MEDIA CLIPS – February 3, 2017

Young arms among Rockies' camp invites Veteran batters Denorfia, Reynolds also on non-roster list

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | February 2nd, 2017

DENVER -- Two fast-rising pitching prospects, right-hander Ryan Castellani and lefty Sam Howard, will make their first appearances in Major League camp this spring for the Rockies, who announced their non-roster invitees on Thursday.

The group includes veterans Chris Denorfia, a right-handed-hitting outfielder, andMark Reynolds, who was the Rockies' primary last year.

In all, the Rockies invited 22 players, including nine , to bring the total number to 62. Pitchers and catchers will have their first workout on Feb. 14, and the initial full-squad workout is Feb. 20.

Castellani, who turns 21 on April 1, is a 2014 second-round pick out of Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix. He went 7-

8 with a 3.81 ERA and 142 in 167 2/3 innings last season at Advanced Modesto against older competition in the .

Howard, who turns 24 on March 5, was drafted a round after Castellani out of Georgia Southern. Howard went 9-9 with a

3.35 ERA, and fanned 140 in 156 innings.

In the latest ranking of top 30 Rockies prospects by MLBPipeline.com, Castellani was No. 12 and Howard was 20th.

While non-roster invitations give the Rockies a chance to look at highly touted prospects before the Minor League season, this group also includes players who could help the big squad beginning on -- especially pitchers. 1

Lefty , the No. 8 overall pick in 2014, is considered a prime prospect for a spot in the Major League rotation.

He was ranked as the Rockies' 7th-best prospect.

It will be Freeland's second Major League camp. A Denver native, Freeland appeared in two games (one start) last spring and posted a 3.52 ERA with four strikeouts and nine hits allowed in 7 2/3 innings before spending the season with

Double-A Hartford and -A Albuquerque (11-10, 3.89 ERA, 108 strikeouts in 162 innings).

Three others who could be close to their Major League debuts are making second camp appearances:

• Left-handed-hitting corner- prospect Ryan McMahon, 22, hit .242 with 12 home runs and 75 RBIs at Hartford and appeared in the .

• Lefty starter Harrison Musgrave was in big league camp last year, and spent the year at Hartford and Albuquerque

(combined 13-8 with a 3.64 ERA in 25 starts)

• Lefty-hitting outfielder Michael Tauchman hit .286 last year at Albuquerque in his first Triple-A season.

Righty reliever James Farris, obtained from the Cubs on Wednesday for right-hander , also received an invite.

First baseman outfielder Stephen Cardullo and /outfielder Rafael Ynoa will be in camp this year after making

Major League appearances last year.

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Pint among Top 100 prospects with the best pitching arsenals

By Jim Callis / MLB.com | @JimCallisMLB | 8:52 AM ET

Brent Honeywell is the foremost practitioner of the screwball in the Minors. Yadier Alvarez's $16 million bonus was nearly twice as much as any other got during the 2015-16 international signing period. had the highest ceiling in the 2016 Draft.

What do these three right-handers have in common? Among all the pitchers on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list, they possess the best combination of top three pitches (fastball, best breaking ball, ) plus control.

Utilizing the 20-80 scouting scale, where 50 represents big league average, we grade each of a pitcher's offerings and his ability to locate them where he wants. Honeywell (Rays, No. 31 on the Top 100), Alvarez (Dodgers, No. 49) and Pint

(Rockies, No. 51) all tied for first at 240.

(As we did with the position-player version of the story, we'll issue a quick disclaimer. We understand that there's more to evaluating prospects than just adding up their tools. We consider other factors, such as track record of performance and how close or far they are from reaching their ceilings. This look is intended to be more interesting than scientific.)

Honeywell is notable for his screwball, which rates as a 65, and also as one of just three pitchers on the Top 100 to earn a

60 for his control. He might have the deepest repertoire on the list as well, as he employs a screwball, a 92-97 mph fastball (we graded it as a 60), a solid changeup (55) and cutter and a curveball he mixes in to keep hitters off balance. A relatively unheralded second-round pick out of Walters State CC (Tenn.) in 2014, he's on the cusp of arriving in Tampa

Bay after posting a 2.58 ERA with 286 strikeouts in 279 1/3 pro innings.

