The Colorado Rockies organization is in a weird spot, which mostly stems from ownership being too involved and a lack of direction. Luckily, the farm system is stocked with quality prospects, thanks to a really good player development and scouting group. In the draft, they continue to take swings at arms because they aren’t a free-agent destination for pitchers. This led them to draft Chase Dollander in the first and Sean Sullivan in the second round. The Rockies do well in the international market, finding their top prospect Adael Amador and one of their high upside lottery tickets in Robert Calaz. The Rockies' farm teams all play in offensive environments outside of Hartford, so evaluating any of their prospects is harder than most organizations. It is unclear when the Rockies' contending window opens up, but with a strong farm system, things are looking up in Denver because of one of the better scouting organizations in all of the sport. Other issues are easy to spot in the Rockies' front office, but they continually churn out, especially from the International Market, interesting prospects.
About Our Top 30 Lists
Prospects Live, led by its evaluating team, is proud to begin rolling out its annual offseason system reports. The team has meticulously worked on every detail in this list and all future teams, sparing no effort as we combine industry feedback, our live looks, film, and available data to compile each org. We believe this effort has enabled us to present you, the reader, with our best possible list.
We have constructed this list using the Overall Future Potential (OFP) scale. There is no perfect equation for ranking prospects or assigning value to them, but we believe this method is the best possible approach. Every prospect on this list has been graded based on the tried and true 20-80 scouting scale. An 80 is the highest tool and OFP grade on the scale, reserved for MVP-caliber players or tools. Conversely, a 20 is reserved for non-prospects (NPs). A 50 OFP falls in the middle, indicating our evaluators deem this player a future average major league player. Below the 50 OFP tier are the 45s and 40s, comprising a large majority of players on each list. These are specific-role players, such as platoon hitters, utility players, or low-leverage relievers. Above the 50 OFP tier are the 55s and 60s. A 55 represents a future above-average player, and a 60 OFP designation is reserved for future All-Star caliber players.
In addition to the tool grades and OFP, we will also include a 'Risk' associated with each prospect. We use this to better communicate to you, the reader, whether a grade is more aggressive or conservative in nature. The evaluation team has worked painstakingly to apply both the grades and risk components to better illustrate how each individual prospect stacks up in their respective system and in the baseball ecosystem.
This year, we decided to accompany the scouting reports with dynasty commentary on each, as well as quick reference to the player's Top 500 fantasy prospect rank & top 1000 dynasty rank, PLIVE+ metrics and Jordan Rosenblum's peak projections. The PLIVE+ rank noted is the rank among hitters, starters or relievers.
Below you'll find the top 10 players in the system with full reports of the top 5. The full rankings and reports on all top 30 prospects per team will be available on our Patreon at the 55-tier ($5 level) as we publish them. If you're into fantasy baseball, this tier also gets you the dynasty show, the FYPD list, and the MiLB Daily Sheet during the regular season.
Top 10 Team Rank and First 5 Reports for Free Below
1. Adael Amador, SS/2B - 60 OFP
Age: 21 Highest Level: AA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 4 OFP: 50
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 22
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 60 | 55 | 55 | 55 | High |
Report The Rockies signed Amador out of the Dominican Republic for $1.5 million in 2019. Amador isn’t imposing physically as he has average height but a stocky frame and limited projection. Nothing about the frame will push him off an up the middle position. At the plate, the setup is as smooth and quiet as it gets, and he’s able to maintain the simplicity of it from both sides of the plate. Amador has one of the best hit tools in the minors with an 89% contact rate, and an even better 94% in the zone. In addition to his high-contact skills, he also has a strong approach, and enough discipline to walk more than he strikes out and wait for a pitch he can drive. He improved his average exit velocity numbers significantly from 2022, and set a new career max. He isn’t selling out for power and from either side of the plate the approach is to work the opposite gap and the middle of the field. He was slightly better against right-handed pitching, as a left-handed bat, but it is remarkable how consistent he is from both sides. Despite the advanced hit tool, there is still plenty of room for improvement in his game, and that will come with starting to pull the ball with authority, which will come. He also needs to prove that he can hold up over a full season. He missed a few weeks at the start of the season, and then missed two full months with a right hamate bone injury that required surgery. Defensively the arm likely pushes him to second base, but everything else should keep him on the dirt where he will be an average defender. He’s an above-average runner who will steal somewhere between 15-20 bags and provide value in a variety of different ways. - Matt Thompson
