GRAND JUNCTION — Last night, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the Colorado Rockies first-round draft pick (fourth overall) Riley Pint made his professional debut. He pitched two innings for the Grand Junction Rockies giving up one hit and striking out two. He threw 14 of 23 pitches for strikes.
Here are Pint's two strikeouts from last night. pic.twitter.com/PQfeU4lV09
— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) July 2, 2016
The short outing for a first time out is common and was the case with players like Jon Gray and Kyle Freeland as well, so it should not be any cause for concern.
BSN Denver spoke with Development Supervisor Tony Diaz just before the start, and the reviews were glowing, to say the least.
“The talent … it’s electric,” says Diaz. The stuff that he’s got is super impressive.”
His statements were backed up by the Grand Junction pitching coach in an exclusive podcast interview with BSN Denver published earlier this month:”It doesn’t get any better from an 18-year old kid,” said Kibler. “The stuff is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s as advertised.”
You can hear my entire interview with Ryan Kibler here.
Pint joins a roster that sports another highly-touted prospect who came to Grand Junction not via Overland Park, Kansas but instead via the Rockies Dominican Summer League. Pedro Gonzalez became a stand-out by hitting eight home runs in a relatively short season in a league that is typically dominated by pitching. He also stood out as a large — and it turns out — growing shortstop.
He grew so much, in fact, that he has outgrown the position and now roams the vast outfield in Grand Junction with his lanky but athletic six-foot-five frame.
“Organizationally, we feel pretty good about his chances of becoming a Major League centerfielder,” says Diaz. “This guy just keeps growing. He’s grown three inches since we signed him. He’s a toolsy kid. He’s been playing in the outfield for seven or eight months now and he looks like a natural already.”
“He’s got good hand-eye coordination, makes good contact, but he’s still physically weak. But with overall maturity, he will just continue to improve. He’s another talent we’re very excited to have.”
The Rockies system is not short on such talent.
But as usual, Diaz is quick to point out how important character is to the organization.”I think it’s even more impressive,” he says of Pint, “the way he carries himself, how relatable he is, how mature he is for his age, and with all the accolades and attention he is already getting, how humble he is. It’s even more impressive than the stuff.”
Even more than a 102 mph fastball, I ask?
“For me,” says Diaz,”it is.”
