{"id":680485,"date":"2026-04-21T18:09:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T18:09:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/680485\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T18:09:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T18:09:36","slug":"colorado-rockies-prospects-brody-brecht-is-gaining-confidence-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/680485\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado Rockies prospects: Brody Brecht is gaining confidence in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

RHP Brody Brecht (No. 3 PuRP<\/a>) was drafted 38th overall by the Colorado Rockies in the Competitive Balance A round of the 2024 MLB Draft<\/a>. He made his professional debut with the ACL Rockies in 2025, where he pitched just four games before being promoted to Low-A Fresno. In 2026, he was promoted to High-A Spokane where he has made three starts and allowed four runs on five hits with five walks and 15 strikeouts in 8.2 total innings. Things started a little rough for Brecht in 2026, but they\u2019ve gotten progressively better over the three starts (see below).<\/p>\n

However, in 16 starts with the Grizzlies in 2025, Brecht posted a 1-4 record and a 2.60 ERA. Some of that season was spent on the injured list with a back injury, but Brecht still learned a lot in his first pro season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think just learning how to be a pitcher and calling my own game,\u201d Brecht said of his biggest takeaway. \u201cThat\u2019s something I didn\u2019t do when I was in college. We had a pitching coach, and he called it all, so I think just learning how to read hitters \u2013 if they\u2019re late on a fastball or ahead, just learning how to attack them and sequence them the best way I can. So I definitely say that was a good learning thing for me, and then just getting a routine as well. You\u2019re at the same place for six days, so as a starter, you know when you\u2019re throwing. So just finding that routine that works the best for you was big, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

And although he appreciates that the Rockies are suggesting pitches<\/a> from the dugout, he has his own philosophy regardless of who\u2019s calling the pitches.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a big believer that the wrong pitch thrown with conviction is better than the right pitch thrown with doubt,\u201d he said. \u201cI think any time I step on that rubber, I want to already know what pitch I\u2019m throwing and I want to be committed to it. And I think that\u2019s the best way to go about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another big lesson Brecht learned in Fresno was how to get into a routine.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou try to find it in spring training, but it\u2019s a little different just getting up to speed and trying to stay healthy,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s the biggest thing in spring training. But once you get in the season, you get those first couple of road trips and a couple of home series \u2013 I think after that first month, you really start figuring out a groove and what works for you. So I feel like I found that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of the reason that Brecht chose to attend the University of Iowa instead of going pro right out of high school was his interest in playing football as well as baseball. He redshirted his first season in 2021, but saw action in 11 games in 2022. Injuries derailed his football career, though, so he turned his focus back to baseball. However, he still has a lot of lessons that he took from his time as a two-sport athlete.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s in me for sure, just being an athlete,\u201d he said. \u201cI try to stay with my training \u2013 sprinting, running, all that stuff \u2013 and still stay explosive like when I was playing. And then just the mentality of hard work and showing up every day. You may not feel like it, but you\u2019ve got to get it done. That\u2019s still in there for sure. Could I go out there right now and play? You might have to give me a few months to start training, but I definitely try to still be an athlete out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