Alvarez entered pro ball with much more fanfare after defecting from Cuba, costing Los Angeles not just his $16 million bonus, but also a matching tax penalty for exceeding its international spending pool. His arm speed and athleticism produce overpowering stuff: a 75 fastball that sits in the mid-90s and tops out in the triple digits, a 60 slider in the mid-80s and a 55 changeup and curveball. While his control merits only a 50 grade at this point, he showed more polish than expected in his pro debut and cut his walk rate to 2.5 per nine innings in low Class A late last season.

Pint's profile is more similar to Alvarez's than Honeywell's. He may own the best pure stuff on the Top 100 -- a 75 fastball that parks at 94-96 mph and can reach 102, a 60 power curveball that he can morph into a harder 50 slider when he

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wants and a shockingly advanced 60 changeup with fade -- which earns him Justin Verlander comparisons and made him the fourth overall pick last June. The caveat is that his delivery features considerable effort, detracting from his control

(a 45) and command and leading to some concerns about his long-term health.

Six right-handers finished close behind Honeywell, Alvarez and Pint with tools totals of 235. That group includes top-rated pitching prospect Alex Reyes (Cardinals, No. 6), who can make hitters look silly with his 75 fastball and 60 curveball; (White Sox, No. 12), who ranked first a year ago with a total of 260 before his velocity and control regressed last summer; and (White Sox, No. 16), who made headlines by reportedly hitting 105 mph in a game in July. We cited Kopech as having the best fastball and Giolito as possessing the top curveball in our breakdown of the best individual tools on the Top 100.

The other 235s belong to Francis Martes (Astros, No. 20), Anderson Espinoza (Padres, No. 25) and Jose De

Leon (Rays, No. 33). Martes and Espinoza both feature 70 fastballs, with the former backing his up with a 65 curveball and the latter displaying a 60 changeup. De Leon is just one of four Top 100 pitchers to earn three different plus-or-better grades: 65 changeup, 60 fastball, 60 control.

The highest-graded left-handers are Jason Groome (Red Sox, No. 41) and Kolby Allard (Braves, No. 53) at

230. MLBPipeline's top-rated 2016 Draft prospect, Groome has one of the best curveballs (65) in the Minors, a fastball

(60) that peaks at 97 mph with armside and more polish (55 control) than a typical high schooler. Allard, considered by many scouts to be the best prep pitcher in the 2015 Draft, has a similar profile with a better changeup (55) and a little less curveball (60).

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Sam Howard, Ryan Castellani head list of Rockies’ invitees Rockies pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 12

By Jim Callis / MLB.com | @JimCallisMLB | 8:52 AM ET

Rockies pitching prospects Sam Howard and Ryan Castellani, along with infielder Ryan McMahon, head the least of 22 non-roster invitees receiving invitations to major league spring training camp. The list was announced Thursday.

The left-handed Howard, 23, and the right-handed Castellani, 20, are considered two of the Rockies most promising young pitchers. The Rockies drafted Howard out of Georgia Southern in the third round in 2014, while Castellani was selected in the second round of the same draft out of Brophy Jesuit High School in Arizona.

Though McMahon struggled last season with Double-A Hartford — hitting .242/.325/.399 with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases over 534 plate appearances — he is considered a top prospect. He will likely see time both at third base and first base in his second major-league camp.

Two other pitchers to keep a close watch on this spring are left-handers Kyle Freeland and Harrison Musgrave, both of whom advanced to Triple-A Albuquerque last season. Veteran first baseman Mark Reynolds, who signed a one-year, minor-league deal with the Rockies on Wednesday, also received an invitation to major-league camp.

Rockies pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 12 at Salt Rivers Fields in Scottsdale. The first official workouts for pitchers and catchers is Feb. 14. The first full-squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 20.

Rockies non-roster invitees

Following is the full list of non-roster invitees, by position:

Left-handed pitchers: Freeland, Howard, Musgrave and Jerry Vasto.

Right-handed pitchers: Matt Carasiti, Castellani, James Farris, Johendi Jiminian and C.C. Lee.

Catchers: Anthony Bemboom, Dom Nunez , Chris Rabago and Jan Vazquez.

Outfielders: Chris Denorfia, Noel Cuevas, Rosell Herrera and Michael Tauchman.

Infielders: Stephen Cardullo, Daniel Castro, Reynolds, McMahon and Rafael Ynoa.

