Two pitchers and three position players made the last five in
Now that we’ve looked at the players who were on a single ballot (PuRPs 72-59), those receiving multiple votes (PuRPs 58-47 and PuRPs 46-36), plus the Honorable Mention PuRPs for mid-season 2024, it’s time to examine the players that made the list. 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 national prospect writers where possible. For what it’s worth, I’ll also include where I put each player on my ballot. All ages are as of the date the article is posted.
Remember that the statistics pages are not the end-all, be-all when evaluating these players. Context is hugely important (such as the player’s age relative to the league’s average or the league average offensive numbers), as is the fact that injuries to prospects can affect both their tools and their stats. I’ll make sure and note where this is the case.
30. Mason Albright (74 points, 14 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 20 — High Ballot 16, Mode Ballot 29
How did he enter the organization?
2023 Trade (LA Angels)
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
Albright was one half of Colorado’s trade return from the Los Angeles Angels for Randal Grichuk and C.J. Cron (the other was Jake Madden, who received votes this time around). The 21-year-old 6’0” lefty starter was the lone high schooler in LA’s famed all-pitcher draft in 2021, an over-slot signing in the 12th round for $1.25 million. No individual pitch stands out in Albright’s mix (maybe the curveball); rather it’s the overall polish and feel for pitching he displays that sets him apart.
Albright’s 2023 began with some slight delivery adjustments, which bore fruit quickly. In 79 2⁄3 innings in 15 games with the Angels’ Low-A affiliate, Albright posted a 3.62 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 9.7 K/9 rate against a 2.3 BB/9 rate. After the trade, Albright pitched mostly in High-A Spokane, where he was 3.1 years younger than league average. Albright made five starts with Spokane and kept the good results coming, posting a 2.88 ERA (4.91 xFIP) with a 1.44 WHIP, 8.6 K/9 rate, and 4.3 BB/9 rate in 25 innings. The elevated walk rate and higher xFIP indicates the run prevention numbers were a bit fortunate, but overall Albright had a very successful debut in Colorado’s system.
This year, Albright was assigned to Double-A Hartford, where he is one of the youngest players at the level at 3.5 years younger than league average. He’s made 20 starts so far, pitching 94 1⁄3 innings with a 4.87 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 6.5 K/9 rate, and 3.4 BB/9 rate against his first taste of upper minors pitching. Albright hasn’t gotten a lot of punch outs, but those numbers are decent considering the age/level context here.
Here’s some video of Albright striking out a bunch of hitters in 2023:
What do the scouts say?
Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs ranked Albright as a 40 FV prospect (highlighted by a future 60 grade on the curveball) and now slots him 30th in Colorado’s org:
Albright wasn’t an especially projectable or athletic high schooler, but he did have good natural breaking ball movement for a prep lefty, and he now has two different breakers, including a pretty hard slider that looks like it’s coming to the forefront of his repertoire. Albright has surprisingly consistent changeup command in spite of his long arm swing. While his fastball is pretty vulnerable (it sits 91 and Albright tries to use it at the very top of the strike zone), there’s a deep enough mix here to keep considering Albright a future backend starter prospect with a lefty specialist floor.
Keith Law of the Athletic highlighted Albright as a prospect of note before the season:
Lefty Mason Albright throws strikes with a super-long arm action, showing a 45 fastball but potential 55s in the slider and change. The arm action is so long that he had more trouble with left-handed batters last year than right, and I think it’s likely to push him to the bullpen because of the difficulty and effort involved in repeating it.
Before the season, MLB.com had this to say about Madden:
Albright is not your prototypical high school projection case, as the six-footer is more about his feel for pitching than raw stuff. His fastball typically has been sitting in the 90-92 mph range, though it can get as high as 94. It also plays up because he can command it and misses bats thanks to deception in his delivery. His curve has the chance to be a solid pitch, though it can get slurvy at times, and he has feel for his changeup and is developing a cutter.