During spring training, Brecht focused on \u201cgetting back to [he] was and being an athlete out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce I stopped playing football, I feel like I tried to get perfect mechanics and just tried to be a pitcher. And that\u2019s just not who I am. I\u2019m an athlete out there. So I think just switching up some training and arm build up, just making sure I can stay healthy out there was a big thing this offseason. And then learning a curveball, adding that so we can have a four-pitch mix was good. And just staying in the zone \u2013 attacking and getting ahead is the biggest thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aside from the physical adjustments he\u2019s made, Brecht is also working on the mental side of his game. Notably, he works with Brian Kane \u2013 Chase Dollander\u2019s mental skills coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe talks about that: if you get behind 0-2 or 1-2, in the past, for me \u2013 and something I still struggle with \u2013 is that it can quickly turn into 2-2 or 3-2 because you\u2019re trying to throw the nastiest slider you\u2019ve ever thrown. But you don\u2019t need to \u2013 just make it competitive\u2026 And for me, my mindset is that I\u2019m throwing it down the middle until I get to two strikes and the eight guys behind you can get outs for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, Brecht has a goal of going deeper into games while also \u201cnot trying to punch everybody out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if you get ahead and you stay ahead, then the strikeouts will come. But my goal out there isn\u2019t to strike out 10 every time I go out there. It\u2019s just to execute one pitch, and if I strike him out, great. If it\u2019s 0-2 and I strike him out, great. If he gets a pop up, great. Like, it doesn\u2019t matter to me. I\u2019m just trying to go deep in the ballgame.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also has his routine that he follows on game days that help him get in the mental space to perform.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, sitting around all day thinking about the game isn\u2019t beneficial for me. I just feel that my anxiety goes up and my stress goes up,\u201d he said. \u201cSo for me, just getting away from the game \u2013 whether it\u2019s playing some video games, spending time with family, I think that\u2019s really good. I like to go on walks and just get the body moving. I don\u2019t want to sit around all day.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then once I get into my routine, I\u2019ll listen to a podcast out there over the execution of baseball and talk about the execution of a pitch. It\u2019s by Harvey Dorfin called The Mental ABC\u2019s of Pitching,\u201d he continued. \u201cSo I do a chapter on game days and then I\u2019ll go watch a video of me executing pitches \u2013 I call it my mind movie \u2013 swings and misses, attacking and getting ahead and all that. And I\u2019ll do mental imagery. But on game days, I\u2019ll do that before and then just listen to some Christian music to keep me calm so I can go out there and just be in control of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brecht was chosen to not only represent the Rockies in the 2026 Spring Breakout game, but also to start the game. Unfortunately, he got lit up early and posted a final line of five runs (four earned) on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts over 1.2 innings. So far in Spokane, he\u2019s been pitching alright but he still has some goals that he\u2019s hoping to achieve in 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the biggest thing is just staying healthy,\u201d he said. \u201cI missed some time last year [with a back injury], so just getting out of here healthy and staying healthy throughout the season is going to be the biggest thing. And then just continue to build upon each outing, and know that each time I put on a Rockies jersey is definitely a blessing. So just not taking any day for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weekly Pebble Report: April 13th-19th<\/p>\n

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes (4-2, 12-9 Overall)<\/p>\n

It was another successful week for the Albuquerque Isotopes. Hosting the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Los Angeles Dodgers) at home, the Isotopes won four games to take back-to-back series for the first time since June 2024. It was also the first time Albuquerque earned a home series victory over Oklahoma City since May 20-25, 2021, and just their third since 2012. The Isotopes lost the series opener, won games two and three, dropped game four 13-12, then won the next two to close out the series.<\/p>\n

The offense produced plenty during the series, slashing .329\/.439\/.472 with their 71 hits and 56 runs scored, topping the Pacific Coast League. Additionally, the Isotopes ended up with more walks (41) than strikeouts (40) by the end of the series. On the mound, the pitching staff posted a 6.67 ERA over 54 innings, though the Isotopes only allowed more than six runs in a game twice, each game resulting in a loss. They managed 58 strikeouts against 36 walks and gave up six home runs.<\/p>\n

\u2b06\ufe0f Stock Up: Sterlin Silver<\/p>\n

Sterlin Thompson (No. 13 PuRP<\/a>) had a productive week at the plate, slashing .368\/.500\/.526 with a home run and a team-leading seven RBI. He went 7-for-19 with five walks against one strikeout and added a stolen base for good measure while scoring seven runs. Thomspson is now batting .309\/.427\/.412 on the season through his first 18 games. While quite a bit of attention is being given to other prospects in Albuquerque, Thompson also has a good chance of debuting this season, especially since he is already on the 40-man roster.<\/p>\n

\u2b07\ufe0f Stock Down: Veen Losing the Sheen<\/p>\n

Consistency and success continue to elude Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP<\/a>) in Albuquerque. While he displayed solid plate discipline in the series with four walks against five strikeouts, he went 5-for-23 with a double. On the season, Veen is now batting just .227\/.288\/.288 with 17 strikeouts and six walks in 17 games. The improvement with swing decisions is nice to see, but he will need to start producing a little more pop at the plate, as he now has just four extra-base hits, all of which are doubles.<\/p>\n

The Isotopes head on the road to face the Sacramento River Cats (San Francisco Giants) to start a new series on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats (4-1, 5-9 Overall)<\/p>\n