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Colorado Rockies prospect Brendan Rodgers is the crown jewel of the system Purple Row Prospect No. 1, Brendan Rodgers

By Jeff Aberle / Purple Row | February 3, 2017

1. Brendan Rodgers (1,154 points, 39 ballots)

Brendan Rodgers stands alone atop Rockies prospects according to Purple Row for the first time. 2015's no. 3 overall pick (and the consensus top talent in the draft at the time) signed for a Rockies record of $5.5 million because the high school was a potential five tool player at a premium defensive position. The 20 year-old, 6'0" righty possesses elite bat speed and doesn't have any glaring holes in his game, though the possibility exists that he will grow too big to be an effective shortstop at the major league level.

Midseason Rank: 3

High Ballot: 1 (31)

Mode Ballot: 1

Future Value: 60+, MLB plus regular, potential All-Star

Contract Status: 2015 1st round, not Rule 5 eligible, three options remaining

MLB ETA: 2019

After a professional debut season with Grand Junction that was cut short by leg injuries and fatigue, Rodgers showed his prospect pedigree this season with Low-A Asheville against players on average 2.4 years older than him. In 491 plate appearances with the Tourists, Rodgers hit a respectable .281/.342/.480 with 19 homers and 31 doubles — good for a

135 wRC+. He's produced this line while striking out less than last year (20%) and also walking less (7.1%), though neither rate is elite. More notable is that Rodgers didn’t just hold his own as one of the youngest players in the league — he thrived in his full season debut.

It is worth noting that Rodgers was much more effective in his hitter-friendly home park in Asheville (.318/.376/.597 with

33 of his 50 extra base hits) than he was away from home (.247/.310/.372). Yes, that’s a .290 difference in OPS. These are splits that will no doubt be replicated throughout his career if he stays with the Rockies, but it’s still an important data point to look at when evaluating Rodgers as a prospect.

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The numbers are great, but the scouting reports are what really elevates Rodgers to an elite plane. According to national prospect writers, Rodgers is not only clearly the best prospect in the organization (he swept that position for all major prospect gurus I’ve read), he is a top 25 prospect in MLB overall.

MLB.com placed Rodgers 15th in and first in the system recently:

A right-handed hitter, Rodgers generates more power than most middle , thanks to his combination of bat speed and strength. He doesn't overswing and has good feel for hitting, so he should hit for average as well as pop once he makes some adjustments. He could use more patience at the plate and will have to alter his pull-heavy approach so he can better deal with offspeed pitches on the outer half.

When Rodgers was an amateur, scouts debated whether he could stay at shortstop. He's not quite as quick or rangy as the typical shortstop, but he's a good athlete with a strong arm who could be an average defender there. He could make more of a defensive impact if he shifts to second base (where he saw extensive action last year) or third base, and his bat should allow him to profile anywhere.

This was actually a slight step back from their midseason evaluation due to a slight downward revision to his power grade not being counterbalanced by a tick up on the arm grade.

Keith Law of ESPN.com ranked Rodgers 19th in the minors:

Rodgers has great feel to hit for his age and makes a lot of hard contact, striking out just 98 times in 110 games as a 19- year-old in Low-A, with fringe-average power now that projects to 20-25 homers in the majors. He’s a grade-40 runner who has somewhat stiff hips for a shortstop and doesn’t cross over well, but he has great hands and good instincts to position himself well for average range. And his plus arm allows him to range back to his left. His great stat line for

Asheville last year was probably boosted by his home park, and he didn’t hit well on the road, so take some of the present power numbers with a grain of salt. The power will come in time, but in a neutral park, he wouldn’t have hit 19 homers in

2016. As an average defender at short who should hit in the .280-plus range with 20-25 homers, he’d be an above- average regular who could make some All-Star teams in peak years.

Baseball America raved about Rodgers, calling him the best power hitting prospect in the system and writing this glowing review (which includes a 60 hit and 60 power grade with average or above average tools elsewhere):

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Don’t be misled by the fact Rodgers saw time at second and third base as well as shortstop in 2016. The Rockies still feel he has a strong future at shortstop, but the front office is trying to create flexibility with its prospects so that they will be able to fill various holes. With Rodgers’ athleticism and power potential he could fit anywhere in the infield. He has elite bat speed and good feel for the bat head, and he punished fastballs before SAL pitchers adjusted and fed him a steady diet of offspeed stuff. He made adjustments but will have to do so against quality sliders he rarely saw as an amateur. He has a polished approach for such a young hitter with solid plate discipline. With strength and conditioning in the offseason, he will add strength and durability. He has quality actions at shortstop and a solid, at times plus, arm that will improve in its consistency with added strength. Rodgers does not have the speed of a player who would be considered a basestealing threat, but his athletic ability and instincts give him surprising range.