Fantasy Outlook When you look across minor league baseball, you won’t find many better hit tools than Adael Amador. He’s as pure as they come with zone contact rates in the mid 90’s and K rates below 15%. He also has good speed and growing power which makes his fantasy profile extremely interesting, especially since he will play his home games in Colorado. Amador is patient at the plate and is not afraid to take a walk which only helps his production. Currently, he looks like a .300 hitter who can hit 20 home runs and stealing 20 bases. He will hit at or near the top of the Rockies order which will maximize his plate appearances. There isn’t much not to like about him; if he can grow his power he will be even more dangerous. He’s not flashy, but that might help you acquire him before he debuts, which could be 2024. - Greg Hoogkamp
2. Chase Dollander, RHP - 55 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: NCAA
2023 MLB Draft Rank: 14
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 212
| Fastball | Curveball | Slider | Changeup | Command | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 50 | 55 | 50 | 50 | Mod |
Dollander entered 2023 as the best pitching prospect in the class, though undesired results throughout the spring saw him nearly drop out of the top 10. This was due in part to his command and stuff backing up slightly from a dominant 2022 campaign and it was particularly evident early in outings. Dollander struggled to command away in the opening frame and hitters took advantage of this, though lengthier outings saw solid results. The fastball teetered on 70-grade in 2022, and there’s a chance it can return to that form. It misses a ton of bats with consistent mid-90s velocity, displaying a mix of ride and run, as well as an extremely flat approach angle. The slider sits in the upper-80s and lost some of its late sweep this spring, dropping it to an above average offering. His curveball went from 12/6 shape to a more tilted shape and the change-up struggled against lefties, but both pitches project as average. The biggest thing with Dollander is re-finding that 2022 form. If he can, Colorado has a potential ace, but it’ll be interesting to see how he develops in this system. - Tyler Jennings
Fantasy Outlook Dollander’s landing spot might not be ideal, but the Rockies have a truly talented arm with enough “raw clay” to mold into the arm they need. A high-velo FB with strong movement is nice anywhere, but the former Tennessee Volunteer’s tight-spinning, sweeping slider has the sort of spin that plays well in Coors, too. There’s fine-to-great command, loose, fluid athleticism, and another pair of pitches that can be molded — do not let Dollander scare you more than he does your league mates, because there is enough under the hood to target in leagues of 150-200 prospects rostered. - Drew Wheeler
3. Yanquiel Fernandez, OF - 50 OFP
Age: 21 Highest Level: AA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 14 OFP: 45
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 130
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 60 | 45 | 70 | 45 | Extreme |
Report Yanquiel Fernandez would not look out of place on a football field, playing as a hard-hitting safety. He is big and strong, with well-developed muscles throughout his body. There is no more space for projection on his frame. He is a better athlete than he was last year when he seemed slow and unimpressive in person. This improvement is a major factor in his jump from a 40-runner last year to a 45-runner this year. Yanquiel is an aggressive hitter. He has little desire to draw a walk, which leads to suboptimal contact due to his poor swing decisions. Not quite at the level of Javy Baez's plate approach, but he tends to chase pitches on the edges of the strike zone. However, he has been making more contact with them due to improved bat speed. Fernandez is a middle-of-the-order masher type with exceptional power. He doesn't have to sell out for power either. He possesses tremendous raw strength and can consistently hit the ball out of any ballpark. Yanquiel is below average in the field, but he should be fine playing in right field due to his strong arm. There are several flaws in Yanquiel Fernandez's game, primarily due to his aggressive approach and occasional poor swing decisions. However, his power and arm strength make him a reliable option as a corner outfielder. - Rhys White
Fantasy Outlook Fernandez took fantasy owners on a wild ride last year, getting off to a slow start in April (.238 BA, .675 OPS, 2 HR, 25% K) before becoming one of the hottest hitters on the planet in May and June (.343 BA, 1.066 OPS, 19 HR, 19% K) earning himself a AA promotion along the way and seeing his dynasty value skyrocket. Unfortunately, the performance tanked from July on (.191 BA, .556 OPS, 4 HR, 32% K) leaving a lot of risk and uncertainty in his dynasty value moving forward. One thing that isn’t uncertain is the power, which was on display in his first spring training game with a 419 foot bomb. He’s not the first 20 year old to struggle in his first taste of AA, so there is a potential buy low opportunity here. Just be aware there is significant risk in the profile as well. - Taylor Corso
4. Jordan Beck, OF - 50 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: AA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 12 OFP: 45
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 156
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 60 | 60 | 50 | 55 | High |
