Four pitchers and a shortstop make up the next five entries
Let’s keep the mid-season 2024 Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs) list reveal rolling! Today are prospects 25-21. As a reminder, in this edition of the PuRPs poll, 35 ballots were cast, with 30 points granted for a first place vote, 29 for second, etc.
For each player on the PuRPs list, I’ll include a link to individual stats and contract status (via Baseball-Reference), PuRPs voting stats, a note on the 2024 season to date, and a scouting report from a national prospect writer where possible. For what it’s worth, I’ll also include where I put each player on my personal ballot. All ages are as of the date the article is posted.
25. Angel Chivilli (135 points, 21 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: NR — High Ballot 18, Mode Ballot 23, 24
How did he enter the organization?
2018 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
As many Rockies fans have seen already this year, the 6’2” right-hander could develop into a late-inning reliever for Colorado thanks to a filthy changeup that flashes plus-plus, mid-to-upper 90s fastball velocity, and a strong slider. Chivilli, who just turned 22 last month, was signed back in 2018 for a $200k bonus. Due in part to the pandemic, he didn’t make his way stateside until 2022, when he was in his age-19 season. That year, he pitched well in the Arizona Complex League and Low-A in his first long-term exposure as a reliever, throwing 40 2⁄3 innings with a 2.21 ERA and 11.3 K/9 rate.
In 2023, Chivilli was assigned to High-A Spokane in his second 40-man roster evaluation year (already!), where he was 3.1 years younger than league average. He threw 57 innings across 50 appearances with a 5.84 ERA (4.25 xFIP), 1.44 WHIP, and a 10.3 K/9 rate against a 3.2 BB/9 rate with 17 saves for Spokane. He received a late season promotion to Double-A Hartford, where he made three appearances and threw four innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk while striking out three. That performance and steps forward in Chivilli’s arsenal led to his addition to the 40 man roster in the off-season.
Chivilli was assigned back to Hartford, where he was 3.5 years younger than league average. After six appearances there, Chivilli was called straight up to the Rockies in early May to serve as bullpen depth for a few days, though he didn’t pitch. Eight more Hartford appearances in May followed, then Chivilli was back up with the Rockies in early June. He made five relief appearances with Colorado in a two week span, then was back to Hartford for another month (with another Rockies call-up where he didn’t pitch in the middle).
Chivilli was sent to Triple-A Albuquerque for two weeks in late July, then he rejoined the Rockies pen on July 30th, where he has been since. All that maneuvering leaves Chivilli about two weeks shy of exhausting his rookie status — so this might be the one an only time Chivilli makes a PuRPs list.
In Hartford and Albuquerque combined this year, Chivilli pitched a strong 28 2⁄3 innings with a 2.20 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 13.2 K/9 rate, and 3.8 BB/9 rate. With the Rockies, Chivilli has been more effective since the first five game stint with the team, in which he allowed five runs in 5 1⁄3 innings on eight hits with two strikeouts. In the ten innings he’s pitched since his most recent call-up, Chivilli has allowed just three runs on ten hits and three walks, striking out eight. During that latter stretch, Chivilli picked up his first two holds, a win, a save, a loss, and a blown save (albeit in the 7th inning).
Here’s some video of Chivilli being dominant with Hartford earlier this year:
What do the scouts say?
Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs is Chivilli’s foremost champion, giving him a 45 FV grade and ranking him 6th in the system:
Chivilli went from a developmental relief prospect with the makings of a good changeup to a 40-man rosteree with a plus-plus changeup in one year. He sat 93-96 throughout 2023 and is back there again to start 2024, and while he lacks precise feel for fastball command, his delivery is direct to the plate and Chivilli’s style of fastball utility doesn’t require him to dot his heater east and west. I actually wonder if Chivilli can start. He’s kept his walks under control during his time in the minors, he’s loose and athletic, and in addition to the power mid-80s changeup, he has a fair mid-80s slider that he can land for a strike. He threw 57 innings last year in what was largely a single-inning relief role, which he appears to be in again at Hartford early in 2024. I think the Rockies should consider stretching Chivilli out in long relief to set him up for a potential transition to the rotation if things go well. The problem is that he’s already on the 40-man and it would probably take the better part of his first two option years to actually find out if that’s a good fit. If things don’t work, then you’ve monkeyed with what is otherwise a likely late-inning reliever.