Baseball Prospectus gave Rodgers a 70 OFP — an All-Star shortstop:

The Good: Rodgers spent most of the season at age 19 and continued to show the above-average hit and power tools that made him a top pick in the 2015 draft. The swing is simple, and Rodgers controls the barrel well. There’s enough loft that as he gets stronger the ball should keep carrying over the fence even outside of the Appalachians. If he sticks at shortstop the total offensive package here could make him a perennial all-star.

The Bad: So about that last part...Rodgers fits into the mushy middle category of “might stick at shortstop.” There’s enough arm so he could comfortably slide to third if need be, and he’ll flash good enough infield actions that you don't have to squint too hard to see him as a passable major league shortstop. The glove is a work in progress though, and if he loses some range in his twenties, a corner may call.

The Risks: There’s still a multi-year development horizon here and a reasonable chance he has to slide over to third, which would dampen the overall profile a bit.

Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs was slightly less sanguine about Rodgers, but a 60 FV tag is nothing to scoff at:

Rodgers has hit well as a young regular for two pro seasons while maintaining (and, in 2016, improving) a body some thought would fill out and require a move to third base.

Though he doesn’t have any elite tools, Rodgers’ hit/power combination and potential to play the end-all-be-all of defensive positions makes him not only the best prospect in this system but one of the better ones in all of baseball. He

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has plus bat speed, barrel control, a casual but effective weight transfer, strong wrists and a bat path conducive both to contact and power. He’s also shown the ability to stay back on breaking balls. The only consistent issue Rodgers has displayed is dealing with offspeed stuff on the outer half. He has a tendency to pull off toward third base and miss sliders and that break away from him, leading some scouts to question his plate coverage. He has the physical ability to be a plus hitter if he can correct that issue.

Defensively, Rodgers doesn’t have spectacular range but his hands and actions are worthy of shortstop, and he has an above-average arm. He projects as an average defender at short. There’s a decent chance he fills out, slows down, and moves to second or third base where he could be a 55 or 60 defender. Scouts who saw Rodgers in pro ball after he signed last year thought this was quite likely but Rodgers’ body was much better in 2016 and he’s instilled confidence in onlookers that he can remain at short for quite a while. He did see considerable time at second base in 2016.

The track record for hitters who have consistent and sustained success on the high-school showcase circuit is very good, and even if Rodgers does move off of short, I think he’ll hit enough to profile anywhere, making him relatively low risk for a hitter this age. I see him as a do-no-harm shortstop who hits .270 or so with 20-plus homers. Those projections are independent of . He’s a potential star.

John Sickels of Minor League Ball had Rodgers on the edge between a B+ and A- as a prospect:

Best tools are power and throwing arm; caution flag is sharp home/road split between hitter-friendly Asheville

(.318/.376/.597) and rest of Sally League (.247/.310/.372), bat perhaps less polished than anticipated though no one doubts long-term potential; strong arm and soft hands work well at shortstop, though range may decline enough to force move to second or third long-term

The scouts and national prospect writers think that Rodgers is the best prospect in the system, a future All-Star shortstop and middle of the order bat. The electorate and I both happen to agree with them, which is why Rodgers was first on my personal ballot and why I gave him a 60+ Future Value.

Rodgers should begin next year in another friendly hitting environment with High-A Lancaster, where he might again shift between short and second depending on the prospect situation there and the plans the Rockies put into place. On his current trajectory, Rodgers would be in line for a call to the Show in late 2019 or 2020. What position he’ll play when he gets there is up for debate, but I’m hopeful the offensive impact will be there regardless. 9

Colorado Rockies announce spring training non-roster invitees Rockies announced 22 players will join Major League spring training as non-roster invitees

By Adam Peterson / Purple Row | February 2, 2017

The Colorado Rockies announced their list of 22 non-roster players who will be invited to Major League spring training. Pitchers and catchers will get spring training underway Monday, February 13. The first full team workout will come on Monday, February 20, though players competing in the World Baseball Classicwill likely report earlier in order to prepare for the tournament.

