{"id":778650,"date":"2026-08-14T16:54:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T16:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/778650\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T16:54:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T16:54:20","slug":"colorado-rockies-prospect-rankings-mid-season-2026-numbers-30-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/778650\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado Rockies prospect rankings, mid-season 2026: numbers 30-26"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now that we\u2019ve looked at the players who were on a single ballot<\/a>, those receiving multiple votes (2-5 ballot players<\/a> and PuRPs 43-36<\/a>), plus the Honorable Mention PuRPs<\/a> for mid-season 2026, it\u2019s time to examine the players that made the list. As a reminder, in this edition of the PuRPs poll, 29 qualifying ballots were cast, with 30 points granted for a first place vote, 29 for second, etc.<\/p>\n

For each player on the PuRPs list, I\u2019ll include a link to individual stats and contract status (via Baseball-Reference<\/a>), PuRPs voting stats, a note on the 2026 season to date, and a scouting report from national prospect writers where possible. I\u2019ll also include where I put each player on my ballot. All ages are as of the date the article is posted.<\/p>\n

Remember that the statistics pages are not the end-all, be-all when evaluating these players. Context is hugely important (such as the player\u2019s age relative to the league\u2019s average or the league average offensive numbers), as is the fact that injuries to prospects can affect both their tools and their stats. I\u2019ll make sure and note where this is the case.<\/p>\n

30. Ashly Andujar<\/a> (113 points, 17 ballots) \u2014 Preseason Ranking: 20 \u2014 High Ballot 17, Mode Ballot 28<\/p>\n

How did he enter the organization?<\/p>\n

2024 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

Why did he make the PuRPs list?<\/p>\n

Andujar was the headliner of Colorado\u2019s international free agent class in January 2024, earning a $1.7 million bonus as the 18th ranked international prospect at <\/a>MLB.com<\/a> as a well-rounded offensive and defensive player with good bat to ball skills who was likely to stay as an up the middle defender.<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old 6\u20191\u201d switch-hitting shortstop spent his first professional season in the Dominican Summer League as expected (since he was one of the youngest players in his signing class) and was above average offensively (105 wRC+). The Rockies liked what they saw enough to bring Andujar stateside to the Arizona Complex League in 2025, where he was 2.6 years younger than average, and he looked like a natural on a strong ACL Rockies team. In 217 plate appearances, Andujar again had good contact numbers without much power, hitting .319\/.370\/.356 with seven doubles and seven steals (which is a 97 wRC+).<\/p>\n

In 2026, Andujar began the season back in the Complex League in May, hitting .260\/.339\/.300 in 62 plate appearances across 15 games before Ethan Holliday\u2019s season-ending injury<\/a> opened up a spot at shortstop in Low-A Fresno. Andujar moved up to Low-A, where he is 3.1 years younger than league average, in late May and he\u2019s looked young for the level. In 273 plate appearances with Fresno, Andujar has a .247\/.306\/.344 batting line, including his first three homers as a professional (a below average 69 wRC+). Defensively, he has committed 13 errors at shortstop in 52 games at the position with Fresno.<\/p>\n

This year Andujar was younger than the pitcher facing him in over 97% of his plate appearances. That\u2019s one of the reasons Andujar\u2019s offensive performance, despite a lack of thump, isn\u2019t a disaster (another is a strikeout % around 18% with a walk % of 8%). The trajectory of his season was encouraging as well: he went from a .593 OPS in June to .677 in July and .712 so far in August.<\/p>\n

Here is a recent slo-mo look at Andujar\u2019s left-handed swing:<\/p>\n

Here is some video of Andujar before he signed with the Rockies, including some looks at him at shortstop and his swing from both sides of the plate:<\/p>\n

Keith Law of the Athletic wrote this about Andujar<\/a> in February while ranking him 13th in the system:<\/p>\n

