Colorado Rockies

Fastball: 60. Slider: . Changeup: 50. Curveball: 55. Control: 50.

TRACK RECORD: Olivarez was relatively anonymous after signing with the Rockies for $77,000 and spending parts of three seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He broke out in 2019 and averaged 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings at Rookie-level Grand Junction in his U.S. debut, albeit with a heavy dose of walks. Olivarez went to the alternate training site in 2020, turned heads in instructional league and was added to the 40-man roster after the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Olivarez may be just 20 years old, but at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he is built like a grown man. His fastball sits 94-96 mph, touches 97 and is one of the best in the Rockies’ system. His curveball is an above-average offering and is his go-to putaway pitch. His changeup flashes plus but is inconsistent. Olivarez is fully bilingual and exudes confidence on the mound. The only questions are his durability and control. He has yet to throw more than 60.2 innings in a season and is an inconsistent strike-thrower who will be stretched to reach average control.

THE FUTURE: Olivarez’s arm is special and he has the makeup to get the most from his abilities. He has the makings of a hard-throwing lefthanded starter if he can improve his control. 

TRACK RECORD: Castellani's mechanics broke down in 2018 and he logged an 8.31 ERA at Triple-A in 2019 before having season-ending surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. His run of misfortune continued when he tested positive for Covid-19 before the 2020 season, but he rebounded to have a strong summer camp and earned his first major league callup. Castellani made 10 appearances (nine starts) and posted a 5.82 ERA.

SCOUTING REPORT: Castellani comes at hitters with a three-quarter arm slot that generates unique movement on his pitches. His fastball sits 92-93 mph and touches 96 mph with a lot of horizontal movement. His short, mid-80s slider is his best pitch and generated a 50 percent whiff rate in his debut. Castellani's mid-80s changeup was his fourth pitch in the past, but it proved effective against lefties and he increasingly went to it in the majors. He also added an upper-70s curveball that was largely ineffective against big league hitters. Consistency and throwing strikes are the challenges for Castellani moving forward. He walked more batters than he struck out in his debut and has had below-average walk rates since Double-A.

THE FUTURE: Castellani has a shot to be a back-end starter if his control improves. Mostly likely, he fits in the bullpen.

TRACK RECORD: A prep product out of New Hampshire, where the high school season is short and the quality of play is inconsistent, Lavigne is one of the most inexperienced domestic prospects in the Rockies system. He made a big first impression in 2018 with Rookie-level Grand Junction, but struggled at low Class A Asheville in his first full season in 2019.

SCOUTING REPORT: Lavigne possesses a beautiful lefthanded swing. It makes surprisingly little impact given his large, 6-foot-4 frame, but he has a chance to increasingly hit for power as he fills out. Lavigne has excellent strike zone discipline, giving him an intriguing combination of patience and power potential. The Rockies believe he'll be an impact hitter as he gains confidence and experience. Lavigne needs work defensively at first base. He's a good athlete for his size and has a strong work ethic, but his hands and footwork need a lot of improvement for him to become average.

THE FUTURE: The Rockies were pleased with the quality of the at-bats Lavigne took in instructional league. Given his inexperience, he needs a full season of at-bats in 2021 as much as anyone.

TRACK RECORD: Romo's reputation as an elite defensive catcher stretches back to his days as a high school freshman. Questions about his bat became amplified during his abbreviated senior year, but the Rockies still drafted him 35th overall and signed him for $2,095,800 to forgo a Louisiana State commitment.

SCOUTING REPORT: Romo is everything a team could want behind the plate. He's mature and shows advanced defensive ability with soft hands, excellent receiving and blocking skills and a plus, accurate arm. He loves to catch and doesn't want to take a day off. The switch-hitter has long faced offensive questions and took a step backward during his brief senior season with a slow, uphill swing that concerned many evaluators. But Romo impressed in a small sample at instructional league, showing a compact stroke with average raw power from both sides of the plate and a good grasp of the strike zone. The average major league catcher hit .229/.310/.385 in 2020 and Romo has a chance to attain that, especially with help from hitter-friendly Coors Field.

THE FUTURE: The track record of defense-first high school catchers is terrible, but the Rockies think Romo can buck the trend. His advanced defensive skills will buy time for his offense to develop.

TRACK RECORD: Hannah has already been on the move a lot in his young career. Drafted by the Athletics 50th overall out of Dallas Baptist in 2018, he was traded to the Reds for Tanner Roark at the 2019 trade deadline. The Reds then shipped him to the Rockies with Robert Stephenson after the 2020 season in exchange for Jeff Hoffman and minor league righthander Case Williams.