Headlining the list is infielder Ryan McMahon (No. 7 PuRP). McMahon struggled for most of the year with Double-A

Hartford, hitting .242/.325/.399 with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases over 534 plate appearances, good for about league average in the Eastern League. He joined the in the Arizona Fall League and hit just

.247/.348/.338 in 89 plate appearances. He’ll likely see time both at third base and first base in big league camp.

Several PuRPs will be making their way to Major League camp, as well. Kyle Freeland (No. 8 PuRP) split time between

Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque last season, putting up a combined 3.89 ERA in 162 innings across both levels. Harrison Musgrave (No. 25 PuRP) also split time between Hartford and Albuquerque with a 3.87 ERA in

1 153 ⁄3 innings with 109 strikeouts. Ryan Castellani (No. 9 PuRP) will be in big league camp as well after being named the top prospect out of the California League in 2016. He finished with a 3.81 ERA, 142 strikeouts, and 50 walks in 168 innings.

Catcher Dom Nunez (No. 14 PuRP) earned rave reviews for his talent and work ethic after his time at major league spring training last year. Though drafted as an infielder in the sixth round of the 2013 draft, he is currently slated to be part of the future of the catcher position for the Rockies. Last year in High-A Modesto he slashed .241/.321/.362 in 450 plate appearances.

Also returning to major league spring training as NRIs for the second year in a row are Freeland, Musgrave, McMahon, pitcher Matt Carasiti, and outfielders Noel Cuevas and Rosell Herrera.

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Last month, we tried to predict who might receive an NRI, and did pretty well. Of course, we missed Mark Reynolds, who signed a MiLB deal recently, and James Farris, who was acquired on February 2. You can see the full list of non- roster invitees below.

Left-handed pitchers (4)

Kyle Freeland (No. 8 PuRP)

Sam Howard (No. 20 PuRP)

Harrison Musgrave (No. 25 PuRP)

Jerry Vasto

Right-handed pitchers (5)

Matt Carasiti

Ryan Castellani (No. 9 PuRP)

James Farris

Johendi Jiminian

C.C. Lee

Catchers (4)

Anthony Bemboom

Dom Nunez (No. 14 PuRP)

Chris Rabago

Jan Vazquez

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Outfielders (4)

Chris Denorfia

Noel Cuevas

Rosell Herrera

Michael Tauchman

Infielders (5)

Stephen Cardullo

Daniel Castro

Mark Reynolds

Ryan McMahon (No. 7 PuRP)

Rafael Ynoa

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Colorado Rockies Announce Non-Roster Players for Spring Training

By Kevin Henry / Rox Pile | February 2, 2017

The Colorado Rockies have announced the club’s non-roster invitations to 2017 Major League Spring Training. Below is the current list of 22 players, by position.

Left-handed pitchers: Kyle Freeland, Sam Howard, Harrison Musgrave, Jerry Vasto

Right-handed pitchers: Matt Carasiti, Ryan Castellani, James Farris, Johendi Jiminian, C.C. Lee

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Catchers: Anthony Bemboom, Dom Nunez, Chris Rabago, Jan Vazquez

Outfielders: Noel Cuevas, Chris Denorfia, Rosell Herrera, Michael Tauchman

Infielders: Stephen Cardullo, Daniel Castro, Ryan McMahon, Mark Reynolds, Rafael Ynoa

Of the 22 total non-roster invites, 17 were in the Rockies organization in 2016. Here’s a breakdown of the five players who weren’t:

Catcher Anthony Bemboom was claimed in the Minor League phase of the 2016 Rule 5 draft from the Los Angeles

Angels.

Infielder Daniel Castro played parts of two seasons with Atlanta in 2015-16, and was signed to a Minor League contract

Nov. 21, 2016.

Outfielder Chris Denorfia, who has played parts of 10 Major League seasons with Cincinnati, Oakland, San Diego, Seattle and the , was signed to a Minor League contract Jan. 13. He played for the AZL Giants and Triple-A

Sacramento of the San Francisco Giants organization in 2016, and last played in the Major Leagues in 2015 with the

Cubs (103 games).

Right-hander James Farris was acquired via trade with the Chicago Cubs Feb. 1 in exchange for right-handed pitcher Eddie Butler. He has played as high as Double-A, making 26 relief appearances at that level in 2016.

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Right-hander C.C. Lee was signed to a Minor League contract Dec. 23, 2016, having played in Japan in 2016 and for

Cleveland in the Major Leagues in parts of three seasons from 2013-15.