While the southpaw can throw all four pitches for strikes, there was concern about his long arm action in the back and his consistency out front with his delivery that hampered his stuff and his command. The Angels shortened Albright’s arm action this year to great results — his walks went down and his strikeouts went up — proving he was young enough to correct some of those mechanical issues. He could land in the back end of a big league rotation if he continues to develop.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
There are some differing opinions on the quality and projectability of Albright’s stuff among scouts, but he is holding his own in the rotation in Double-A this year at age 21. Albright shows polish and feel but doesn’t have a ceiling that jumps out at you, but he’s posted good results and is left-handed. I placed Albright as a 40 FV prospect as the last cut off my list due to the polish and results in Double-A. Albright won’t be Rule 5 eligible until after the 2025 season, so the Rockies have time to evaluate what Albright’s big league role will be — he could be a spot starter as soon as next year for Colorado.
★ ★ ★
29. Warming Bernabel (75.0 points, 10 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 17 — High Ballot 13, Mode Ballot 23, 26
How did he enter the organization?
2018 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
The 6’2” 21-year-old righty-hitting third baseman, known for his elite hand-eye coordination and aggressive approach, was signed by the Rockies for $900k in July 2018 after being listed as Baseball America’s 33rd-best prospect of the international signing class. Bernabel entered 2023 with a 40-man roster spot and some top 100 hype after a strong 2022 season that saw him hit well across two levels of A-ball (129 wRC+ in Low-A, 118 in High-A). Unfortunately, though, his 2022 ended after suffering a concussion in an accidental collision.
Whether it was the concussion or another factor, Bernabel struggled mightily in 2023 after getting assigned to Double-A Hartford, where he was 2.8 years younger than league average. Bernabel hit a tepid .225/.270/.338 line with six homers in 322 PA (66 wRC+) for Hartford in a season that was interrupted by a six week IL stint due to a back issue. Defensively, he played 80 games at the hot corner (including the complex league) and committed nine errors (down from 21 in 2022).
At the end of spring training this year, the Rockies designated Bernabel for assignment and he went unclaimed on waivers, so the third baseman was outrighted back to Double-A for 2024, where he is still 1.6 years younger than league average. In 421 PA, Bernabel’s .263/.299/.369 line with nine homers among 23 extra base hits is a step up in every way from last year, though his 89 wRC+ is still below league average. Bernabel’s 4.0% walk percentage is down slightly vs. 2023, though his 15% strikeout percentage is six points better. Bernabel has played mostly at third again (11 errors in 80 games), though he has dabbled at first base as well (error free in 13 games).
Here’s some video of Bernabel from the 2022 Arizona Fall League, including a slo-mo look at the swing:
What do the scouts say?
Keith Law of the Athletic ranked Bernabel 12th in the system pre-season:
Before [Bernabel’s concussion], he’d shown excellent hand-eye coordination with 55 power and the ability to catch up to good fastballs, needing work on pitch recognition and chasing a little more than you’d like. He’s in this spot because I’m hoping that he just needs more time to recover from the concussion to get back to where he was before the collision, a potential above-average regular at third who hit for average with a bunch of doubles and played solid-average defense.
MLB.com ranks Bernabel 25th in the system as a 40 FV player:
Giving him a mulligan for last year, Bernabel has some intriguing offensive traits. His knack for finding the barrel can be a blessing and a curse. He makes a ton of contact, and even in his down year, he managed his strikeouts well. But he’s often too aggressive and registered a 40 percent chase rate in 2023. There’s hope that a middle ground can be found where he develops a better overall approach without losing his ability to do damage early in counts. Some improvements in terms of pitch recognition would help him tap into the raw power he has displayed at times.
Signed as a shortstop, Bernabel has been a third baseman-only in the pro game. His hands work at the hot corner, but he’s going to have to stay on top of his conditioning, especially with his lower half, in order to stay there. There’s been some talk about sliding over to first and even what he might look like in a corner outfield spot.