SCOUTING REPORT: Hannah is an impressive athlete who does a lot of things well if nothing great. He has a good approach at the plate, doesn't give away at-bats and makes frequent contact with a line-drive stroke. Home run power isn't in the cards, but he has the strength to wear out the gaps and rack up extrabase hits using his plus speed. Hannah is a solid defender at all three outfield positions, although his fringy arm strength precludes him from playing right field on a regular basis.

THE FUTURE: Hannah's likely future is a reserve outfielder who puts together competitive at-bats and moves around to all three positions. If he can find a way to impact the ball more consistently, a future as a regular isn't out of reach.

TRACK RECORD: Amador signed with the Rockies for $1.5 million in 2019, but the club is still waiting for its first look at him. What would have been his debut season was scuttled by the coronavirus pandemic, and a broken hamate bone in October held him out of competition in instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Amador is more advanced than many international signees at his age and experience level. The switch-hitter has a clean swing from both sides of the plate, good plate discipline and he has a unique ability for his age to manage a swing to do damage and another swing to fend off strikeouts. He's grown a couple of inches since signing and has added strength and power, though average power remains his likely ceiling. Defensively, Amador shows the kind of good footwork and plus arm strength that could help him stick at shortstop, but where he ends up remains to be seen depending on how his body develops.

THE FUTURE: The Rockies are eager to get Amador on the field. He has the makings of a potential everyday player but is a long ways away.

TRACK RECORD: After a successful college career at Vanderbilt, including winning a national title in 2014, Bowden pitched his way to the doorstep of the big leagues leading up to 2020. The shortened season, plus minor back and shoulder injuries, kept him from debuting, but he spent the year at the alternate training site and was a member of the Rockies' taxi squad for their last road trip.

SCOUTING REPORT: Bowden mainly relies on the two-pitch mix of his fastball and changeup. His fastball sits 92-94 mph and can reach as high as 97 mph. He pairs his heater with a plus changeup in the low 80s that he uses effectively against both righties and lefties. Bowden has a slider he can mix in, but it is decidedly his third pitch. Bowden is still working to be consistent with his fastball command and is sharpening his feel for how to best mix his pitches. He has consistently dominated lefthanded batters but has been hit-or-miss against righties.

THE FUTURE: Bowden appears ready to compete for a spot in the Rockies' bullpen in 2021. He should settle into a middle relief role.

TRACK RECORD: Kauffmann enjoyed a successful career at Michigan and helped the Wolverines finish as runner-up at the 2019 College World Series. The Rockies drafted Kauffmann in the supplemental second round and elected to rest him after a long college season, so he has yet to pitch an official game after the coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020 minor league season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Kauffmann has solid stuff and a reputation for being a dogged competitor. His sinking fastball that sits in the low 90s is his best offering, and he also has an above-average changeup that he varies well and an average slider. Full seasons of pro baseball are a different animal, but there is little doubt about Kauffmann's durability as a starting pitcher. He throws plenty of strikes with average control.

THE FUTURE: Kauffmann's durability, strike-throwing ability and competitiveness give him a good shot to be a solid back-of-the-rotation starter. He'll aim to make his pro debut in 2021.

TRACK RECORD: Weatherly pitched exclusively out of the bullpen his first two seasons at Clemson and piled up strikeouts and walks in just about equal measure. He found his stride as a starter in 2020 before the season shut down, leading the Rockies to draft him in the third round and sign him for $755,300.

SCOUTING REPORT: Stuff is not a question with Weatherly. He throws his fastball 92-96 mph from the left side with a plus slider. He also has a changeup in his repertoire, but it's a clear third pitch. The question with Weatherly is consistency of those pitches, and to put more of a fine point on it, whether he can command them well enough to continue as a starter. Weatherly is an intellectual pitcher who understands the craft, but his control is well below-average and will need lots of work.

THE FUTURE: The Rockies are committed to having Weatherly debut as a starter. His electric stuff should make him an effective short reliever if he fails to stick in the rotation.

TRACK RECORD: Diaz signed with the Rockies for $750,000 in 2017 as the club's first-ever Cuban signee. After two solid seasons in the Dominican Summer League, he went to Rookie-level Grand Junction in 2019 and continued to hit until a knee injury cost him the final month of the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: A proven fastball hitter, Diaz has work to do against good breaking balls. The one unsightly stat at Grand Junction compared to his previous seasons in the DSL was the jump in his strikeout rate, although it still wasn't alarming. Diaz is a contact hitter and doesn't have a home run in his career yet, but the Rockies believe he has some gap power that will fit with his middle infield profile. His plus speed makes him a weapon on the bases. The Rockies plan to play Diaz all around the infield. He has the athleticism to stay up the middle, even if that ends up meaning second base.