Of the 17 invitees that played in the Rockies organization in 2016, 10 players were originally drafted by Colorado, two were signed as non-drafted international free agents (Herrera, Jiminian), three players were signed as a Minor League free agents (Cardullo, Vazquez, Ynoa), one player was signed as a Major League free agent (Reynolds) and one player was acquired via trade (Cuevas).

Carasiti, Cardullo, Reynolds and Ynoa all made appearances at the Major League level for the Rockies in 2016.

Castellani (6), Freeland (8) and McMahon (9) are all ranked on ’s 2017 Colorado Rockies Top 10

Prospects list.

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first workout February 14, with the first full-squad workout scheduled for

February 20.

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Colorado Rockies: 3 Things You Should Know on February 3

By Kevin Henry / Rox Pile | February 2, 2017

The countdown continues toward the start of spring training. After the start to another chilly day in the Denver area, knowing that Colorado Rockies pitchers and catchers are reporting in just a matter of days in sunny Scottsdale is a very welcome thought.

It may be the start of February but there are still plenty of things in play for the Rockies and other Major League teams as they make their final roster tweaks. There are also plenty of news tidbits to keep up with so here are three of the biggest that we think you should know about today.

Boone Heads to Cleveland

This offseason, the have continued to improve their roster in the hopes of returning to the World Series.

They continued that strengthening on Thursday with the signing of former Rockies reliever Boone Logan.

According to sources, the deal is for one year at a base salary of $5.5 million, with a $1 million buyout on a 2018 club option.

Logan was solid for the Rockies last season, going 2-5 with a 3.69 ERA in 66 appearances. He was especially effective as the specialist against left-handed batters, limiting them to a .142 batting average.

He’ll join Andrew Miller in the Cleveland . You read more about Logan’s signing and Cleveland’s continued upward offseason trajectory by clicking here.

A Web Gem from Rockies Fantasy Camp

OK, here’s something to mark down now … my goal is to be a part of the Colorado Rockies Fantasy Camp next year. It looks amazing and, hey, getting to spend part of the winter playing baseball in Arizona surrounded by current and former

Rockies can’t be all bad, right?

Now, when I get there next year, will I be able to hit a ball or even cleanly field one? That’s up for debate. What isn’t up for debate, however, is this sweet play turned in by some rookie infielders. ESPN, if you’re watching and looking for any sign of a baseball highlight like we are, here’s an early Web Gem leader.

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Pint Gets Praise

The Colorado Rockies drafted Riley Pint with the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft. There’s been a lot of talk about what Pint can bring to the Rockies in the future. This article will whet your appetite even more for Pint’s potential.

Check out the great things said about Pint on MLB.com and why they’re comparing him to Justin Verlander.

However, there is a bit of a warning in there about Pint’s long-term health.

We’ll let you read the article and decide what you think. However, we’re excited about what the future holds for Pint and

Colorado’s pitching.

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The 100 Greatest Rockies: 78 Chris Stynes

By Ben Macaluso / Rox Pile | February 2, 2017

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 78 on our list, Chris

Stynes.

When the traded to the , Chris Stynes was the only player to return value in that trade. Not that the trade was the reason for all futility in Kansas City but it was a sign of things to come. Cone had a 26.5 post trade WAR compared to Stynes 8.2 WAR. The other two players in that deal didn’t produce any post-trade WAR.

The point is not to compare Stynes to Cone. His style of play has been “pissed off.” He played with a chip on his shoulder. Stynes was called up six times for the Royals. The longest stretch he had in the Majors was 30 games.

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Being traded to the Reds created a career for Stynes in the National League. He became a versatile utility player. The SI article linked above lays out how his family and Irish heritage influenced him to go all out and particularly against the

Colorado Rockies where he made a spectacular catch in the lap of a fan off a pop up off . It’s a must read to understand what fueled Stynes.

Stynes played third base, second base and left field. He was granted free agency after being traded from the Reds to the

Red Sox. He signed with Cubs and then was released where he signed with the Rockies.

He played 138 games with only a .255 batting average with the Rockies but he had one of the highest WAR of his career with the club at 2.3 WAR. His speed and versatility extended the long tradition of utility players in Denver. Chris Stynes was called a spark plug for a reason.

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The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 79 Todd Walker

By Ben Macaluso / Rox Pile | February 2, 2017

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 79 on our list, Todd

Walker.

