c-0.9-0.1-1.8-0.1-2.7-0.1c-0.9%2C0-1.7%2C0-2.6%2C0.1L397.4%2C9.3c-3.4-5-9-8-15.2-8h-25.1%0A%09%09%09c-6.2%2C0-10.2%2C7.1-6.5%2C12.4l44.1%2C64H234.5c-2%2C2.8-3.6%2C5.8-4.8%2C9h167.6c-1%2C2.8-1.6%2C5.7-2%2C8.7H227.6c-0.2%2C1.5-0.3%2C3-0.3%2C4.5%0A%09%09%09c0%2C1.5%2C0.1%2C3%2C0.3%2C4.5h167.7c0.4%2C3%2C1%2C6%2C2%2C8.7H229.8c1.2%2C3.2%2C2.9%2C6.3%2C4.9%2C9h160l-44.1%2C64c-3.7%2C5%2C0.3%2C12.4%2C6.5%2C12.4h25.1%0A%09%09%09c6.2%2C0%2C11.8-3.1%2C15.2-8l35.3-50.9c0.8%2C0%2C1.6%2C0.1%2C2.4%2C0.1c0.9%2C0%2C1.7%2C0%2C2.5-0.1l35.3%2C50.9c3.4%2C5%2C9%2C8%2C14.9%2C8h25.4%0A%09%09%09c6.2%2C0%2C9.9-7.4%2C6.5-12.4L471.4%2C116.6z%20M435.1%2C73.2c8.2%2C0%2C15.5%2C3.7%2C20.4%2C9.5c-0.4-0.2-0.8-0.5-1.2-0.7c-2.8-1.6-6.1-2.5-9.3-2.7%0A%09%09%09c-3.2-0.3-6.5%2C0.1-9.6%2C0.8c-3.1%2C0.8-6%2C2-8.7%2C3.6l-1.7%2C0.9l-0.8%2C0.4l-0.8%2C0.3c-0.6%2C0.2-1.1%2C0.5-1.7%2C0.5l-0.9%2C0.2l-0.4%2C0.1l-0.4%2C0%0A%09%09%09c-2.2%2C0.2-4.5-0.3-6.7-1.6C418%2C77.7%2C426%2C73.2%2C435.1%2C73.2z%20M435.1%2C126.5c-9%2C0-17-4.5-21.9-11.4c2.2-1.3%2C4.5-1.8%2C6.7-1.6l0.4%2C0%0A%09%09%09l0.4%2C0.1l0.9%2C0.2c0.6%2C0.1%2C1.1%2C0.3%2C1.7%2C0.5l0.8%2C0.3l0.8%2C0.4l1.7%2C0.9c2.7%2C1.5%2C5.6%2C2.7%2C8.7%2C3.6c3.1%2C0.7%2C6.3%2C1.1%2C9.6%2C0.8%0A%09%09%09c3.2-0.2%2C6.5-1.2%2C9.3-2.7c0.4-0.2%2C0.8-0.5%2C1.2-0.7C450.6%2C122.8%2C443.3%2C126.5%2C435.1%2C126.5z%20M460.4%2C108.2c-0.4%2C0.4-0.8%2C0.7-1.3%2C1.1%0A%09%09%09c-2.2%2C1.6-4.5%2C2.9-6.9%2C3.7c-4.8%2C1.7-10.1%2C1.4-15.1%2C0.2c-1.3-0.4-2.5-0.7-3.8-1.2c-1.3-0.4-2.5-1-3.7-1.5c-2.9-1.3-6.2-2.4-9.8-2.1%0A%09%09%09c-0.9%2C0.1-1.7%2C0.2-2.6%2C0.5c-0.8%2C0.2-1.7%2C0.5-2.4%2C0.9c-0.4%2C0.2-0.8%2C0.4-1.1%2C0.6l-1%2C0.7c-0.5%2C0.3-0.9%2C0.7-1.3%2C1.1%0A%09%09%09c-1.9-3.7-3-7.9-3-12.4c0-4.5%2C1.1-8.7%2C3-12.4c0.4%2C0.4%2C0.8%2C0.8%2C1.3%2C1.1l1%2C0.7c0.4%2C0.2%2C0.7%2C0.4%2C1.1%2C0.6c0.7%2C0.4%2C1.6%2C0.7%2C2.4%2C0.9%0A%09%09%09c0.8%2C0.3%2C1.7%2C0.3%2C2.6%2C0.5c3.5%2C0.3%2C6.9-0.8%2C9.8-2.1c1.2-0.5%2C2.4-1.1%2C3.7-1.5c1.2-0.5%2C2.5-0.8%2C3.8-1.2c5-1.2%2C10.2-1.5%2C15.1%2C0.2%0A%09%09%09c2.4%2C0.8%2C4.8%2C2%2C6.9%2C3.7c0.4%2C0.3%2C0.8%2C0.7%2C1.3%2C1.1c0.9%2C2.6%2C1.3%2C5.4%2C1.3%2C8.3C461.7%2C102.8%2C461.3%2C105.6%2C460.4%2C108.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M311%2C131.3c-10%2C14.7-26.9%2C24.4-46%2C24.4c-30.7%2C0-55.6-24.9-55.6-55.6s24.9-55.6%2C55.6-55.6%0A%09%09%09c19%2C0%2C35.7%2C9.5%2C45.8%2C24.1H360C346.8%2C28.8%2C309.3%2C0%2C265%2C0c-55.2%2C0-100%2C44.8-100%2C100s44.8%2C100%2C100%2C100c44.3%2C0%2C81.8-28.8%2C95-68.7H311z%0A%09%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Ok... ok... the volume of your eyebrows raising to this possibility is deafening. I can already hear them, "drafting a pitcher who throws predominantly at Coors Field? Am I TRYING to lose these fantasy matchups?" Looking at the projected numbers for the upcoming season, it makes sense why most people are going to stay away from those who pitch for the Rockies, so we need to get creative in how we analyze potential draftees.
Similar to my hopes and dreams about what could be for Kris Bryant, it would be amazing to look back on these top five pitchers one year from now and give kudos to the positive steps forward that were taken from this season. I say that because the projected numbers for any Rockies pitcher this year are not very exciting.
My No. 5 fantasy pitching prospect for the Rockies in 2024 is Dakota Hudson.
Hudson put up okay numbers while pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals since 2018. He flashed legit number two or three starter potential in his first couple of years in the big leagues. He then dealt with a shortened COVID year, followed by an injury plagued 2021 before posting a very solid 1.1 fWAR in 2022. He regressed in 2023 but proved his value as both a starter and a reliever, but in 2024, a lot of his value could come in the form of counting stats in a rotation that really lacks stability.
Hudson is projected to be the 5th starter in the Rockies rotation, so he should see a bump in innings pitched and overall opportunity. Hudson was shut down during his 2020 with an injury that required Tommy John surgery and hasn't been able to return to his performance before his injury. In 2019, prior to his injury, Hudson threw 174.2 innings, posting some impressive stats: 3.35 ERA, 16 wins, and 32 starts. If he can return to a similar type of output, he may be a steal later in the draft.
Call to Action
Are you a fan of the Rockies? Do you love talking about all things Rockies? Do you want to write about the Rockies on your own schedule with the potential to earn some extra cash? Go to https://openings.fansided.com and look for the Rox Pile site and apply to join our staff.