Andujar is a switch-hitting shortstop with plus defense and maybe 20 power right now. He hasn\u2019t hit a home run as a pro yet in 104 games and his career ISO is .049, with that boosted a little by his above-average speed. He does have good bat-to-ball skills, and if he can gain enough strength to hit some hard line drives, he could end up a regular in five years or so. It\u2019s more likely he ends up a utility guy who can offer plus defense all over the infield but doesn\u2019t hit enough to stick as an everyday player anywhere. He only turned 18 in July, so even if he keeps running back to the dugout after most of his at-bats, time is on his side.<\/p>\n

FanGraphs ranks Andujar 18th in the system<\/a> as a 40+ FV prospect with a plus run grade and a 55 future hit and field tool evaluation:<\/p>\n

Andujar signed for $1.7 million as part of Colorado\u2019s 2024 international class. International scouts liked his glove and feel to hit, and both of those have translated to pro ball. Last year, he hit .319 and ran an 80% contact rate as one of the youngest players in the ACL. Defensively, he has above-average range at short and a strong arm.<\/p>\n

How much power can Andujar develop? Physical projection looms large for every teenage prospect, but the gap between where he is now (thin with 20 pop) and where could go (he\u2019s a projectable 6-foot-1 who could grow into anything from 30 power to 50) makes him a prospect of extreme variance. Presently, his lack of strength is apparent from the way he needs extra hand movement to generate the modest bat speed he has, and his flat swing produces plenty of singles but not much else. There\u2019s real upside here if he grows into even fringy power, though, and even some of the messier parts of his offensive game, like the indirect start to his bat path, may fall into place as he gets stronger. And in any case, with his contact skill, speed, and defensive chops, he doesn\u2019t have to do much damage to profile as an everyday bat. Were I scouting for a team, I\u2019d put a low-conviction 50 on him, with nods to a volatile offensive future and the long developmental timeline ahead. For us, he belongs in this FV tier as a slow-burn person of interest.<\/p>\n

When\u2019s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he\u2019s there?<\/p>\n

As an up-the-middle player who was a seven-figure international signee, Andujar is joining a recent tradition of PuRPs, including Adael Amador and Robert Calaz. Also fitting that category is Dyan Jorge, whose all-around game except a lack of power is reminiscent of Andujar\u2019s batting lines so far. Then again, Jorge didn\u2019t even sign until he was 19 and didn\u2019t make it to the ACL until he was 20, so Andujar has more runway ahead of him.<\/p>\n

The scouts are consistent \u2014 Andujar needs to build more strength for his offensive game to translate to the big leagues. He\u2019s a long ways away, but his athleticism provides a good foundation for him as a potential regular, so long as he doesn\u2019t end up a Punch-and-Judy hitter. The potential and performance so far were enough for me to rank Andujar 25th on my list in the 40 FV tier.<\/p>\n

29. Roynier Hernandez<\/a> (115 points, 10 ballots) \u2014 Preseason Ranking: NR \u2014 High Ballot 13, Mode Ballot 13, 17<\/p>\n

How did he enter the organization?<\/p>\n

2022 International Free Agent, Venezuela<\/p>\n

Why did he make the PuRPs list?<\/p>\n

Hernandez signed for a $100k bonus out of Venezuela in 2022. Hernandez possesses a compact, line-drive swing that is built for contact \u2014 he relies on finding holes and using his 5-foot-10 frame to stay short to the ball. After hitting .339 in rookie ball in 2023 and .305 in the ACL in 2024, the 21-year-old lefty-batting, righty-throwing second baseman made his full-season debut with Low-A Fresno in 2025 and continued to hit well with a .293\/.358\/.366 line (106 wRC+).<\/p>\n

This year, Hernandez was promoted to High-A Spokane, where he is 1.5 years younger than league average, and has stayed there outside of a weeklong visit back to Low-A Fresno in late July. Hernandez entered this year with zero professional homers, but he\u2019s changed that in a big way this season with seven long balls among his 26 extra-base-hits en route to a .294\/.406\/.417 overall line in 402 plate appearances, good for a 115 wRC+). Notably, Hernandez has walked more times this year (64) than he\u2019s struck out (59) \u2014 he\u2019s about even in those categories across his entire professional career. On defense, he has committed 11 errors in 73 games at second base.<\/p>\n