Fangraphs lists Bernabel as a “Toolsy Guy on the Fringe”:
Bernabel has been undone by injuries and a reckless approach. His hitting hands have lost a little bit of juice, as well. He was once a potential third baseman of the future.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Clearly, Bernabel has seen his fortunes sour a bit with both the Rockies and scouts, due in part to injuries and perhaps a bit due to hitting an upper minors wall. He hasn’t shown his 2022 form with any consistency and he’s now going to have to fight his way back onto the 40-man roster this offseason (not to mention the fight for playing time at the corner infield positions that will be needed).
If Bernabel can find that golden hit tool that got him top 100 consideration though, he could be a factor at the big league level as soon as next year, especially if he can lay off a few more out of the zone pitches. That was too big an if for me to rank Bernabel on my list — I have him as a 35+ FV player.
★ ★ ★
28. Cole Messina (87 points, 15 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: NR — High Ballot 20, Mode Ballot 20, 30
How did he enter the organization?
2024 3rd Round (University of South Carolina)
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
The 6’0”, 230 pound catcher, who signed for a slot bonus of just over $1 million after getting picked 77th overall, comes to the Rockies after two straight successful years in the toughest conference in NCAA baseball at South Carolina. He wasn’t the only Messina selected this year — his brother Carson, a pitcher, was picked in the 12th round by Toronto.
After barely playing as a freshman in 2022, Messina was impressive in the college wood bat Northwoods summer league (.893 OPS). He came back to Columbia his sophomore year and took hold of the starting catcher job. In 2023 he had 17 HR among his 36 XBH in 285 PA with a .307/.428/.615 line for the Gamecocks to earn first team All-SEC honors. Though he had to settle for second team All-SEC in 2024, Messina’s .326/.465/.701 line with 21 HR in 286 PA was an improvement across the board offensively.
The Rockies assigned Messina to High-A Spokane, where he is 1.5 years younger than league average and forms a battery with Colorado’s 2023 third rounder Jack Mahoney, who is also out of South Carolina. In 21 PA so far, Messina is hitting .167/.286/.167, but we’re talking about just five games at this point.
There isn’t a whole lot of recent video on Messina out there, so enjoy this game tying 9th inning homer in this year’s NCAA regionals:
What do the scouts say?
MLB.com ranks Messina 20th in the system as a 45 FV prospect (he was 100th overall on their draft board):
A right-handed hitter, Messina showed a more adjustable stroke and did a better job of making consistent contact in 2023. He always has struggled to stay back on changeups but also is swinging and missing a lot more often against fastballs this year. He’s still getting to his pull power and has 15-20 homer upside, and he does draw a healthy amount of walks.
Messina has the leadership skills desired in a catcher and takes charge behind the plate. He’s an average receiver with arm strength to match, and he moves fine behind the plate despite being a well-below-average runner. The 6-foot, 230-pounder will need to stay on top of his conditioning but has the work ethic to do so.
Law of the Athletic had this to say about Messina after the draft:
South Carolina catcher Cole Messina (3) has big power, with 38 homers in the last two years and a big body to match. He starts with his hands high and his bat behind him, so it takes him a while to get the bat head to the zone. He’s really big for a catcher, listed at 6-foot, 230, and will have to work to maintain his conditioning, as he’s nothing special on defense as is.
Messina was ranked as a 35 FV prospect by Fangraphs for the draft:
Well-rounded backup catching prospect, nothing plus. Above-average peak exit velos, slightly below-average contact. Strong sophomore and junior years at SC. Played some corner infield in addition to catcher. Stocky, 230 catching prospect.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
First of all, if this isn’t Messina’s MLB walk-up song, I’m going to be disappointed.
Messina could be a strong offensive player, but it won’t work as a profile if he can’t stay behind the plate. The scouts seem to think the work ethic is there to do it though, and the other intangibles are lauded as well. I’m splitting the difference a bit by grading Messina as a 35+ FV player, outside my top 30. We’ll see how quickly the Rockies push Messina through the system, but if he begins next year back in Spokane, it’s a two to three year path to MLB for Messina.
★ ★ ★
27. Jackson Cox (116 points, 15 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 21 — High Ballot 18, Mode Ballot 20
How did he enter the organization?