MLB.com ranks Chivilli 28th in the system as a 40 FV player:
Chivilli’s stuff has all ticked up as he’s settled into his bullpen role. While his fastball tends to be a little true and doesn’t miss a ton of bats, he has cranked it up to triple digits in 2024. His changeup is his go-to out pitch, a mid-80s offspeed offering that misses a ton of bats and gets weak contact. His slider is not a finished product, but the mid-80s breaking ball is vastly improved.
Still very young, Chivilli has been getting better at attacking hitters and has generally done a solid job at being around the strike zone. He has the kind of stuff that could let him see high-leverage situations out of a big league bullpen.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Chivilli is already carving out a role in the middle of the Rockies bullpen this year and will likely not be eligible for another PuRPs list. While the suggestion from Longenhagen that Chivilli could start is an intriguing one, it’s probably correct for Colorado to keep him in the pen for now. Chivilli is near the head of a gaggle of 40 FV relievers in the system who I have just outside my top 30.
★ ★ ★
24. Ashly Andujar (145 points, 19 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: NR — High Ballot 16, Mode Ballot 26
How did he enter the organization?
2024 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
Andujar was the headliner of Colorado’s international free agent class this January, garnering a $1.7 million bonus as the 17th ranked international prospect at MLB.com. The now 17-year-old 6’1” switch-hitting shortstop has spent his first professional season in the Dominican Summer League as expected, where he is 1.7 years younger than league average.
In 229 PA, Andujar has fit right in with a .292/.376/.352 line that includes ten extra-base hits and 17 steals in 25 attempts, good for a 105 wRC+. Andujar has walked in about 9.5% of his plate appearances and has struck out in about 13.5% of them. On defense, Andujar committed 14 errors in 45 games at shortstop. Overall, it’s a strong debut for a new signee, though of course I’d like to see a bit more power.
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:
What do the scouts say?
MLB.com now ranks Andujar 27th in the system as a 40 FV player:
Andujar is a switch-hitter who has shown some offensive upside from both sides of the plate. He finds the barrel consistently with high contact rates, rarely strikes out and isn’t afraid of hitting with two strikes. Right now it’s gap-to-gap thump, at best, but if he can add strength to his frame, there should be more power to come in the future.
While he isn’t a burner, that added strength should allow Andujar to add speed as he matures as well, and he’s already aggressive on the basepaths and likes to steal. He has all the makings of a solid shortstop, with soft hands and an arm that could eventually be plus. His defensive tools play up because he has excellent instincts and awareness to go along with a good internal clock.
Longenhagen at Fangraphs ranked Andujar as a 40+ FV prospect, which is 20th in the system, with a plus run grade and a 55 future hit tool evaluation:
I had a fairly bullish pre-signing grade on Andujar even though some international scouts thought he was simply too frail to be a viable offensive player in pro ball. I’m willing to project more growth (literally) and skill development here because Andujar is so young. His skill foundation (switch-hitting feel for contact and great defensive actions) has him primed to break out if he can develop big league physicality.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
As a seven-figure international signee, Andujar is joining a recent tradition of PuRPs, including Adael Amador, Robert Calaz, and Dyan Jorge. He’s a long ways away, but his athleticism provides a good foundation for him as a potential regular — so long as he doesn’t end up a Punch and Judy hitter. We’ll see if the Rockies keep him in the DR next year or if he plays in the ACL. The potential and performance so far were enough for me to rank Andujar 18th on my list as a 40+ FV player.
★ ★ ★
23. Jack Mahoney (181 points, 25 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 28 — High Ballot 15, Mode Ballot 25
How did he enter the organization?
2023 3rd Round, University of South Carolina
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
Mahoney was Colorado’s third rounder in 2023 out of South Carolina, going 77th overall and signing for a slightly below slot bonus of $925k. The 23-year-old (as of last week) 6’3” righty dabbled with two-way playing in college but was mostly a pitcher. The Illinois native pitched very well as a freshman in 2021 (1.62 ERA in 33 1⁄3 IP) but needed Tommy John surgery mid-way through that campaign and missed all of 2022 on the mound as well — though he did swat two homers in 19 PA as a DH.
Back on the mound in 2023, Mahoney was worse at run prevention (4.16 ERA in a tough SEC) but his stuff had come back well after the surgery and he threw 84 1⁄3 innings across 17 starts with a 9.0 K/9 rate, and 3.1 BB/9 rate. After signing with the Rockies, Mahoney made two appearances with Colorado’s complex team, allowing two runs on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts in two innings.
