The Colorado Rockies need pitching. Lots of it.
Finding it won’t be easy. Established free agents can be expensive, assuming the Rockies can convince them to pitch at Coors Field. The draft offers another avenue, but even successful picks typically need years of development. Trades, meanwhile, offer an opportunity to acquire pitchers who could contribute sooner.
Paul DePodesta’s early pitching acquisitions offer some encouragement. Brennan Bernardino has emerged as a legitimate bullpen contributor,
while Mason Adams and Mark Manfredi are intriguing additions from the Brenton Doyle and Antonio Senzatela trades, respectively.
Of course, acquiring talent means giving something up. Colorado has a crowded outfield, while former top prospect Adael Amador showed encouraging signs down the stretch and is one of several young hitters at the major-league level or in the upper minors who could be moved. Hunter Goodman, coming off a 41-homer season as a catcher, would represent a significant trade chip. There’s even the nuclear option of dealing top prospect Ethan Holliday, although that would require an extraordinary return.
The Rockies have options, but deciding which players to part with, and for what kind of pitching, is another matter entirely.
So, what’s realistic?
Inspired by a Baseball America article, I went searching for overlooked pitchers in other organizations. I focused primarily on arms outside their organization’s top 10 prospects and the national top 100, using strikeout rates, walk rates and fielding-independent pitching as starting points. I also included pitchers with interesting scouting profiles whose results haven’t necessarily matched their potential.
The goal is to identify possible contributors between 2027 and 2029, not predict the next Cy Young winner. I don’t know whether any of these pitchers are available or what their teams might want in return. But because they generally fall outside the highest prospect rankings, some could represent more realistic trade targets for the Rockies.
The numbers jump off the page
Strong minor-league numbers don’t guarantee major-league success, but these pitchers have produced strikeout rates worth investigating.
(All statistics are combined 2026 minor-league totals; levels indicate each pitcher’s highest level reached. FIP- measures fielding-independent pitching performance adjusted for league and park (100 is average; lower is better). GB% is groundball percentage. Competition varies considerably between levels.)
Miami’s Jacob Kisting has already changed organizations twice since November 2025. His 59 FIP- was exceptional, and his strikeout rate improved to 31.3% after reaching Double-A. Maintaining that production against more advanced hitters will be his next challenge.
Philadelphia’s Cody Bowker offers a particularly interesting fastball. His low release point and unusual carry help the pitch play above its velocity, contributing to impressive strikeout totals.
Bowker’s walk rate also improved from 11.8% at Single-A to 4.8% at High-A and 3.7% at Double-A. The final figure came over just 20.0 innings, but the progression is encouraging. Developing his secondary pitches will be important as hitters adjust.
Atlanta’s Cedric De Grandpré has reached Triple-A and maintained strong strikeout production, although his double-digit walk rate remains a concern.
Throw strikes and keep the ball on the ground
These pitchers offer a different combination of skills, pairing manageable walk rates with a greater tendency to generate groundballs. While that doesn’t automatically make them better fits for Coors Field, it’s another pitching profile worth exploring.
Boston’s Gage Ziehl combines above-average projected command with an encouraging groundball rate. His strikeout rate declined from 27.1% at Double-A to 19.6% at Triple-A, however, making his ability to generate outs against advanced hitters worth watching.
Atlanta’s Ethan Bagwell is only 20. His FIP- rose from 65 at Single-A to 91 at High-A, but he continued limiting walks and generating groundballs after his promotion.
Houston’s James Hicks also limits walks and generates groundballs, although his lower strikeout rate leaves less room for mistakes.
Close enough to help soon
Colorado needs pitchers throughout its system, but these four have already reached Triple-A and could offer more immediate help in 2027.
Boston’s Blake Wehunt experienced a dramatic change between levels. At Double-A, he struck out 33.0% of hitters with a 3.62 FIP. At Triple-A, his strikeout rate dropped to 15.9% and his FIP climbed to 4.92. The question is whether Wehunt can rediscover that effectiveness against Triple-A hitters.
Pittsburgh’s Connor Wietgrefe handled 151.1 innings while maintaining respectable results. His strikeout rate declined at Triple-A, but that workload is appealing for an organization needing more starting pitching depth.
Lucas Braun also provided substantial innings, although his Triple-A results were less encouraging. Houston’s Jackson Nezuh offers greater strikeout potential but needs to improve his control.
Something to fix, something to dream on
Acquiring one of these pitchers would mean betting on further development rather than established performance.
Miami’s Julio Mendez generates plenty of strikeouts, but his control needs work. The left-hander continued striking out more than 30% of hitters at High-A while walking 12.0%.
Cincinnati’s Mason Morris is particularly intriguing. FanGraphs assigns 60 grades to both his fastball and slider, but his statistical performance hasn’t matched the appeal of his arsenal.
FanGraphs projects Morris as a multi-inning reliever while also recommending continued development as a starter. MLB Pipeline sees starting potential, too, provided his command and changeup improve. Both paths remain interesting.
Cleveland’s Rafe Schlesinger reached Double-A with respectable results, but reducing his walk rate could make his profile considerably stronger.
Roster opportunities and second chances
Not every pitching acquisition requires a conventional prospect-for-prospect trade. Roster crunches, changing organizational priorities and pitchers who haven’t secured permanent major-league roles can create opportunities. That doesn’t mean either of these pitchers is available, but their paths illustrate how circumstances can change.
Chicago selected Jedixson Páez from Boston in the December 2025 Rule 5 Draft, designated him for assignment April 1 and returned him April 4.
Back in Boston’s system, Páez walked just 2.9% of opposing hitters across 70.2 innings while maintaining impressive strikeout production, earning another major-league opportunity in September.
His low-90s fastball and vulnerability to home runs remain concerns, but that level of control, combined with his varied secondary offerings, makes him worth watching.
Atlanta’s Blake Burkhalter reached the majors in September after spending his MiLB career as both a starter and a reliever. His strikeout production in 41.0 minor-league innings in 2026 was encouraging, though the small sample size warrants caution. His arsenal could provide value in long relief.
Raising the floor
Not every name here is a realistic trade target. Some may be too valuable to their organizations, while others could cost more than Colorado is willing to offer.
Some pitchers offer impressive numbers, others have intriguing arsenals, and a few might be closer to contributing than their prospect rankings suggest. The Rockies need pitching at nearly every level, and finding it will require looking beyond the obvious names.
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