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• 2007 Rockies organizational flashback
• 2007 Rockies statistical overview • 2007 Rockies photo gallery Before the 2007 season began, MLB.com took an in-depth look at every big league team's Minor League system. Now, it's time to recap all 30 organizations, from top prospects to the recent draft class.
Colorado didn't need its improbable late-season surge and impressive playoff run to feel good about its future. Considering all the talent the National League champs have in their Minor League ranks, there'd be reasons for optimism regardless of how well the parent club fared this season. The Rockies have top-tier prospects at several positions, and two of these potential stars -- Franklin Morales and Seth Smith -- made important contributions to the big club's unexpected World Series appearance. Here's a closer look at how these and other Rockies farmhands fared this season. Organizational Players of the Year PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Ian Stewart, 3B: After a down year at Double-A Tulsa in 2006, the Rockies hoped to re-energize Stewart by having him play close to Denver in Colorado Springs. Good idea, since he hit .304 with 15 homers and 65 RBIs in 414 at-bats for the Triple-A Sky Sox. The 2003 first-rounder also saw action in 35 big-league games, though he hit just .209.
Greg Reynolds, RHP: Reynolds certainly was on his way to being one of the organization's top pitchers, opening the season at 4-1 with a 1.42 ERA in eight Double-A starts. But the 6-foot-7 right-hander missed a month with shoulder problems before making his final start of the season on June 19. He eventually underwent arthroscopic surgery and is expected to be ready for Spring Training.
POSTSEASON SELECTIONS
Joe Koshansky, 1B: The slugger has been steady since the Rockies grabbed him in the sixth round of the 2004 draft. Though Todd Helton has blocked his path to the Majors, Koshansky hasn't lost focus. He put up solid numbers again in his first season at Colorado Springs, hitting a career-best .295 with 21 homers and 99 RBIs. Though his run production was down a tad, he lowered his strikeout total, raised his walks and hits and earned a late-season callup to the Majors.
Brandon Hynick, RHP: In case anyone doesn't recall, we tabbed Hynick, an eighth-round pick in 2006, as "under the radar" heading into the season. Well, he burst onto the scene big time, going 16-5 with an organizational-best 2.52 ERA in the hitter-friendly California League. Hynick fanned 136 and walked 31 in 182 1/3 innings, edging teammate Alan Johnson as the organization's top pitching prospect. Climbed the Ladder
Chris Nelson, SS: Nelson followed two so-so seasons at Class A Asheville with a breakout year at Class A Advanced Modesto. Sure, it's the Cal League, but he did hit .289 with 19 homers and 99 RBIs. Like Koshansky, Nelson lowered his strikeouts while increasing his walks and hits. The Rockies are hoping this is a sign of bigger things for Nelson next year at Tulsa. Whether he remains at shortstop is another question. His 31 errors were second-most among Cal League shortstops this season, and with Troy Tulowitzki shaping into an all-world player in Colorado, don't be surprised if Nelson shifts to the right side of the infield or heads to the outfield.
Franklin Morales, LHP: The 21-year-old Venezuelan began the year in Tulsa, stopped over in Colorado Springs and wound up in the World Series. After going 5-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 20 Minor League games, Morales made eight regular-season starts for the Rockies and went 3-2 with a 3.43 ERA to earn a spot in the postseason rotation. The hard-throwing lefty struggled against the Phillies in Game 2 of the NL Division Series, yielding three runs over three innings, but only allowed one run in four frames against the Diamondbacks in the Rockies' pennant-clinching win. He then gave up seven runs in three World Series innings.
Seth Smith, OF: A second-round pick in 2004 out of Mississippi, Smith has made steady progress during his time in the Minors. That progress reached its zenith this year in Colorado Springs, where he hit .317 while achieving career highs in homers (17) and RBIs (82). He got called up to the big leagues in September, went 4-for-7 with three runs scored over six regular-season games and earned a spot on the playoff roster. He collected three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored in the postseason. Kept Their Footing
Chaz Roe, RHP: The 2005 first-rounder moved up from Asheville to Modesto, and though he went 7-11 in 29 starts, his 4.33 ERA was serviceable considering he was in the Cal League. He struck out 133 and walked 73 in 170 1/3 innings, but he'll need to show more next year in Tulsa to keep his place on the ladder.
