Antonio Senzatela Readies To Return To Action

DENVER—Talk readily turns to the likes of Jeff Hoffman, German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, Ryan Castellani and Riley Pint when Rockies pitching prospects are mentioned. Antonio Senzatela?

“Because he was hurt, he’s kind of got lost in the shuffle,” farm director Zach Wilson said, “but he shouldn’t.”

Senzatela, a 2011 international signee out of Venezuela, is 30-16, 2.81 in 60 career starts since leaving the Dominican Summer League. Last year, he was limited to seven starts at Double-A Hartford, none after June 15, because of recurring shoulder inflammation.

Senzatela completed his rehab around Nov. 1. Wilson said that “he’ll be full go from day one” of spring training.

The 22-year-old Senzatela will likely open 2017 back at Hartford, where he went 4-1, 1.82 in 34.2 innings, and could reach Triple-A Albuquerque during the season.

His four-seam fastball ranges from 92-98 mph and sits in the mid-90s. He creates good downhill angle on the pitch because of his balance atop his delivery, and Senzatela can pinpoint the pitch.

“For his age, where he is developmentally, he’s probably got the best combined control and command in our system,” Wilson said. “He’s very advanced in that way. And truly his fastball command is what is an enormous separator for him when it comes to his stuff.”

Senzatela initially showed little feel for a curveball and turned to a slider. But the curve now has an effective niche in his repertoire because he can throw it for strikes and doesn’t use it as a swing-and-miss pitch.

For that, Senzatela has a slider that has gained velocity and is now in the 83-85 mph range. It is an average pitch that flashes plus and ultimately should be consistently plus. He has good arm speed on an average 80-82 mph changeup that benefits from deception in his delivery.

“The kid knows how to pitch, and he’s got plus stuff,” Wilson said. “And that equals front-of-the-rotation potential.”

ROCKY ROADS

• Jerry Weinstein will manage Hartford after spending last season, his 10th in the Rockies organization, as a special instructor for player development and scouting advisor. His hitting coach will be Tim Doherty, who filled that role at Rookie-level Grand Junction last season, his first in the Rockies organization.

• Senzatela, Marquez and righthander Yency Almonte attended the annual rookie development program in Leesburg, Va.