Mahoney was assigned to Low-A Fresno to start 2024, where he was a league-average age. He made 17 starts with Fresno, throwing 94 2⁄3 innings with a 3.52 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8.7 K/9 rate, and 2.1 BB/9 rate. The Rockies bumped Mahoney up to High-A Spokane early this month, where he is 1.2 years younger than league average. Considering his age, performance, and draft pedigree, I would have promoted him even sooner. He has made three starts so far with Spokane, adding 16 2⁄3 innings with a 5.40 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 8.6 K/9 rate, and 3.2 BB/9 rate.
Here’s some video of Mahoney in Low-A Fresno in June, highlighting a complete game shutout (he threw just 95 pitches):
What do the scouts say?
Keith Law of the Athletic ranked Mahoney 14th in the system pre-season:
Mahoney returned last spring for South Carolina after 2021 Tommy John surgery to show a 92-94 mph fastball with some two-seam life, a plus changeup, and a maybe-45 slider, getting some groundballs from the two-seamer but more hard contact than you’d like. He does look like he can start and has average control with 45-ish command, with a good enough delivery to stay in the role if he can handle the innings. It’ll probably come down to whether he can minimize that hard contact.
Mahoney ranked 120th overall in MLB.com’s 2023 draft rankings and is now 22nd overall in their system rank as a 40 FV player:
A 6-foot-3 right-hander, Mahoney saw his stuff bounce back pretty well upon his return. It starts with a fastball that tops out at 97 mph and sits in the 92-95 range with late natural sink to it. His mid-80s slider can be inconsistent, but at its best, it has horizontal and vertical break. He throws his changeup with the same velocity, and when it’s on, it features good fade. He has the ability to get outs early in counts on the ground, as well as strike guys out.
Mahoney is a good athlete who quarterbacked his high school football team and even hit a couple of home runs in 2022 for South Carolina while he was rehabbing his elbow. He has a feel of what he wants to do on the mound, though he’ll need to keep refining his command and control of his repertoire. It’s a pretty good rotation piece starter kit, with perhaps a leap forward to come another year removed from the elbow surgery.
Longenhagen of Fangraphs gave Mahoney a 40 FV grade, slotting him 31st in the system:
Mahoney played both ways a little bit as an underclassman at SC. He pitched out of the bullpen during most of his freshman year, then missed 2022 recovering from Tommy John, though he was still able to hit a little bit that year. He held 92-94 and touched 96-97 across 16 starts as a junior. His fastball tails, he commands a short, mid-80s slider sitting 84-86 mph, and he has arm-side changeup feel. His secondaries aren’t all that nasty, but Mahoney’s feel for location is advanced considering his lack of college reps. There’s a backend starter projection here, with a non-zero chance he’s scratching the surface of more. He began 2024 at Low-A Fresno, which is probably beneath his skill level.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
I ranked Mahoney 21st on my PuRPs ballot as a 40 FV player because of the athleticism, draft pedigree, and starter projection — though the overall package might not be as exciting as other pitchers in the system. I’m guessing Mahoney will start next year in Spokane again, with a mid-season move to Double-A Hartford possible.
★ ★ ★
22. Michael Prosecky (227 points, 26 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 23 — High Ballot 12, Mode Ballot 17, 23, 24
How did he enter the organization?
2022 6th Round, University of Louisville
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
When the Rockies signed Prosecky to a slightly over-slot $300k bonus after drafting him in the sixth round in 2022, most observers thought the left-handed pitcher would be ticketed for the bullpen. After all, that’s where the 6’3” hurler had made his bones in college as Louisville’s closer. Instead, the now 23-year-old made the transition to the starting rotation in his first-full professional season and it went quite well.
Pitching at a league-average age at Low-A Fresno in 2023, Prosecky averaged over five innings per start (109 of them in 21 starts) and looked no worse for the wear, never eclipsing 100 pitches in the process. Prosecky posted a 2.72 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP, 10.3 K/9 rate, and 3.4 BB/9 rate on the season. Not only did Prosecky succeed in the rotation, he maintained an elevated strikeout rate while lowering the walk rate well below what he displayed in college.
This year, Prosecky’s rise was slowed by elbow inflammation that shelved him until mid-June. He made four appearances for the ACL team, then he moved back to Low-A for two dominant starts (11 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 17 K) before finally making it to High-A Spokane in mid-July, where he is of league-average age. Prosecky has made five appearances (four starts) for Spokane and he’s been hit hard so far, throwing 19 2⁄3 innings with a 5.59 ERA (4.34 xFIP), 1.55 WHIP, 10.7 K/9 rate, and 4.2 BB/9 rate. With that written, Prosecky’s most recent start had him going five scoreless innings with three hits, three walks, and five strikeouts.