Todd Walker is one of the best in Colorado Rockies franchise history and that feat took less than two seasons. DJ LeMahieu wasn’t the first former LSU Tiger to win the College World Series and play second base for the

Rockies. Walker was on the 1993 National Championship team. He was the College World Series Most Outstanding player that year. He was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.

That elite college play led him to the 8th pick of the first round of the 1994 draft by the Minnesota Twins. He made his debut in 1996 and became the starting second baseman in 1998. He hit .316 that year but started the 2000 campaign slowly and he was traded to Colorado.

Walker picked up his play in Denver hitting .316 in 57 games with the Rockies as opposed to .234 in 27 games with the

Twins. Along with Todd Helton, Jeffrey Hammonds, Larry Walker, Jeff Carrillo and more, Walker was part of one of the best offensive clubs in Rockies history. He and Neifi Perez made one of the first memorable duos up the middle in the early years of the franchise.

The next season was the best in Walker’s Rockies career as he played 151 games and batted .296 with twelve home runs. The Rockies were in last place that year and was part of the large fire sale. Brett Mayne, Chose Figgins, Neifi

Perez, , among other were traded. Walker was traded to the for Alex Ochoa. The Reds won that trade as Walker continued to have great success.

Walker was one of the first signings of the Theo Epstein era in Boston in 2003 but he only played one year with the Red

Sox so he never won a championship. He also played for the Cubs, Padres and A’s. From 2013 to 2015 Walker coach baseball in Louisiana.

Walker’s jersey at LSU is set to be retired in April this year. The next time you think of a great Rockies second baseman from LSU, don’t forget Todd Walker.

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Indians agree to deal with Boone Logan

By ESPN.com News Services / ESPN.com | February 2, 2017

The Cleveland Indians on Thursday agreed to a contract with left-handed reliever Boone Logan, sources told ESPN, confirming multiple reports.

The deal is for one year at a base salary of $5.5 million, with a $1 million buyout on a 2018 club option, sources say.

Logan, 32, was 2-5 with a 3.69 ERA in 66 appearances for the Colorado Rockies last season. He held left-handed batters to a .142 batting average.

Logan joins a strong Cleveland bullpen that features closer and star setup man Andrew Miller.

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Rockies announce 15 non-roster invitees

By ESPN.com News Services / ESPN.com | February 2, 2017

On Wednesday, the Colorado Rockies announced 15 non-roster invitees who will begin spring training with the big league

squad.

Among the 15 players is Mark Reynolds, who the Rockies re-signed to a minor league contract, as he tries to fight his way

back onto the team. Reynolds hit .282 with 14 homers last season.

The group has several of the team's top prospects, including LHP Kyle Freeland, the team's sixth ranked prospect per

ESPN's Keith Law . Freeland, 23, put up a 4.39 ERA between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque last season.

Several other of the team's prospects will get a chance to prove themselves in camp. Catcher Dom Nunez (Law's No. 9)

and 3B Ryan McMahon (No. 10) both received non-roster invites.

Other players invited to Rockies camp include:

• C Chris Rabago

• C Anthony Bemboom

• C Jan Vazquez

• LHP Sam Howard

• LHP Harrison Musgrave

• LHP Jerry Vasto

• RHP Ryan Castellani

• RHP James Farris

• OF Noel Cuevas

• OF Rosell Herrera

• OF Mike Tauchman

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Mark Reynolds Turned Down $3MM Offer To Play In Korea

By Connor Byrne / MLB Trade Rumors | February 2, 2017 at 7:22pm CDT

Several teams” remain in contention for free agent catcher Matt Wieters, tweets the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin, who relays that “there’s no good read” on whether he’ll sign with the Rays. Along with the Rays, the Orioles (Wieters’ only MLB employer to date), Angels, Rockies, Reds, Nationals and Astros have drawn recent connections to the 30-year-old.

Before re-signing with the Rockies on a minor league deal Wednesday, first baseman Mark Reynolds turned down

$3MM to play in Korea, per FanRag’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Accepting that offer would’ve easily made Reynolds the highest-paid player in Korea, topping former major league right-hander Dustin Nippert’s $2.1MM, notes Jeeho Yoo of the

Yonhap News Agency (Twitter link). It’s likely that the powerful Reynolds also would’ve had his way in the hitter’s paradise known as the Korea Baseball Organization, but neither that nor the payday could entice the 33-year-old to leave the

States.

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