Colorado Rockies Midseason 2021 Top 50 Prospects

The Colorado Rockies have had mixed success in the first round of the amateur player MLB Draft this century. Successes include Troy Tulowitski (2005), Trevor Story (2011) and Brendan Rodgers (2015). Failures, though, include Riley Pint (2016) and Mike Nikorak (2016), two right-handed high school pitchers who never made the majors and retired this year after careers plagued by injury and inconsistency. High school outfielder Benny Montgomery was this year’s first-round pick, and he slots into the top 2 in this midseason revision of the Rockies’ Top 50 prospects.

Rockies Minor League Affiliates:
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes (Pacific Coast League)

Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats (Eastern League)

High-A: Spokane Indians (Northwest League)

Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (California League)

Rookie: Arizona Complex League

Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential of making the majors, or have a high likelihood of making the majors but providing minimal impact (e.g. middle reliever, low-ceiling UT guys)
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who have an outside chance of making their team’s 40 man roster

Tier 1

1. Zac Veen, OF (January rank #1)
Age: 19
Current Level: Low-A

The high school outfielder drafted #9 overall in the 2020 amateur draft has 11 homers (5 in one hot July week) with 51 runs batted in, a .278 batting average, .382 on-base percentage, and .867 on-base plus slugging percentage at Fresno through July; time to move on to Spokane.

2. Benny Montgomery, CF (January rank N/A)
Age: 18
Current Level: Not assigned

The 6-5, 200-pound high school outfielder from Pennsylvania was selected #8 overall in the 2021 amateur draft over such notables as Kumar Rocker and Kahlil Watson because he’s a plus runner with a plus arm and plus power; the Rockies think he can really hit, and they better be right.

Tier 2

3. Michael Toglia, 1B (January rank #2)
Age: 22
Current Level: AA

UCLA star Toglia had 17 homers and 65 runs batted in for High-A Spokane through July, played in and homered in the Futures Game, and is the team’s first baseman of the future. Just promoted to Double-A Hartford.

4. Ryan Rolison, LHP (January rank #3)
Age: 24
Current Level: AAA

Rolison, a first round pick (22 overall) in 2018 out of the University of Mississippi, has pitched only 27 innings for AAA Albuquerque this year because of missed time for appendicitis and a broken finger.

5. Elehuris Montero, 3B (January – unranked)
Age: 22
Current Level: AA

Obtained from the Cardinals in the Nolan Arenado trade over the winter, Montero has hit 20 homers at Hartford. He could see time with the Rockies in September.

6. Drew Romo, C (January rank #8)
Age: 19
Current Level: Low-A

Romo, 19, a Texas high school catcher drafted 35th overall by the Rockies in 2020, is having fun and hitting well at Fresno this summer; so far so good.

7. Ezequiel Tovar, SS (January rank #40)
Age: 20
Current Level: Low-A

The fast-rising Venezuelan who signed in 2018 had 21 stolen bases, 11 home runs and a .313 batting average through July at Fresno. 

8. Brenton Doyle, OF (January rank #9)
Age: 23
Current Level: High-A

Doyle has double-digit homers and stolen bases in Spokane this summer.

9. Aaron Schunk, 3B (January rank #7)
Age: 24
Current Level: High-A

Schunk, a second-round pick out of the University of Georgia in 2019, is having a disappointing season at the plate at A+ Spokane.

10. Ryan Vilade, IF/OF (January rank #4)
Age: 22
Current Level: AAA

Vilade has 20 multi-hit games for Albuquerque in 2021 and could be called up to Denver before season’s end.

Tier 3

11. Grant Lavigne, 1B (January rank #6)
Age: 21
Current Level: Low-A

This summer, Lavigne is having a solid season for the Fresno Grizzlies and could be headed to Spokane soon.

12. Colton Welker, 1B/3B (January rank #5)
Age: 23
Current Level: AAA

After serving an 80-game suspension for PED use, Welker is on a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League and will return to AAA Albuquerque directly.

13. Chris McMahon, RHP (January rank #15)
Age: 22
Current Level: High-A

McMahon was chosen in the second round of the 2020 amateur draft out of the University of Miami, and has 77 strikeouts in 76 innings this summer.