Here is some video of Hernandez in Fresno last year, including some slo mo looks at his swing near the end:<\/p>\n

FanGraphs ranks Hernandez 38th in the system<\/a> as a 35+ FV player, highlighted by future 55 hit and field tools:<\/p>\n

Of all the interesting infielders Colorado had at the lower levels last year, Hernandez has a case for the best hit tool of the group. He hit .293\/.358\/.366 with an 85% contact rate as a 20-year-old at Low-A Fresno, good for a 106 wRC+, with strong pitch recognition and bat-to-ball skills. For a guy who hasn\u2019t homered in more than 1,000 career plate appearances, he\u2019s not completely punchless either, as his 30% hard-hit rate and 101 mph EV90 attest. But his swing is flat and the path is long in a way that directs a lot of his contact into short left field. Singles hitters have a pretty low ceiling if they\u2019re not complete freaks in the Luis Arraez mold, and it\u2019s taking nothing away from Hernandez to take the under on that.<\/p>\n

Defensively, Hernandez is a smooth fielder at second and has dabbled at third as well. If he could play short, he\u2019d grade out as a traditional 40 utility infielder. His arm is light, though, which makes this a tricky skill set to fit onto a roster. His ability to hit and cover a middle infield spot should carry him to the upper levels, where he projects as an up-down guy, with paths for more if he finds a way to get to more power.<\/p>\n

When\u2019s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he\u2019s there?<\/p>\n

Hernandez offers something that has been all too rare among Rockies prospects: high-level bat-to-ball skills and a disciplined eye. He\u2019s a reliable glove with high baseball IQ, though his lack of elite twitch means his long-term fit is likely as a utility infielder and as a 35+ FV player for me, off my top 30 list. Hernandez will be Rule 5 eligible after the season, the Rockies will need to decide if that profile is worthy of a 40-man roster spot.<\/p>\n

28. Konner Eaton<\/a> (128 points, 18 ballots) \u2014 Preseason Ranking: 28 \u2014 High Ballot 21, Mode Ballot 24<\/p>\n

How did he enter the organization?<\/p>\n

2024 6th Round, George Mason University<\/p>\n

Why did he make the PuRPs list?<\/p>\n

Eaton \u2014 a 23-year-old lefty pitcher who signed for a full-slot bonus of $378.9k after getting drafted in the sixth round in 2024 \u2014 has intriguing size and athleticism. He throws in the lower half of the 90s and boasts a slider whose late horizontal movement is effective against hitters from both sides of the plate. Eaton has a durable frame (6\u20193\u201d, 210 pounds) that projects well as a traditional starting pitcher. His delivery is athletic, though he has worked on simplifying his mechanics since turning professional to improve his overall strike-throwing ability.<\/p>\n

After seeing some action in his draft year up to High-A Spokane, Eaton was assigned back to High-A Spokane in 2025. The left-hander was a rotation stalwart for Spokane, starting 23 games and throwing 121.1 innings with a 3.56 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 9.3 K\/9 rate, and 3.1 BB\/9 rate. That includes quality starts in seven of eight starts between mid-June and early August. In mid-August, Eaton was promoted to Double-A Hartford, where he was 2.7 years younger than league average. He took the mound for another four starts in the Eastern League, throwing 18.2 innings with a nice 11.6 K\/9 rate, albeit a 5.30 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 4.8 BB\/9 rate.<\/p>\n

This year, Eaton returned to Hartford, where he is 1.9 years younger than league average. He\u2019s made 18 starts and thrown 80 innings with a 4.73 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 9.0 K\/9 rate, and 5.2 BB\/9 rate. Eaton has struggled of late though, with five of his last six starts not lasting past three innings, including a nine run shelling last week. That streak notwithstanding, Eaton has five quality starts on the year and has held his own against more advanced hitting.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at Eaton\u2019s 2025 highlights:<\/p>\n

Eaton is currently ranked 19th in the system<\/a> by MLB Pipeline as a 45 FV prospect with a 55 grade on his slider and 50s on the fastball and changeup:<\/p>\n