Honestly the results in Spokane aren’t too concerning as Prosecky works his way back to his 2023 form. It’s good to see he still has strikeout stuff and can go deeper into games.
Here’s Prosecky striking out the side in early June 2023, courtesy of MLB.com:
What do the scouts say?
Law of the Athletic ranked Prosecky 9th in the org back in February:
Prosecky was a reliever at Louisville when the Rockies took him in the sixth round in 2022. He made just four starts in three years with the Cardinals, none in his draft year, but the Rockies put him in the rotation in Low A and he took off last year, with a 2.72 ERA, a 27.6 percent strikeout rate, and a 9.0 percent walk rate. He was 92-95 mph, touching 97, with a repeatable delivery that produces plus deception, pairing it with a sharp slider/cutter and a changeup that’s inconsistent but flashes plus. His curveball is a clear fourth pitch and he should throw it less or shelve it in favor of the other weapons. He really looks like a No. 3 starter, just lacking the track record beyond a single year of starting in Low A.
Prosecky is ranked 18th in the system by MLB.com as a 45 FV player:
The 6-foot-3 left-hander has a potential four-pitch mix that could work in a rotation. He throws his fastball with late life in the 91-96 mph range, showing the ability to move it around the zone well. His slider has late action with depth and could eventually evolve into a solid out pitch and he throws a slower curve that’s more of a show-me, get-me-over type of offering. He has feel for a changeup and the Rockies are urging him to throw it more.
Considering how little Prosecky threw in college — a grand total of 64 innings in three years — he held up well over the course of a season and managed to surpass the century mark in innings pitched with plenty left in the tank while throwing better late in the year. He’s a solid strike-thrower who can finish hitters off late in counts who could stick in a rotation long-term if it clicks.
Fangraphs ranked Prosecky in the 40 FV tier in April, 39th in the system on the strength of a 55-grade curveball:
The southpaw has a short, vertical arm stroke that helps [Prosecky’s] heater play as an in-zone bat misser despite average velocity. He hides the ball forever and it appears to jump on hitters very quickly. Off of that he throws a classic 12-to-6 curveball, which is virtually indistinguishable from his fastball until it starts to bend with huge, bat-missing depth. Those two pitches give Prosecky a reliever’s foundation. He’s a bit of a short strider and his arm stroke isn’t always well-timed, but so far Prosecky has thrown enough strikes to continue developing as a starter. His third pitch is currently a changeup, which is still below average but has long-term ceiling because of the whip of Prosecky’s arm stroke. It’s perhaps more likely that his ability to spin it leads to a second type of breaker, like a two-planed slider. Either way, Prosecky is probably just scratching the surface of a third offering because of his collegiate role. The median projection for Prosecky is that of a backend starter.
It’s interesting to see the difference in evaluation on the curveball — for Law and MLB.com, it’s Prosecky’s weakest pitch but for Longenhagen it’s his best.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Prosecky has been a pleasant player development surprise for the Rockies thanks to his jump up the pitcher role value spectrum and effectiveness in the role. His stuff can consistently get Low-A hitters out, while High-A is proving to be more of a challenge. It’s encouraging to see Prosecky sustaining a starter’s workload as he moves up the ladder, but the elbow injury slowed his ascent somewhat this year.
I anticipate he’ll be back in Spokane to begin next season (which is his 40-man roster evaluation year), with a mid-season move to Hartford in the offing to test him against upper minors hitting. I ranked Prosecky as a 40 FV player, 24th on my list.
★ ★ ★
21. Jaden Hill (356 points, 30 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 19 — High Ballot 11, Mode Ballot 20
How did he enter the organization?
2021 2nd Round, Louisiana State University
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
Hill’s ceiling as a pitcher has consistently gotten him attention from scouts as a potential top of rotation starter — but this season, the Rockies waved the white flag on that as they moved the 6’4” right-hander to a full-time relief role. It was that potential that got Hill selected 44th overall in 2021 and signed him to a slot bonus of $1.69M despite having had Tommy John surgery before the draft. About that potential: When Hill is on, the 24-year-old throws an upper-90s fastball graded in the 60-65 range, a plus changeup graded in the 60-70 range, a potentially above-average slider, and decent control.
Hill just wasn’t able to harness it as a starter with High-A Spokane in 2023. The Rockies limited Hill’s pitch count to under 75 pitches, so he didn’t go deeper than four innings into a start, which meant he only threw 43 2⁄3 innings in 16 starts. The results weren’t great: 9.48 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 11.7 K/9 rate, and 5.2 BB/9 rate — though his 4.54 xFIP indicated some poor fly ball luck.