THE FUTURE: Diaz is a developing table-setter who can also provide defensive versatility. He's a better in-game player than he is a practice or showcase player, and that bodes well for his ability to compete as he moves up.

TRACK RECORD: Feltner had an up-and-down career at Ohio State that featured more stuff than polish, but the Rockies took a chance and drafted him in the fourth round in 2018. He showed well after signing but struggled to a 5.07 ERA in his first full season at low Class A Asheville. Feltner returned to the mound in 2020 in instructional league and dominated, putting wind in his sails heading into 2021.

SCOUTING REPORT: Feltner has power stuff with a fastball that ranges from 94-97 mph and averaged 95 mph during instructs. His above-average changeup is his best secondary offering and he made strides with the slider to make it a potentially average pitch. The Rockies lauded the way Feltner used the pandemicinduced layoff to get better in a remote setting. They were particularly pleased with how well he pounded the strike zone in the fall after below-average control had been a concern in the past.

THE FUTURE: Feltner has the durability and three-pitch mix to be a starting pitcher. It all comes down to how well he can maintain his control improvements over the course of a full season.

TRACK RECORD: A high school teammate of Orioles lefthander D.L. Hall and Buffalo Bills quarterback Jake Fromm, Locey went from being a midweek starter and reliever as a sophomore at Georgia to the Bulldogs' Friday night starter as a junior. The Cardinals drafted him in the third round pushed him to low Class A Peoria in his pro debut, where he struck out 28 batters in 15 innings. The Cardinals did not bring Locey to their alternate training site in 2020, but the Rockies still acquired him as one of five players for Nolan Arenado in the offseason.

SCOUTING REPORT: Locey's plus fastball has long been his calling card. It sits 93-96 mph and will touch 98. He locates it well and has developed average control. His arm can be a little late catching up to his lower half in his delivery. His slider has the movement of a potentially plus pitch, but right now it's more of a chase pitch than one he can throw convincingly near the strike zone. He also has thrown a get-meover curveball as a surprise early-count pitch.

THE FUTURE: Locey will need to develop a more reliable third pitch if he wants to stay a starter. Even if he can't, his fastball/slider combo gives him a solid chance to be a power reliever.

TRACK RECORD: Doyle found his stride as a closer at Virginia and continued to shine in that role as a professional, saving a combined 37 games in his first two seasons at the Class A levels. Doyle pitched well at the alternate training site in 2020 and was fast-tracked to the majors, but he struggled with the jump and allowed six hits and six runs in 2.1 innings over three appearances.

SCOUTING REPORT: Doyle boasts an excellent one-two punch in a 95-97 mph fastball and a wipeout slider that is the best in the Rockies system. He also has a changeup, but it's a below-average pitch and is very much a work in progress. The development of that third pitch, whether a changeup or something else, could be the key to Doyle becoming a truly dominant reliever. He keeps his high-octane stuff in the strike zone with average control.

THE FUTURE: The Rockies compare Doyle to Scott Oberg in terms of stuff and the fact neither had the smoothest introduction to the major leagues. He is likely to start 2021 back in the minors but should be back in the majors at some point.

TRACK RECORD: Hollowell spent three years anchoring St. John's bullpen and was selected in the sixth round in 2019 after a somewhat disappointing junior season. He bounced back once he arrived in pro ball and dominated the Rookie-level Pioneer League as Grand Junction's closer, notching seven saves in eight tries and with 30 strikeouts and five walks in 18.2 innings.

SCOUTING REPORT: Hollowell has the classic fastball/slider combination common in the best bullpen arms in the game. His fastball sits at 95 mph and can reach the high 90s and his slider is a plus offering in its own right. The Rockies worked with Hollowell on standing tall in his delivery, which has allowed him to get more out of his 6-foot-7 frame and throw downhill. Hollowell was a bit old for the Pioneer League in 2019, but the Rockies feel that his dominance was real.

THE FUTURE: Hollowell's two plus pitches and mentality to pitch at the end of games give him a chance to emerge as a high-leverage reliever. He'll move to full-season ball in 2021.

TRACK RECORD: The son of former big league shortstop Benji Gil, Mateo impressed the Cardinals with his development after they drafted him in the third round in 2018 and had strong showing at Rookie-level Johnson City in 2019. He was not brought to the Cardinals alternate training site in 2020, but the Rockies still acquired him after the season as one of five players for Nolan Arenado.

SCOUTING REPORT: It's hard to find evaluators who see Gil as a big league regular, but it's easy to find those who see him as a future MLB utility infielder. Gil has some whip to his bat and solid barrel control, but he doesn't do a lot of damage when he makes contact. Gil's body is still filling out, so there is hope he'll add more power in his 20s. Gil has an above-average arm which should allow him to stick at shortstop. His hands and range are average and he has a solid understanding of positioning and getting a good first step. He's an above-average runner.