Eric Young Jr., 2B: The speedster overcame a slow start by hitting .342 in the second half to finish with a .291 average at Modesto. He stole 73 bases, giving him 160 over the last two years, and achieved career highs in hits (157) and RBIs (63). Most impressive was his judgment on the bases. He was caught stealing 18 times this year, compared to 31 in 2006. His walk total, however, dropped from 67 to 46, while his strikeouts jumped from 75 to 105.
Christian Colonel, 3B: Maybe he was more comfortable in his second straight year in the Texas League, or maybe Colonel simply began to develop into the player the Rockies hoped they were getting when they grabbed him in the fifth round in 2003. Either way, the Texas Tech product hit .309 with career highs in homers (17), RBIs (84) and at-bats (527) for Tulsa. His 18 errors, however, were second-highest in the circuit among third basemen. Slipped a Rung Samuel Deduno, RHP: The 24-year-old Dominican was 6-9 with a 5.53 ERA in 23 starts this season (21 for Tulsa, two for Modesto). His strikeout total dropped from 167 last year to 129 in 2007, and his ERA was up from last season's 4.80, mostly because of his difficulties in the first inning. His opening-frame ERA was 14.16, and that obviously needs to change. Deduno gave up 13 homers in Double-A, five of which came in the first inning. Jonathan Herrera, SS: The 23-year-old Venezuelan hit .310 at Modesto in 2006 after spending half a season there in 2005. So the Rockies moved him up to Tulsa this year, but he batted a career-low .257. His walk total dropped from 58 to 36, while his stolen bases fell from 34 to 18. Ching-Lung Lo, RHP: The Taiwanese native is nicknamed the Dragon, but he didn't breathe much fire this year. After going 10-5 in Modesto in 2006, he fell to 8-8 in Tulsa this season while his ERA inched from 5.39 to 5.61. His innings were down, his strikeout total fell 30 percent and his walks increased from 54 to 66 in 16 fewer innings. On the Radar
Steve Register, RHP: Register was a starter for his first 69 professional games and went 19-28 with a 4.74 ERA. The Rockies thought it was time for a switch and moved him into the closer's role at Double-A Tulsa, where he collected a Minor League-best 37 saves this season. Though his 4.03 ERA was still a bit high, he seems to have found his niche. The Mets must also see some potential as they picked him up in the Major League phase of the recent Rule 5 Draft.
Jeff Kindel, 1B: Kindel was a 14th-round selection out of Georgia Tech in 2006 and put up decent numbers (.287, one homer, 30 RBIs) in 174 at-bats for Tri-City last summer. He burst onto the scene this season at Modesto, where he hit .317 (second in the system) with 14 homers and 83 RBIs. However, his 18 errors were tops among Cal League first basemen. 2007 Draft Recap
1. Casey Weathers, RHP: The Nashville native impressed in his first pro season, striking out 21 in 14 2/3 innings while limiting hitters to a .122 average. He compiled a 4.30 ERA in 14 games between the South Atlantic and California Leagues.
2. Brian Rike, OF: The Louisiana Tech product could not have done much more in his debut, hitting .296 with four homers and 29 RBIs in 186 Northwest League at-bats. He had a .404 on-base percentage and stole seven bases, though he struck out 54 times. 3. Lars Davis, C: The Canadian didn't have an easy time at Tri-City, hitting .219 while striking out once every 3.8 at-bats. He did drive in 27 runs, but his 49 strikeouts eclipsed his 41 hits. Others of note: LHP Isaiah Froneberger (fourth round, Forest Park High School, Ga.) struck out 13 batters in nine innings for Class A Short-Season Casper, but allowed eight runs on 13 hits. ... RHP Cory Riordan (sixth round, Fordham) was 2-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 14 appearances (11 starts) for Tri-City. He struck out 65 and walked 17 in 65 2/3 innings. ... 1B Jeff Cunningham (seventh round, South Alabama) showed some pop in Casper, hitting eight homers and driving in 29 runs in 193 at-bats. He also had 14 doubles while hitting .254. ... RHP Parker Frazier (eighth round, Bishop Kelly High School, Okla.) went 3-5 with a 10.07 ERA in 16 games (10 starts) for Casper. He allowed eight homers in 44 2/3 innings while the opposition hit .386 against him. ... 2B Jordan Pacheco (ninth round, New Mexico) batted .287 with three homers and 32 RBIs between Casper and Tri-City. ... RHP Jeff Fischer (10th round, Eastern Michigan) was 0-10 with a 5.77 ERA in 15 starts at Casper. He allowed 18 homers in 73 1/3 innings. Kevin T. Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
