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Colorado Rockies 2018 minor league awards

By Benjamin Chase |
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 04: Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahhon (24) scoops up a ball during batting practice at Miller Park before the Rockies played the Milwaukee Brewers for the first game of the NLDS October 04, 2018. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 04: Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahhon (24) scoops up a ball during batting practice at Miller Park before the Rockies played the Milwaukee Brewers for the first game of the NLDS October 04, 2018. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
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DENVER, CO – JULY 25: Colorado Rockies second baseman Garrett Hamppson #7 scoops up the ball and throws out Houston Astros third baseman Alex Breggman #2 at first in the first inning at Coors Field July 25, 2018. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JULY 25: Colorado Rockies second baseman Garrett Hamppson #7 scoops up the ball and throws out Houston Astros third baseman Alex Breggman #2 at first in the first inning at Coors Field July 25, 2018. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /

The Colorado Rockies were able to win a playoff game in 2018 as the Wild Card team, but would like to do even more in 2019. Could the farm system help with those goals?

As part of our continuing coverage at Call to the Pen of the minor leagues, we will be covering each organization’s top players for 2018. The coverage will go in reverse order of record. Today, we will look at the Colorado Rockies.

We are going to review the system’s leaders for each organization statistically, then choose one hitter and one pitcher to honor for every team. This will be primarily based on statistical performance, though some “age relative to level” could come into play, so a very impressive season from a 28-year-old in AA will rank below a nearly as impressive season from a 20-year-old at the same level.

After we review each organization’s hitter and pitcher of the year, we will close out October with Call To The Pen’s Minor League team of the year. That will lead into November starting our team top 10 prospect lists. In other words, there will be plenty of minor league content on the way at CTTP, so keep coming back for more each day this offseason!!

Colorado Rockies minor leagues

Rarely a highly-rated minor league system, the Colorado Rockies leaned heavily on young players produced in their farm system in order to compete in 2018. The will turn to the farm system for more in 2019.

With multiple significant free agents, there could be openings with the big league clubs for prospects to take if the team doesn’t explore the free agent market.

Before we offer up awards on the season, let’s take a look at the system’s statistical leaders:

Organization Leaders (min. 150 PA, 50 IP)

BA: Luis Castro .351
OBP: Grant Lavigne .477
SLG: Todd Czinege .650
OPS: Todd Czinege 1.026
R: Bret Boswell 97
H: Josh Fuentes 180
2B: Josh Fuentes 39
3B: Josh Fuentes 12
HR: Casey Golden 34
RBI: Casey Golden, Josh Fuentes 95
SB: Eddy Diaz 54
TB: Josh Fuentes 285

W: Rico Garcia 13
G: Matt Pierpont, Justin Lawrence 55
GS: Matt Dennis 28
IP: Rico Garcia 167
SV: Matt Pierpont 32
K: Rico Garcia 162
ERA: Kleiver Osorio 1.63
WHIP: Kleiver Osorio 0.91
K/9: DJ Johnson 13.7
K/BB: Nate Harris 11.57

Let’s look at the award winners…

PORTLAND, ME – APRIL 24: Josh Fuenntes of the Hartford Yard Goats looks for the out call, one he would get, after Anneury Tavares of the Portland Sea Dogs was caught stealing in the bottom of the sixth inning at Hadlock Field Monday, April 24, 2017. (Staff Photo by Gabe Souza/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, ME – APRIL 24: Josh Fuenntes of the Hartford Yard Goats looks for the out call, one he would get, after Anneury Tavares of the Portland Sea Dogs was caught stealing in the bottom of the sixth inning at Hadlock Field Monday, April 24, 2017. (Staff Photo by Gabe Souza/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images) /

Colorado Rockies Minor League Hitter of the Year: Josh Fuentes

Level(s): AAA Albuquerque
Stats: .327/.354/.517, 135 G, 586 PA, 39 2B, 12 3B, 14 HR, 21/103 BB/K

For an undrafted player, Josh Fuentes has made a very nice minor league career for himself. The 2018 season was the pinnacle of that work, as Fuentes scored 93 runs and drove in 95 as he may not have posted the best OPS, but he led the organization in multiple stats on the season.

Fuentes has a very simple hitting style, but he is very contact oriented, rarely walking, and also keeping his strikeout rate very reasonable (17.6%). He may be more of a line drive hitter than a home run guy, but he’s definitely got a bat that should make some noise for a bench role in Colorado for 2019.

Runners-up

Drafted in the 8th round out of the University of Texas, Bret Boswell played his way across both A-ball levels in 2018. He found the Cal League environment strongly to his liking to finish the year, combining to hit .296/.345/.529 with 25 doubles, 5 triples, 27 home runs, and 9 steals.

A 20th round pick in 2017 out of UNC-Wilmington, Casey Golden took advantage of his favorable home park in Asheville. He posted a .278/.359/.562 line with 23 doubles, 34 home runs, and 24 stolen bases, though his 38/180 BB/K ratio is of some concern going forward for the Colorado Rockies.

Slowly working his way up the Colorado Rockies system, Mike Tauchman has had two big seasons in AAA Albuquerque, but he has struggled in his big league time. Tauchman slashed .323/.408/.571 with 26 doubles, 7 triples, 20 home runs, and 12 stolen bases in the minors, but struggled to a .094/.194/.125 slash in 37 major league plate appearances.

One guy who could be leaned on heavily in 2019 is Garrett Hampson. Continuing the legacy of Long Beach State middle infielders, the 2016 3rd round pick worked his way to the Colorado Rockies in just his second full minor league season. He pushed through AA and AAA before showing well in the majors in limited time. Combined in the minors, he hit .311/.382/.462 with 25 doubles, 6 triples, 10 home runs, and 36 stolen bases. He spent 24 games in the majors, hitting .275/.396/.400 with 3 doubles, a triple, and 2 steals.

Colorado Rockies Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Rico Garcia

Level(s): high-A Lancaster, AA Hartford
Stats: 13-9, 27 G, 26 GS, 167 IP, 2.96 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 42/162 BB/K

Rico Garcia was drafted by the Colorado Rockies out of Hawaii Pacific University in the 30th round in 2016. After moving well in 2017, he opened in high-A in 2018, finishing with 11 AA starts.

Garcia was able to keep the ball in the zone while also picking up plenty of strikeouts and using weak contact to his advantage. His big thing to worry on is the 20 home runs allowed, but he did allow 12 of those in the hitter-friendly Cal League.

More from Call to the Pen

Runners-up

Garcia may have had the top stat line, but the guy who is the top prospect in the Colorado Rockies farm system on the pitching side is Peter Lambert, who was drafted out of high school in the 2nd round in 2015 and found himself all the way up to AAA in 2018 for 11 starts. Combined on the season, he posted a 3.28 ERA over 148 innings, also posting a 1.21 WHIP and 27/106 BB/K.

The Colorado Rockies drafted Garrett Schilling in the 18th round in 2017, and after struggling some in the Northwest League, Schilling had a solid season with low-A Asheville in 2018. He tossed 144 1/3 innings, posting a 3.87 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 45/135 BB/K ratio.

Big 6’6″ righty Heath Holder was drafted in 2016 in the 25th round out of the University of Georgia. He’s moved up quickly through the system, working as a multi-inning reliever. In 2018, he posted a 9-2 record over 46 games, tossing 85 2/3 innings, with a 3.57 ERA, but also with a 1.09 WHIP and a 30/117 BB/K ratio.

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The Colorado Rockies made the postseason and won the Wild Card game in their 2018 season. They’re hoping their minor league system can produce the fill-ins needed to get back to the postseason in 2019.

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