With Tuesday’s 40-man roster deadline in the horizon, the Colorado Rockies have some crucial decisions to make for the upcoming season.
Fortunately, an offseason of change is making its way to Colorado with new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta looking to build a brand new legacy for the Rockies. Among these changes could be top pitching prospect Welinton Herrera, No. 19 on Colorado’s list of potential stars.
Herrera has been putting in the work for the Rockies as part of the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League, working on improving pitch quality. When he was first signed on during the 2021 international signing period, Colorado took a chance with the hopes of making him a Major League starter.
As a left-handed pitcher, Herrera made sure to perfect his slider while also keeping his stats within a desirable range. With the Salt River Rafters, Herrera recorded a 2.00 ERA in just nine games. His 14 strikeouts also came in just nine innings. These numbers could be huge for the Rockies over a full season. But, to get a chance to realize that potential, the Rockies have to move him to the 40-man roster by Tuesday to protect him from next month’s Rule 5 draft, per MLB.com.
Herrera’s Climb to the Top