Eaton is now showing an ability to throw three pitches for strikes and that, along with showing acumen for finishing hitters, gives him a chance to start. His fastball sits around 93 mph and he can reach back for 95-96. He\u2019ll carry his velocity deep into starts, and the pitch has occasional cut or tail to it. His mid-80s slider is his best pitch, eliciting a miss rate north of 40 percent last year. He\u2019ll manipulate its shape, sometimes throwing it with sweep, sometimes with the tilt and depth of a more traditional slider. A big reason for his success thus far has been his conviction in throwing his low-80s changeup more.<\/p>\n

The big left-hander struggled with the strike zone throughout his college career, a big reason why the Rockies weren\u2019t the only ones thinking he belonged in a bullpen. It\u2019s not pinpoint command, but he\u2019s around the zone enough where the organization thinks he might have the ability to stick in a rotation for a long time.<\/p>\n

FanGraphs ranks Eaton 27th in the system<\/a> as a 40 FV prospect, highlighted by 50 grades on the slider and change-up:<\/p>\n

Eaton has a well-rounded mix of average stuff and strike-throwing. He has both fastballs, and while he touches 96 mph with the four-seamer, both have round-down shape limits their utility. His change and slider are both average and play a little ahead of that grade due to his ability to move them around the plate. The southpaw is also good at some of the old school stuff, like sequencing and changing speeds. In my looks, his control tended to be great right until it fell apart completely, and between that and the lack of an out pitch, he looks like more of a one-time-through guy than a reliable starter. There\u2019s also a chance everything plays a half-grade better than this projection in short stints.<\/p>\n

Keith Law of the Athletic listed Eaton as a player of note<\/a> back in February:<\/p>\n

Lefty Konner Eaton misses bats with a plus slider, sitting 91-94, probably ending up in the bullpen because the slider is really his only weapon right now. He was excellent in High A and then struggled with his command and control in a brief stint in Double A. He does have a good delivery and may have more in the tank.<\/p>\n

When\u2019s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he\u2019s there?<\/p>\n

Eaton has proven so far in his professional career to be able to soak up innings, while his improving control has made staying in a starting rotation much more likely than it appeared when he was drafted. His profile is one of a back-end rotation pitcher from the left side, which to me is a 40 FV player who just missed my top 30. Eaton has fit well in Double-A and I could see him as a big league candidate by the end of next season.<\/p>\n

27. Welinton Herrera<\/a> (134 points, 17 ballots) \u2014 Preseason Ranking: 17 \u2014 High Ballot 15, Mode Ballot 25<\/p>\n

How did he enter the organization?<\/p>\n

2021 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

Why did he make the PuRPs list?<\/p>\n

Herrera is probably the Rockies\u2019 top relief prospect, though he will miss a large chunk of time after tearing his UCL<\/a> in early June with the big league club. The 22-year-old 6\u20190\u201d Dominican lefty boasts a plus to plus-plus mid-90s fastball coming from an uphill angle and will again contend for a Major League bullpen slot once he returns from injury. Herrera, who signed in January 2021 for $200k, was a pop-up arm in 2024 in his first taste of full season ball after two years in the DSL and a season in the ACL.<\/p>\n

In 2024 in Low-A Fresno, Herrera, employing a low arm slot from the left side and mid-90s velocity, was immediately dominant. He struck out an absurd 62 hitters (against only nine walks) in just 34 innings (16.4 K\/9 rate) with a 2.38 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 23 appearances at Fresno. Herrera was promoted to High-A Spokane in late June. Against higher-level opposition, Herrera\u2019s rate stats were less strong (4.76 ERA, 3.75 xFIP, 1.41 WHIP, 9.5 K\/9, 4.4 BB\/9) in 23 appearances totaling 28.1 innings.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Herrera went back to Spokane, where he quickly showed he had mastered the level. In 15 appearances and 18.1 innings, Herrera collected 10 saves with a sparkly 0.49 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 14.2 K\/9 rate, and 2.9 BB\/9 rate. The Rockies promoted him to Double-A Hartford in mid-May, where he was 3.7 years younger than league average. In 37 appearances totaling 46.1 innings with Hartford, Herrera added seven more saves with a 3.50 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 13.6 K\/9 rate, and 3.7 BB\/9 rate against upper minors hitters. He also represented the Rockies at the prestigious Futures Game in July, where he got the final out to record the save<\/a> for the NL squad. Herrera finished his 2025 with a strong stint in the prestigious Arizona Fall League and Herrera was added to Colorado\u2019s 40-man roster shortly thereafter.<\/p>\n