Report Beck put up gaudy numbers throughout his time at Tennessee, which pushed him into being a first-round selection in the competitive balance round by the Rockies in the 2022 draft. By way of Hazel Green, Alabama, the physical Beck is best known for being a premier athlete who has an impressive five-tool skill set. Beck has power to all fields, which led to 61 XBH, with 25 of those being home runs for High-A Spokane and Double-A Hartford in 2023. There is a little too much swing-and-miss in Beck’s game right now, partially because of a slight hitch with his hands, which causes him to get off plane and prevents him from staying on breaking balls at times. He uses his full body and muscular build to generate lots of power, mixed with average bat speed, allowing him to be a perennial 25-30 home run hitter in the middle of a Major League lineup. Beck is also a very athletic player whose speed allows him to cover plenty of ground, which will allow him to be an average to slightly below-average center fielder or a plus corner outfielder. Beck has fringy arm strength but is accurate and plays balls very well off the wall, which limits opponents’ abilities to take extra bases against him. After not stealing many bases in college, Beck has seemingly figured something out in 2023 by swiping 20 bags and only being caught five times. Beck is somebody who could take advantage of the new rule changes that promote stealing more bases thanks to his superior athleticism and twitchy frame. A decade from now, we would not be surprised if Beck is an everyday fixture in the middle of a lineup with plenty of accolades next to his name. - Michael Factor
Fantasy Outlook Beck earned a promotion to Double-A in the summer of 2023 by tearing up the lower levels. He’s a 5-tool hitter, but ran into a little bit of swing-and-miss trouble once he got to Hartford. Beck is not afraid to get deep into counts which leads to double-digit walk rates, but also contributed to a 31.8 K% in Double-A. His power and speed should play once he reaches the majors, but it will be his hit tool that determines his long-term success. He’s a borderline top 100 prospect at this point and may debut in Colorado late in 2024. - Greg Hoogkamp
5. Zac Veen, OF - 50 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: AA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 2 OFP: 55
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 221
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 50 | 60 | 55 | 70 | High |
Report Veen was widely regarded as the best high school prospect in the 2020 draft and went ninth overall to Colorado. The tall, skinny outfielder missed the second half of 2023 because of a left wrist injury but was off to a cold start before being placed on the injured list. Veen features a little bit of a longer swing, primarily due to his long levers, but presents near-average bat-to-ball skills and bat speed that could prove promising, given that he has shown steady improvement in both areas since being drafted. Veen likes to make pitchers work and grind out at-bats, which led to a robust 12.4% BB rate, and does a good job battling against left-handed pitchers, who he performed better against in each of the last two seasons. Veen struggled with the bat in 2023 before being shut down, which has caused some concern about his overall ceiling at the plate, but fortunately for Veen, his glove did not slump. Veen is a double-plus runner who can play all three outfield spots but profiles in one of the corners. Veen has above average arm strength and reliable accuracy on throws, but his defining tool is his 70-grade speed. Veen gets down the line in a hurry, clocking in just above four seconds on his home-to-first times. Veen put up 55 stolen bases in his most recent full season and was 22 for 24 before being shut down in 2023. Veen has improved his stolen base success rate which currently sits at 80% for his career. All in all, 2024 will be Veen’s age 22 season, so there is optimism that his body will fill out a little more, allowing him to tap into some more power, but this could be a make-or-break year for the former first-rounder since he is 40-man eligible after next season. - Michael Factor
Fantasy Outlook Veen began 2023 ranked inside the top 50 and finished just outside the top 150. Injury and lack of impact at the plate really dinged his value. It’s a little concerning that he remained punchless in 2023 (.099 ISO), particularly because his 34-game Double-A sample in 2022 was the same (.056 ISO). Perhaps of more worry is that he’s struggled mightily against fastballs above 94 mph in 2023 with a .327 OPS against, per Eric Longenhagen. The speed is a very real asset and we think he could steal 40 bags if given a full season’s at bats. With his gold glove defense we like his odds of one day becoming a regular. An average output might look something like .230/.320/400 with 10 HR and 30 SB. - Eddy Almaguer
6. Robert Calaz, OF - 50 OFP
Age: 18 Highest Level: DSL
2023 Pre-season Rank: 28 OFP: 40
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 213
7. Cole Carrigg, UTL - 50 OFP
Age: 21 Highest Level: A
2023 MLB Draft Rank: 122
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 310
8. Sterlin Thompson, 2B/OF - 50 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: AA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 6 OFP: 50
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 173
9. Gabriel Hughes, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: AA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 7 OFP: 40
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 527
10. Drew Romo, C - 45 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: AAA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 3 OFP: 55
Dynasty Prospect Rank: NR