Shields was having an impressive season before he was traded. Across three levels in the Yankees’ organization, the southpaw made nine starts, including five in Double-A. For New York’s Double-A squad, Shields posted a 3.42 ERA in 23.2 innings pitched. That was enough for Colorado to want him as a prospect.
When the 26-year-old took the mound for the first time for the Hartford YardGoats, he was immediately impressive. He threw 5.0 innings, struck out four batters, allowed four hits, and gave up just two runs. From there, the lefty only got better.
On August 15th, Shields threw five shutout innings, while striking out eight against the Philadelphia Phillies’ Double-A team. The former minor league pitching coordinator for Colorado, Doug Linton, was in attendance for the game.
“It was impressive. I really enjoyed watching how he threw the ball. He had two different breaking balls that he was able to throw for strikes. Changeup that he was able to show and threw that for strikes. And was not afraid of jamming the fastball in on right-handers. Not scared to do that at all. And he jammed it in there routinely,” Linton said, per Medium’s Jack Etkin.
His ability to command the strike zone and keep hitters off balance is something the Rockies desperately need at Coors Field. Colorado had the worst starting pitching in the MLB this past season, and that is nothing new for them.
The only thing that might hold Shields back is his health. The No. 29 prospect in the Rockies organization was shut down during the fall league with shoulder soreness. After getting it checked out, it was determined he did not have any structural damage. Still, Shields is taking his rehab very seriously, hoping to stay healthy for the entire 2026 season.
“I haven’t touched a ball in two weeks, and I’m already feeling I’m making some good strides. And I just need to keep continuing it. And I think this is probably the only way it’s going to get better is just shutting it down and doing it the right way,” Shields said. “This offseason, I’ll do a lot of (physical therapy), lift a lot and get stronger. I’m feeling better now, so I just need to keep progressing. And I got some time here to get back on track and get back to my regular self.”
It is going to take a while for Colorado to get back to playoff contention. The new president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, has his own plans to turn the franchise around, while other prospects have done a great job this fall. But if Colorado is going to be competitive moving forward, it looks like Shields will be a big part of that.
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