In 2026, Herrera was jumped up to Triple-A Albuquerque, where he faced hitters who were on average 5.6 years older than him in a tough pitching environment. He made 16 appearances totaling 22.2 innings with a 5.16 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 13.5 K\/9 rate, and 5.6 BB\/9 rate. Herrera was called up to the Rockies in late May, where he seemed poised to stick in the bullpen long term after three scoreless appearances where he allowed only two hits and one walk in 2 1\/3 innings. Unfortunately, Herrera suffered the UCL injury and now faces a long way back.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s some video of Herrera from the Arizona Fall League last year:<\/p>\n

Herrera was ranked 10th in the system by Baseball America<\/a> before the season and was listed as having the best fastball in the system<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Keith Law of the Athletic ranked Herrera 14th in the system<\/a> in February:<\/p>\n

Herrera\u2019s fastball is 97-100 and he lived off the pitch in High A until the Rockies told him he had to throw his slider more, after which he was a little more balanced and dominated through the rest of the year in Double A. His profile is straight relief, probably the one-inning variety only, but he throws plenty of strikes and it\u2019s a pretty easy delivery for that velocity. He could easily help the Rockies this year.<\/p>\n

FanGraphs ranks Herrera as a 40+ FV player, 19th overall in the system<\/a>, putting a 70 grade on his fastball\u2019s future effectiveness with 55 future grades on the slider and change-up:<\/p>\n

Herrera is a six-foot, three-pitch lefty. After years at the lower levels, his dominant 2025 season put him on the prospect radar. Herrera posted a 2.64 ERA with a 36.4% strikeout rate and a 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, mostly at Double-A Hartford. His dominance earned him a spot in the Futures Game and the AFL, where he was wild. Control is a big question: Herrera is athletic and powerful for his stature, but he\u2019s close to a max-effort guy with an unbalanced finish and a long stroke with recoil at the end. If he can stay around the plate, he\u2019ll generate plenty of misses and chases, because the stuff is good. His tailing fastball has late life, and the slider either has very tight depth or runs away from lefty bats when he locates low and away. Even the change, which he rarely uses, looks nifty at its best, with bat-missing sink when he isn\u2019t missing badly. He has late-inning ceiling if his command exceeds this projection; more likely, he settles in as a solid lefty reliever.<\/p>\n

Herrera is ranked 23rd in the system by MLB Pipeline<\/a> as a 40 FV prospect with a plus grade on both the fastball and the slider:<\/p>\n

When you combine a funky delivery with velocity, you might get a very valuable left-handed reliever. Herrera cranked his fastball up to 99 mph in 2025, averaging around 95 and he throws it from a low three-quarters slot that allows it to carry above barrels, resulting in a lot of misses and chases. He leans on the heater, sometimes too much, and will have to keep using his slider more, because it has the chance to really have teeth. He threw it around 86 mph across all stops last year with depth to it when he finishes it and it missed bats at a 44-percent rate, according to Synergy. He actually has an upper-80s changeup that could be useful against right-handed hitters, but it\u2019s not as consistent.<\/p>\n

Herrera will still only be 23 for all of the 2027 season, when he\u2019ll hopefully be able to return to the mound post-injury. If he can continue to hone his craft in areas like holding runners and fielding his position, not to mention committing to throwing that slider, he still has high-leverage reliever upside when healthy.<\/p>\n

When\u2019s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he\u2019s there?<\/p>\n

The overall value that can be added by a relief arm is limited, but Herrera seems like a potential late-inning reliever (and he\u2019s a lefty to boot) once he returns from his injury next year. That performance and proximity, tempered by the injury, is why I have Herrera as a 40 FV player who was the last cut from my list.<\/p>\n