That wasn’t the end of Hill’s 2023 though, as Thomas Harding reported in November 2023. The Rockies pulled him from competition and worked on Hill’s entire motion in August:
“He had taken so long off from ‘T.J.’ that the lower half was inconsistent from outing to outing, and really from pitch to pitch at times,” Rockies coordinator of pitching strategies Flint Wallace said. “He came down here and worked hard at getting that dialed in. Basically, it’s getting his stuff in the zone more often. He was falling behind in counts early, but his stuff is electric.
“His changeup is a ‘plus-plus’ [well above Major League average] pitch. The slider, now that he has cleaned up some stuff, is getting back to where we saw pre-injury and on video when he was at LSU. We also know the fastball velocity is elite at times. And the improved delivery is helping him recover quicker.”
Hill made 11 appearances (all in relief) in the Arizona Fall League to end the season, with much better results: four earned runs on six hits and four walks while striking out 13 in 11 1⁄3 innings (3.18 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9).
The Rockies committed to Hill in that relief role this spring and sent him to Double-A Hartford, where Hill was still slightly below league average age. Hill’s six saves, 3.52 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 13.1 K/9 rate, and 2.6 BB/9 rate results in 38 1⁄3 innings over 34 appearances were a welcome sight that clearly point Hill toward a Major League role.
The Rockies promoted Hill to Triple-A Albuquerque earlier this month, where he’s been knocked around in the hitter friendly PCL so far (eight runs on seven hits and five walks allowed in five innings), though he’s struck out an average of two batters an inning and picked up a save.
Here’s some video of Hill showing off the new delivery in the 2023 AFL:
What do the scouts say?
FanGraphs slots Hill in as a 40+ FV player, which is 15th in the system, with three plus pitch grades (FB, CH, SL):
Hill was developed as a starter in 2022 and 2023 after he had returned from his TJ rehab. He battled shoulder soreness in 2023 and picked up reps in the Arizona Fall League as a reliever. His stuff took a leap, with his fastball up about three ticks into the 97-99 mph range, while both of Hill’s mid-80s secondary offerings flashed plus or better.
Hill is nearly a sidearm thrower whose fastball tails. His slider has lacked the depth it needs to miss bats early in 2024, but some of his best Fall League sliders were incredible. His changeup also has a lot of tailing action, and the horizontal split between Hill’s slider and his two other pitches forces hitters to deal with a tough combination of east/west movement, though his lack of command doesn’t enable these pitches to consistently play to their full potential. Like a stiffer, stockier Miguel Castro, Hill is more than just a generic reliever but probably isn’t an ideal high-leverage fit because of his command’s inconsistency.
Hill ranks 21st in Colorado’s system at MLB.com as a 40 Future Value player despite a 65 grade on the fastball, a 60 for the change-up, and a 55 on the slider:
The Rockies feel that perhaps Hill has finally figured some things out in order for him to unlock his vast potential. The stuff is still elite, with a fastball that was flirting with triple digits and sitting in the upper-90s in the AFL, with a little more run than he’d shown previously in pro ball. His mid-80s tumbling changeup is easily a plus pitch and his slider has gotten back to being an above-average offering with some mechanical adjustments.
Hill’s command may never be pinpoint, but he made strides in that department thanks to more consistency in syncing up his lower half and being much more comfortable in his delivery. That also has allowed him to recover between outings more effectively, a key to keeping him healthy, especially as he tries to grow into a back-end bullpen role.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
The Rockies chose the less exciting but more probable path for Hill’s development, which makes sense given Hill will be Rule 5 eligible after the season. It’s good to see that Hill’s stuff can get upper minors hitters out in a relief role before adding him to the 40-man roster, which seems quite likely at this point, as does a MLB debut by the middle of next season if not sooner. Still, I’ll wonder for a while about what could have been with Hill, as an actualized version of his LSU potential would have been a foundational building block for a contending team.
That’s not the version of Hill we get though. Evaluating him as a pure reliever, I echo Longenhagen’s concerns about high-leverage relief for him given the command struggles he’s had historically. That’s what ultimately dropped Hill, despite the closer stuff, down a tier (and just out of my top 30) into the top of the relief prospect 40 FV group that also includes Chivilli and five other guys, most of whom I’ve written up in this series already.
★ ★ ★
Next, we’ll crack the top 20 of the mid-season 2024 PuRPs list!