THE FUTURE: Gil is ready for full-season ball. His long-term role is likely bouncing around the infield and hitting at the bottom of the order, but further physical development could raise that ceiling.

TRACK RECORD: Carreras signed for just $15,000 in the Rockies' 2018 international signing class, but he quickly proved a bargain. He hit well in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League and followed up with another strong showing stateside in 2019, batting .294/.369/.466 at Rookie-level Grand Junction.

SCOUTING REPORT: With a projectable body and leverage in his swing, Carreras projects for 20-home run power and could grow into more as he continues to fill out and get stronger. He has some length in his swing that leads to concerns about whiffs against better competition, but so far it hasn't been a problem. Carreras is a great athlete with good actions and plus arm strength in the infield. He's primarily a third baseman and projects to stay there, but he has the defensive skills to play second base or even shortstop in a pinch. The Rockies are working on letting his natural athleticism show in the field rather than him trying to force quicker actions.

THE FUTURE: Carreras is set to begin the 2021 season at low Class A. How his bat plays in his first taste of full-season ball will be telling.

TRACK RECORD: The top signing in the Rockies' 2018 international signing class, Tovar increased his strength upon turning pro and has excelled despite continually being among the youngest players in each league. In fact, the Rockies had to initially send him to short-season Boise in 2019 rather than Rookielevel Grand Junction in 2019 due to Colorado-specific labor laws that made him unable to play in the state as a 17-year-old. He returned to the field in 2020 for instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Tovar is the best defensive infielder in the Rockies system. The club believes he could not only be a major league shortstop right now, but that he will contend for Gold Gloves down the road. He has great actions, plus speed and range and plus arm strength that make him a good fit at shortstop. Originally a switch hitter, Tovar now hits exclusively from the right side, which the club thinks will help give him a chance to be an average hitter. He has put on 10-15 pounds since last year, but it remains to be seen if that will translate into additional power.

THE FUTURE: Tovar is a good enough defender to be a difference-maker. How high he climbs will depend on how his bat comes along.

TRACK RECORD: Fernandez signed with the Rockies for $295,000 in 2019, making him a key piece of the international signing class that also included Adael Amador. He was considered to be one of the best lefthanded power bats available in the class but did not get a chance to make his pro debut in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

SCOUTING REPORT: Fernandez cuts an imposing figure in the batter's box even at just 17 years old. He has plus power and is to project as a middle-of-the-order bat if everything goes well. The Rockies only expect him to get stronger and potentially tick up another power grade. While he's certainly a power hitter first, he uses his hands well, controls the strike zone and has a chance to be an average hitter. Fernandez has a strong arm in the outfield but a lack of foot speed may limit him to a corner and a below-average defender.

THE FUTURE: Fernandez is a long way from the big leagues, but his big power could lead him to make a splash in his debut in 2021.

TRACK RECORD: Aybar spent four seasons in the Red Sox system as an outfielder but didn't show enough plate discipline or the ability to translate raw power into in-game power. He converted to pitching and has moved steadily, ending the 2019 season at high Class A. The Rockies acquired him after the 2020 season in a trade for infielder Christian Koss and immediately placed him on their 40-man roster.

SCOUTING REPORT: Aybar has electric pure stuff that could allow him to have a role in a big league bullpen. His fastball sits in the mid 90s and has reached 99 mph. He also employs a slider/cutter hybrid he's comfortable using as a putaway offering. It's the finer points, such as incorporating more deception into his delivery, moving the ball around and improving command that still need work, but that's understandable given how raw he is as a pitcher. His control is below-average and needs work.

THE FUTURE: Aybar is in a position to debut in Denver at some point, but in order to get there he will need to cut down on his walks.

TRACK RECORD: After serving as a reliever for Mississippi for two years, Ethridge jumped into the rotation for the 2019 season and excelled, pushing him up draft boards. The Rockies drafted him in the fifth round and sent him to short-season Boise, where he posted a 3.82 ERA in nine starts.

SCOUTING REPORT: At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Ethridge looks the part of a traditional rotation workhorse, and the Rockies are looking for him to become one. He doesn't have standout stuff and that limits his ceiling, but has a solid, well-rounded pitch mix that includes a fastball that sits in the low-90s, and an average slider and changeup that can both generate swings and misses. The Rockies see particular upside in further refining his slider. Etheridge locates everything well with average control, understands how to mix his pitches and is always in attack mode on the mound.

THE FUTURE: Moving to full-season ball in 2021 will be a good chance for Ethridge to prove his durability as a starter. He projects as a potential back-of-the-rotation or depth arm.