26. Robert Calaz<\/a> (163 points, 16 ballots) \u2014 Preseason Ranking: 6 \u2014 High Ballot 10, Mode Ballot 24, 26, 28<\/p>\n

How did he enter the organization?<\/p>\n

2023 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

Why did he make the PuRPs list?<\/p>\n

At the end of 2024, Calaz seemed to be on a rocket ship toward the big leagues after a season in which he was named the MVP of the Arizona Complex League<\/a> and tore up the Low-A California league in a small sample. The next two seasons haven\u2019t quite gone as planned for the the 6\u20192\u201d toolsy right-handed 20-year-old Dominican outfielder, who has struggled mightily as one of the youngest players in High-A this year. Calaz, who was 24th on MLB.com\u2019s international amateur free agent prospect rankings<\/a> for 2023, received Colorado\u2019s top international signing bonus<\/a> in the 2023 January period at $1.7 million, which is similar to what fellow PuRP Sean Sullivan received as a second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Calaz began his professional career with a bang in the Dominican Summer League, producing a 149 wRC+ and playing center field with a bit of right field mixed in. In 2024, Calaz came stateside to play with the Arizona Complex League and flat-out murdered the ball with a monster .349\/.462\/.651 line, good for a 172 wRC+ in 210 plate appearances. He led the ACL in several major offensive categories (AVG\/OBP\/SLG\/OPS\/HR\/RBI\/TB) en route to a well-deserved league MVP award. The Rockies promoted Calaz to Low-A Fresno after the ACL season in early August, where he was 3.1 years younger than league average. That didn\u2019t stop Calaz \u2014 he hit .327\/.386\/.571 with two homers, two triples, two doubles, and three steals in 57 plate appearances (147 wRC+).<\/p>\n

In 2025, the Rockies chose to send Calaz back to Fresno for a longer run, where he was still 2.2 years younger than league average. The season started inauspiciously, as Calaz suffered an injury in the first game of the season that knocked him out for three weeks. In 424 plate appearances, Calaz hit .259\/.338\/.399 with ten homers among his 29 extra-base hits. He performed above average offensively (105 wRC+), but not nearly as high as Rockies fans were expecting considering his performance in 2024 at the same level. Additionally, Calaz struck out in 26% of plate appearances (9% walks), which is pretty high for low minors pitching (though he improved his contact % from 66% to 70% year over year).<\/p>\n

This year, Calaz moved up to High-A Spokane, where he is 2.5 years younger than league average, and has really struggled. In 349 plate appearances so far, he is hitting just .205\/.284\/.301 with four homers and 10 steals \u2014 just a 48 wRC+. He has struck out in 31.5% of plate appearances against 8.6% walks while contact % dropped back to 67%. It is of course important to remember that Calaz has only faced a younger pitcher than him in 2.5% of plate appearances this year, but at some point he will need to figure out how to beat pitching that can execute a scouting report. In the field, Calaz split time between all three outfield positions, totaling two outfield assists and three errors.<\/p>\n

Here is a look at Calaz from 2025 in Fresno, including some slow-mo looks at his swing:<\/p>\n

Baseball America ranked Calaz 9th in the system<\/a> before the season:<\/p>\n

Calaz stands 6-foot-2 with room to add more strength to an already-mature frame. He brings explosive raw power to the plate, though his game remains a bit unrefined. Swing-and-miss concerns have followed him since signing\u2014a common caveat with young, power-first hitters\u2014but they\u2019ve become more pronounced. Calaz\u2019s swing starts with an extremely high hand-set, and he sometimes rests the bat on his shoulder before using a waggle to start his trigger.<\/p>\n

Keith Law of the Athletic ranked Calaz 11th in the system<\/a> in February:<\/p>\n