14. Willie MacIver, C (January rank #26)
Age: 24
Current Level: AA

A superb catcher, MacIver has double-digit homers and steals at Hartford and earned a trip to the Futures Game this summer.

15. Jaden Hill, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 21
Current Level: N/A

The LSU standout is just three months removed from Tommy John surgery; this is a gamble with a second-round 2021 amateur draft pick, but a good one.

16. Helcris Olivarez, LHP (January rank #16)
Age: 20
Current Level: High-A

Olivarez was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2016; he struck out 77 in 66.1 innings out of the bullpen this summer.

17. Antonio Santos, RHP (January rank #17)
Age: 24
Current Level: AAA

This summer, Santos has been up and down between Albuquerque and Denver and figures to see more big-league time going forward.

18. Julio Carreras, SS/3B (January rank #12)
Age: 21
Current Level: Low-A

Carreras, a 2017 international signee out of the Dominican Republic, is struggling at Fresno but the promise is still there. 

19. Adael Amador, SS (January rank #20)
Age: 18
Current Level: Rookie (ACL)

Colorado gave Amador, then a 16-year-old Dominican, $1.5 million to sign in 2019; he looks good in Rookie ball so far.

20. Case Williams, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 19
Current Level: Low-A

This projectable Colorado high school right-hander was taken in the fourth round of the 2020 draft by the Rockies, then traded to the Reds in the Jeff Hoffman deal; now he’s back in the Mychal Givens deal this summer.

21. Warming Bernabel, 3B (January rank #45)
Age: 19
Current Level: Rookie (ACL)

The Rockies’ highest paid J2 signing in 2019 is tearing up Rookie ball in Arizona this summer with a 1.136 OPS.

22. Bladimir Restituyo, OF (January rank #33)
Age: 20
Current Level: Low-A

Restituyo, who played stateside in 2019 after signing out of the Dominican Republic the year before, has 20 stolen bases in A ball this summer.

23. Yanquiel Fernandez, OF (January rank #41)
Age: 18
Current Level: Rookie (ACL)

The Cuban signed with the Rockies in 2019 and is off to a good start in Rookie ball in Arizona with a 1.188 OPS.

24. Juan Guerrero, SS (January rank #47)
Age: 19
Current Level: Rookie (ACL)

Hit .320 with a .435 OBP in his first 50 at-bats in Rookie league in Arizona this summer.

25. Ryan Feltner, RHP (January rank #22)
Age: 24
Current Level: AA

Feltner, the 126th pick overall in the 2018 draft out of Ohio State University, had  81 strikeouts in 73 innings at AA Hartford.

Tier 4

26. Daniel Montano, CF (January rank #18)
Age 22
Current Level: High-A

The Venezuelan has speed, some power and raw hit tools but he’s having a good summer in Spokane.

27. Sam Weatherly, LHP (January rank #27)
Age: 22
Current Level: Low-A

The 6-foot, 4-inch left-hander, drafted out of Clemson in 2020, had 96 strikeouts in his first 69 innings at Fresno this summer; that will do.

28. Joe Rock, LHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 21
Current Level: N/A

Rock has a plus fastball, slider, changeup and was excellent this season at Ohio University, which is why the Rockies selected him in the supplemental second round of the 2021 draft.

29. Jameson Hannah, OF (January rank #24)
Age: 23
Current Level: AA

The Reds sent Hannah to the Rockies last fall in a trade and he has shown a little power, a little speed and a bit of a hit tool this summer at Hartford but the jury is still out on him.

30. Casey Golden, OF (January rank #30)
Age: 26
Current Level: AA

Golden is hitting really well at Hartford (a slash line of .350/.452/1.152) but time is running out on him to make an impact in the big leagues.

31. Ben Bowden, LHP (January rank #11)
Age: 26
Current Level: MLB

Bowden has worked 26 games in relief for the Rockies in 2021; the numbers are ragged but he’s in The Show.

