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Colorado Rockies MLB roster expansion guide

September 2, 2016

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Yesterday, September 1, marked the first day of what in known in MLB as roster expansion. This means that each team can now carry up to 40 players on their active roster (as opposed to the 25 they are allowed the rest of the year) giving clubs maximum flexibility for the home stretch of the season.

Typically, this means that teams who are in the thick of the postseason hunt are adding bullpen help and maybe even calling up veterans from Triple-A in order to bolster the bench. Teams who are out of it tend to use this time as a kind of tryout for young talent they hope will be ready to compete next season.

While it has been a while since the Rockies have gone with either of these scenarios — Jon Gray and Jeff Hoffman were called up before roster expansion — they may be in line to do a bit of both this season. Being 6.5 games out of the Wild Card with four teams between them and a spot in the postseason, the Colorado Rockies aren’t so close that they need to go all in on roster expansion nor are they so far away they can only use it to get a look at B-and-C-grade prospects like they have done with Cristhian Adames and Rafael Ynoa.

No slight to those guys, the names in consideration this season are significantly more intriguing and appealing to Rockies fans. From the highly touted Raimel Tapia and Kyle Freeland to the guys looking to prove something going into next season (Jordan Patterson/Sam Moll) to a slew of returning familiar faces, here are the players you could see joining the Rockies in the coming days:

Tom Murphy – by Nick Tremaroli

Of all of the potential call-ups, Tom Murphy is probably the slam dunk pick to don the purple pinstripes this month. Murphy earned his cup of coffee last year with the Rockies when he was called up during the second week of the final month of the 2015 season. In just 11 appearances with the top club, Murphy slashed .257/.333/.543 with 3 HR and 9 RBI. For a guy who hadn’t played baseball for a week before getting the call from the Rockies, those numbers are quite respectable.

Coming into 2016, there was wide speculation that Murphy might break Spring Training with the Rockies. However, after a disappointing camp, Murphy was sent to Triple-A Albuquerque, which is where he has been all year. After a tough start to the year, the Rockies’ 2012 3rd round pick has really turned things around over the past few months. Overall, he has slashed .331/.366/.656 with 19 HR and 59 RBI for the Isotopes. In short, it seems like the ball has looked as big as a beachball for Murphy of late.

Murphy’s late-season success could be a good sign for the Rockies as the catching position has been in flux, to say the least. Nick Hundley has been barely replacement level while Tony Wolters may not be playing enough and who knows if he can translate his positives into a starting role? Assuming Murphy sees significant playing time behind the plate, his presence could be a major boost to an inconsistent offense. If the Rockies continue to insist that they aren’t quite out of the playoff hunt, Murphy certainly could play a key role in a late-season run.

Raimel Tapia – by Andrew Dill

Colorado’s number four prospect according to MLB.com’s 2016 Prospect Watch, Tapia profiles to be a key piece in the Rockies outfield in the near future. Tapia began the season in Double-A Hartford, eventually leading to a call-up to the Triple-A affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes. During his 104 games in Double-A, Tapia slashed at a line of .323/.363/.450 with 20 doubles, five triples, eight home runs, 34 runs batted in while scoring 79 times.

After crushing Double-A ball, Colorado gave him a promotion to Triple-A where he continued to excel. Tapia continued to rake, hitting .340 with five doubles, five triples, 14 runs batted in as well as 14 runs scored. Tapia will likely find himself in a corner outfield spot when he arrives in Denver because, you know, centerfield is where Charlie Blackmon currently roams and where David Dahl will in the future. At first, Tapia may be used primarily as a bat off the bench.

Jordan Patterson – by Andrew Dill

Colorado’s number 18 prospect according to MLB.com’s 2016 Prospect Watch, Patterson burst onto the scene last year in Double-A, collecting 45 doubles as well as 74 extra-base hits. Patterson’s bat has remained hot this season in Triple-A for the Isotopes, slashing at a line of .294/.378/.480 with 23 doubles, seven triples, 13 home runs and 59 RBI’s.

When Mark Reynolds went down not too long ago with his hand injury, fans were clamoring for the first baseman to get a call because you know, Colorado didn’t have a backup first baseman besides the slumping Ben Paulsen. The problem is, however, Colorado has a lefty-heavy lineup with Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez, David Dahl, Gerardo Parra, and sometimes Tony Wolters.

If Patterson is to be added in the coming days, the Rockies will need to make room for him on the 40-man roster.

Pat Valaika – by Andrew Dill

Valaika is a player that doesn’t even crack Colorado’s 2016 Prospect Watch on MLB.com, but he’s a prime candidate for a September call-up, simply due to the fact Colorado is thin at the shortstop position with the season-ending injury to rookie sensation Trevor Story.