The Yard Goats stumbled out of the gate against the Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants) with back-to-back losses in which they gave up a combined 24 runs. Hartford yielded 42 total runs to the Flying Squirrels in five games after the series finale was rained out.<\/p>\n

\u2b06\ufe0f Stock Up: Longwell Long Ball<\/p>\n

Slugging first baseman Aidan Longwell seemed to finally find his footing at the end of last week\u2019s series against the Fightin\u2019 Phils. Against the Flying Squirrels he continued to hit the ball well. In five games he went 8-for-21 with a home run\u2014his first at the Double-A level\u2014two doubles, and just one strikeout.<\/p>\n

\u2b07\ufe0f Stock Down: Stormy Weatherly<\/p>\n

Left-handed reliever Sam Weatherly hasn\u2019t quite found his way through the clouds to start the 2026 season. He\u2019s given up an earned run in all five of his appearances and given up at least two in three of those outings. Weatherly made two appearances against Richmond at two innings each and gave up two earned runs in both. He allowed seven total hit, including a home run. He walked two batters and struck out three.<\/p>\n

The Yard Goats will look to right the ship in a six game road series against the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox).<\/p>\n

High-A: Spokane Indians (2-4, 6-9 Overall)<\/p>\n

It was a tough week for the Spokane Indians. They won their first game against the Vancouver Canadians (Toronto Blue Jays), but won just one game the rest of the series. Lack of offense was a prominent issue, especially over the final three games of the set. In those last three games the Indians scored just four runs while the Canadians scored 16.<\/p>\n

\u2b06\ufe0f Stock Up: Vancouver Got Brecht<\/p>\n

The titular Brody Brecht had an excellent week on the mound. Divided into two three-inning starts to bookend the series, Brecht pitched six total innings and gave up just one earned run on three hits and three walks with a total of 11 strikeouts. Brecht\u2019s best outing came on the Sunday finale, where he held the Canadians hitless with five strikeouts.<\/p>\n

\u2b06\ufe0f Stock Up: \u00a1Vamos, Vargas!<\/p>\n

Jordy Vargas (no. 21 PuRP<\/a>) has continued his excellent start to the season with a quality start against the Canadians. Vargas shut out Vancouver for six innings, giving up just two hits and a walk while striking out seven batters. Through his first three starts he has a 1.29 ERA over 14 innings with 17 strikeouts and a 0.79 WHIP.<\/p>\n

The Indians are off to Everett to take on the AquaSox (Seattle Mariners) for the second time this season.<\/p>\n

Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (4-2, 10-4 Overall)<\/p>\n

The Grizzlies faced off against the newly formed Ontario Tower Buzzers (Los Angeles Dodgers) for the first time and walked away with a fairly dominant 4-2 series win. Offense was the name of the game, as the Grizzlies scored at least seven runs in four of the six games. They also had two games\u2014both victories\u2014in which they scored a whopping 18 runs, though they did give up 23 runs in a loss for the series finale.<\/p>\n

\u2b06\ufe0f Stock Up: Thach Smash<\/p>\n

The series against Ontario was quite the coming-out party for 21-year-old first baseman Tanner Thach, the 2025 eighth round selection out of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Thach tore the cover off the ball against the Tower Buzzers, going 13-for-28 at the plate with five doubles, three home runs, and 18 RBIs as he played in all six games. He also drew more walks (four) than strikeouts (two). Thach went 4-for-6 in the series opener with seven RBI and two of his home runs.<\/p>\n

\u2b07\ufe0f Stock Down: Jhon Doe<\/p>\n

The Rockies signed left-handed pitcher Jhon Medina out of the Dominican Republic as part of their 2023 international class. After three solid seasons in the Dominican Summer League and Arizona Complex League, the 20-year-old was assigned to Low-A Fresno for the season. Unfortunately, his Low-A debut has been a difficult one. In four appearances\u2014including one start\u2014he has an ERA of 19.96 over 7.2 innings. He has six strikeouts to 13 walks and has given up at least three earned runs in three of his four appearances. His first outing against Ontario lasted just 0.2 innings as he gave up eight earned runs on four hits and four walks. His second outing was smoother by comparison with three earned runs on four hits and three walks over three innings.<\/p>\n

The Grizzlies are back in Fresno this week for a series against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The former Dodgers affiliate now operates as the Low-A team for the Los Angeles Angels.<\/p>\n

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