32. Jordan Sheffield, RHP (January rank #14)
Age: 25
Current Level: MLB

The Rockies selected Sheffield in the Rule 5 Draft in December and he’s pitched well when he’s healthy, which has not been often this season.

33. Eddy Diaz, SS (January rank #32)
Age: 21
Current Level: Low-A

Diaz, a native of Cuba, has 39 stolen bases at Fresno but needs to hit more.

34. Niko Decolati, OF (January rank #21)
Age: 23
Current Level: High-A

The Colorado native has 14 stolen bases at Spokane but needs to hit more.

35. Mateo Gil, SS (January – unranked)
Age: 20
Current Level: Low-A

Obtained in the Nolan Arenado trade last winter, Gil profiles as a utility infielder.

36. Noah Davis, RHP (January – unranked)
Age: 24
Current Level: High-A

After three years at UC-Santa Barbara, Davis was drafted by the Reds and underwent Tommy John surgery; now he’s back pitching and has been traded to Colorado as part of the Mychal Givens deal.

37. Ever Moya, LHP (January rank #28)
Age: 22
Current Level: Low-A (IL)

Moya, a 6-4, 220-pound left-hander signed out of Panama in 2016, has 43 strikeouts in 29.1 innings at Fresno.

38. Will Ethridge, RHP (January rank #29)
Age: 23
Current Level: High-A

The 6-5 240-pounder is having mixed results at Spokane this summer.

39. Coco Montes, 2B (January rank #39)
Age: 24
Current Level: AA

Montes had 5 homers and 3 stolen bases in the early going at Hartford, and he’s regularly been hitting in the clean-up position.

40. Mitchell Kilkenny, RHP (January rank #34)
Age: 24
Current Level: High-A

The 76th pick in the 2018 MLB draft pitched 42 innings in 2019 after missing 2018 with Tommy John surgery; this year he has pitched well in more than 70 innings at Spokane.

41. Tommy Doyle, RHP (January rank #19)
Age: 25
Current Level: AA

Doyle made his MLB debut in 2020 but his season at AA Hartford has been marred by injuries this go-round.

42. Ryan Castellani, RHP (January rank #13)
Age: 25
Current Level: AAA

Castellani has posted a 5.79 ERA in 46 major-league innings in his career, a 7.79 ERA at AAA Albuquerque this summer; that won’t cut it.

Tier 5

43. Karl Kauffmann, RHP (January rank #23)
Age: 23
Current Level: AA

Kauffmann hadn’t pitched in professional ball since leading Michigan into the College World Series in 2019; he’s having modest success at Hartford this summer.

44. Jake Bird, RHP
Age: 25
Current level: AAA

Bird, drafted out of UCLA in 2018, has advanced to Albuquerque where modest numbers at high altitude show he soon will be ready to pitch in Denver.

45. Gavin Hollowell, RHP (January rank #35)
Age: 23
Current Level: Low-A

Hollowell was lights out in 11 innings out of the bullpen in Fresno so far in 2021.

46. Sean Bouchard, 1B (January rank #36)
Age: 25
Current Level: AA

Bouchard has 9 homers and 7 stolen bases at Hartford this summer.

47. PJ Poulin, LHP (January rank #42)
Age: 25
Current Level: AA

This summer, the lefty had 39 strikeouts in 29 innings and 4 saves with a WHIP of 0.93 at Hartford.

48. McCade Brown, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 21
Current Level: Rookie (ACL)

The 6-6 225-pound right-hander was the 79th overall pick in the 2021 Draft out of Indiana University.

49. Hunter Goodman, C (January rank N/A)
Age: 21
Current Level: Rookie (ACL)

The Rockies got a catcher out of the University of Memphis with lots of raw power in the fourth round of the 2021 Draft.

50. Isaac Collins, 2B (January – unranked)
Age: 24
Current Level: High-A

A ninth-round draft pick from Creighton University limited by injury in 2019 is getting on base and then stealing bases at Spokane.

Area 51. Bryce McGowan, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 21
Current Level: N/A

McGowan was picked in round 18 of the 2021 Draft (530th overall) out of UNC-Charlotte and could be the diamond in the rough for the Rockies in this draft.