Valaika has played a few positions in the minors, mainly shortstop sprinkled in with a little third base and second base. Pat started the season at Double-A Hartford, appearing in 108 games while slashing at a line of .269/.314/.450 with 33 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs and 67 RBI’s. Later in the season, Valaika would earn a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque.

In 23 games with the Isotopes, Valaika has slashed a line of .226/.247./.366 with eight doubles, one triple, one home run and 11 RBI’s. Valaika hit for the cycle last Monday in Albuquerque’s 7-1 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies. He will also be one of the Rockies’ farmhands participating in the Arizona Fall League in the offseason, which may make a call up less likely. However, it would be nice to see him get a look from the Rockies, simply due to the fact that the shortstop position is thin right now with Cristhian Adames playing nearly every day.

German Marquez – by Jake Shapiro

German Marquez is the Rockies third best pitching prospect behind Jeff Hoffman and the recently drafted Riley Pint and the seventh-best prospect in the system overall. Acquired in the Corey Dickerson trade this 21-year-old right-hander is already on the 40-man roster. Splitting the season between Double-A and Triple-A this season he has a 10-6 record with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.190 WHIP.

In his 159.2 innings pitched this season he has struck out 150 and walked 39. The young-for-the-level prospect has made four starts at Triple-A and may see action this season in the big leagues with roster expansion looming. Albeit he’s only made 16 relief appearances in the minors, all prior to 2015 he would most likely join the bullpen with the Rockies overcrowded rotation and his struggles at throwing more than 80 pitches.

Sam Moll – by Jake Shapiro

Moll is ranked at No. 23 on MLB Pipeline’s rankings of Rockies prospects. The almost 25-year-old left-hander has made 40 appearances in relief for Albuquerque this season. He has an okay 4.70 ERA with a 1.522 WHIP. Moll is not on the 40-man roster but if the Rockies look to add a fourth lefty to their bullpen he would be the guy. Moll also profiles as one of the candidates to replace Boone Logan should the Rockies decide not to resign him this offseason.

Kyle Freeland – by Cameron Parker

Right-handers Jon Gray and Jeff Hoffman are not the only up-and-coming pitchers to see the big leagues. Kyle Freeland is one of that corps of young arms who will likely see his time in the Majors grow with every start he has. The Colorado-born left-hander would add versatility to a youthful rotation dominated by right-handers. According to FanGraphs, Freeland’s estimated time of arrival to the Major Leagues in 2018, which seems incredibly conservative now considering how polished he is.

Freeland hails from Thomas Jefferson High School and was drafted in the 2014 MLB Draft from the University of Evansville, just a pick ahead of Hoffman. Much like Hoffman, Freeland has moved quickly in the minors despite a shoulder injury in 2015 registering a 3.58 ERA in just three seasons. Some experts before his appearance in the minor leagues believed he would be one of the fastest to receive the call-up.

Freeland has a fastball that can sit low-to-mid-90s; his slider has tremendous cutter action reaching high 80s and his changeup can present a different look with some cutting action. For Freeland to get the call-up this season, he will have to continue to show impeccable command of all his pitches.

The returning vets – by Drew Creasman

It might be a bit of a stretch to refer to some of these guys as veterans but compared to who we’ve listed so far, these players are precisely that. With the exception of Tom Murphy, everyone discussed so far would be making their MLB debut if they do, in fact, get the call. It should also be plainly stated that it is incredibly unlikely that all of these players join the active roster soon.

But the final group of players in consideration are all faces Rockies fans will be familiar with. Ben Paulsen, Rafael Ynoa, and Christian Bergman are all likely to return along with Eddie Butler and Miguel Castro.

Butler and Castro represent the best upside of those players. While Butler has struggled at the MLB level his return to Triple-A has seen him improve his run prevention, although his strikeout rate is lower than most would like. As other pitchers cement their positions in the starting rotation, it’s looking more and more like Butler will eventually land in the bullpen and that is where he will be if we see him in September. Butler has proven that he can get through individual innings, stringing together consistent quality starts has been his issue. But with what has been going on in the Rockies ‘pen of late, they can use all the help they can get.

Butler has proven that he can get through individual innings, stringing together consistent quality starts has been his issue. But with what has been going on in the Rockies ‘pen of late, they can use all the help they can get.

Castro, a big chip in the Troy Tulowitzki trade, game out of the gate like a bad mamma jamma in 2016 but hasn’t been the same since his injury. While his ERA has hovered over 10 since returning to Triple-A, it’s important to remember that Castro is still just 21-years-old. He is a year younger than David Dahl. And always will be.

Conclusion

It is still very unlikely that the Rockies make a run at that final Wild Card spot but this final month of baseball should be a remarkably fascinating one for the boys in purple. Keep your eyes on all these names and the rest of the young guys because if they perform well it could mean great things for the very near future of this franchise.

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