Calaz got a lot of attention after he hit .349\/.462\/.651 in the Arizona Complex League in 2024, but he did so mostly on physical ability rather than a feel for the game, and that deficiency caught up to him in Low A last year. Still just 19, he hit .259\/.338\/.399 in Fresno with a 26 percent strikeout rate driven by high whiff and chase rates, including a 34 percent swing-and-miss rate just on fastballs. He wasn\u2019t ready for the level and probably needed short-season ball \u2014 he would have put up stupid numbers in Grand Junction \u2014 so take some of that with a grain of salt, but his baseball instincts just aren\u2019t that advanced yet. He\u2019s going to be big and strong with 30-homer upside in an outfield corner, with a lot of work to do on approach to get there.<\/p>\n

MLB Pipeline ranks Calaz 24th in the system as a 40 Future Value player<\/a>, highlighted by a 55 power grade and 50 grades on the arm and fielding:<\/p>\n

Just 20 for all of the 2026 season, there\u2019s still plenty of time for Calaz to figure things out at the plate. He\u2019s a strong, right-handed hitter with a ton of raw power, but he needs to figure out a gameplan to stick with in order to get to it. He likes to attack pitches early in the count and showed he could still do damage if he got a pitch to hit in the first two or three offerings, but if he chased early and fell behind, he was done. He needs to learn he can have impact in all counts and cut down his chase because when he does connect, he still registers elite-level exit velocities.<\/p>\n

While Calaz saw considerable time in center field at the outset of his career, he\u2019s starting to slow down as he fills out his frame. He\u2019s working on his conditioning and nutrition, but it\u2019s looking like right field, where he saw a lot of time in 2025, is the best spot for him long-term. He has the power potential to profile there if he can find a bit more discipline at the plate.<\/p>\n

FanGraphs ranks Calaz as a 35+ FV player<\/a> (35th in the system), highlighted by a plus-plus future grade on his raw power and a plus arm:<\/p>\n

Calaz was a big-bonus prospect in the 2023 international class, signing for $1.7 million thanks to a powerful frame and the chance to grow into 70 raw. He had a great debut season in the DSL, ripped through the ACL in 2024, and after a great two-week cameo in Low-A to round out that season, he entered 2025 with no small amount of hype. On the surface, his .259\/.338\/.399 line, good for a 105 wRC+, is perhaps a tad disappointing but not especially illuminating. Beneath the surface, red flags lurk everywhere.<\/p>\n

While Calaz held his own in the Cal League, his lack of feel in the box looms as a real problem. He\u2019s an aggressive swinger with poor pitch recognition and strike zone judgement. His contact rate was just 66% last year, and he whiffed more than 30% of the time on both fastballs and breaking balls. He\u2019s a see-ball, hit-ball hitter, and across several looks over the two seasons, he\u2019s shown no growth in his ability to make adjustments mid-at-bat. His uphill swing is powerful, but also stiff and grooved; he\u2019ll hammer a mistake in his wheelhouse to the moon, but there are a lot of ways to get him out.<\/p>\n

While Calaz saw time in center field again last year, he\u2019s slowed considerably in pro ball, and is ticketed for right. He\u2019s presently poor there, as he often struggles to field bouncing or rolling balls, much less track stuff adeptly in the air. He has a cannon for an arm and a shot to be playable overall with a lot of reps, but as with his bat, he\u2019s a long way off. Overall, his power and arm strength give him paths to help, most likely in a bench role. On both sides, though, his feel for the game is very raw and needs significant growth if he\u2019s to have any chance of tapping into his power.<\/p>\n

When\u2019s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he\u2019s there?<\/p>\n

Calaz is much more likely to be in a corner outfield role and has some big plate approach and contact rate questions. Calaz is clearly a high-ceiling player who seems increasingly unlikely to actualize it absent an overhaul to his offensive approach. Still though, plus right-handed power is tough to come by, and the big signing bonus Calaz got is proof positive of its market value. Calaz is still young and has time to make corrections, but 2027 will bring a Rule 5 decision and he\u2019ll no doubt be back at Spokane until he can prove some level of mastery there. I ranked Calaz 28th on my list as a 40 FV player because the ingredients are there for a monster but the recipe is yet to be found.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned for the next installment of the mid-season 2026 PuRPs list!<\/p>\n

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