Bill Schmidt and the Colorado Rockies front office: An interim grade at the 2023 midway point
By Bill Felber
Farm system
Schmidt’s system has produced nine players in their first season with the major league club, and almost all of them have had the usual adaptation problems.
Three have seen regular duty. Ezequiel Tovar (+0.4 WAA), who has taken over as the starting shortstop, is batting.262, while Brenton Doyle (-0.4 WAA) in center is stuck down at .216. Justin Lawrence (+0.7) has been a bullpen asset with a 3.02 ERA in 35 appearances.
Statistically the big rookie impact has been a negative one. It came from starter/reliever Noah Davis, who’s had four starts to show what he could do. Summoned in mid-April, he was shelled, sent down, brought back last week, shelled again and sent down again, Davis’ presence has to date cost the Rockies -1.0 WAA.
The rest have filled bit roles: Blair Calvo, Riley Pint, Coco Montes and Gavin Hollowell.
They’ve generally done what rookies often do, rode the shuttle between Triple-A and the big leagues. Hollowell got a few days’ introduction earlier this month, Pint was up for a few days in May, and Montes has stuck since being called up in mid-June.
Calvo is the exception; debuting in May he made one appearance before being sold to the Tigers, who immediately sent him down.