2022 2nd Round (Toutle Lake HS, WA)
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
Cox’s calling card as a prospect is his 3,000+ RPM curveball, described as a slurve with “deep and late bite” which the 20-year-old pairs with a low- to mid-90s fastball and a developing change-up in a repeatable delivery. When healthy. Which he isn’t, because 2023 was mostly a disastrous year for higher-end Rockies pitching prospects.
Cox was Colorado’s second-round pick in 2022, 50th overall, out of a rural high school in Washington state — the only high school player the Rockies drafted in that class. To get Cox out of his commitment to Oregon, the Rockies signed the 6’2” righty starter to a $1.85 million bonus — well over the pick’s $1.54 million slot value.
Cox was assigned to Low-A Fresno in 2023 for his professional debut, where he was 2.9 years younger than league average. The Rockies handled Cox carefully, never allowing him to go past four innings in a start or 65 pitches an outing in his ten games (nine starts). Nonetheless, Cox suffered the injury that required Tommy John surgery in July 2023 (along with fellow PuRPs Gabriel Hughes and Jordy Vargas) and he hasn’t thrown an inning in affiliated ball since.
When he was healthy in 2023, Cox had a 10.32 ERA in four May starts and an 8.53 ERA in four June starts. On a positive note, Cox’s final two starts in July were both scoreless, as he struck out 14 hitters in seven innings while allowing five hits and two walks. In all, Cox threw 31 innings with a 7.26 ERA (5.37 xFIP), 1.90 WHIP, 9.3 K/9 rate, and 5.8 BB/9 rate.
Here’s some video of Cox from a prospect showcase in 2022 courtesy of the Prospect Pipeline:
What do the scouts say?
Cox was ranked 58th in his draft class by MLB.com and previously slotted in as a 45 FV player thanks to a 60 grade curveball, 55 fastball, with 50 grades on the changeup and control:
One of the early things that stood out with Cox is his competitiveness on the mound, with a no-nonsense approach and a desire to attack hitters with what could be a very good three-pitch mix. He can get his fastball up to 95 mph with good running life, but it’s his curveball that has everyone buzzing. It’s a 1-to-7 breaking ball that registers elite-level spin rates and can be a real hammer out pitch with sharp bite to it. He has good feel for his changeup as well.
Cox has already added strength to his athletic frame since signing, which could lead to more consistent velocity once he’s back to full strength. He’s already shown an ability to command the ball to both sides of the plate and manipulate the spin and break on his curve, with some thinking he might eventually develop a distinct slider. His combination of pitchability and potential power stuff points to a future as a mid-rotation starter.
Fangraphs sees Cox as a 35+ FV player with a 60 grade on the curve (70 future grade), ranking him 43rd on Colorado’s list:
If you’re looking for elite spin rates as part of a prospect’s foundation, this is your guy. Cox’s breaking ball routinely spins in the 2900-3100 rpm range and has huge two-plane wipe. His fastball, which will reach 96 mph but sits more 92-93, is relatively true due to Cox’s generic three-quarters arm slot and might get hit a ton without mechanical alteration, which perhaps makes sense to try during Cox’s rehab. A short-strider with a bit of cross-body action to his delivery, it may be as simple as tweaking Cox’s stride length or direction to alter the shape of his fastball, or parlaying his talent for spinning the ball into a breaking pitch that plays better with a sinker. The track record of guys with curveball/sinker combos isn’t great, as those two pitches are typically easy for advanced hitters to parse out of hand. Cox is of medium build, not maxed out but also not in possession of round-up physical projection that might make me think his fastball will play anyway. He fits in Colorado’s system among the other young arms with good curveballs and downhill fastballs.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
With Cox, there are positives in the scouting comments, draft spot, and over-slot bonus that certainly make him worth ranking in this exercise. He’s got a foundational breaking ball to build around and mid-round starter potential. Then again, he’s a high school pitcher who is a long ways away from actualizing that potential into big league success, and he’s lost a year of development time after the surgery to boot. I ranked Cox 30th on my list as a 40 FV player who is worth following as he returns from injury.
★ ★ ★
26. Greg Jones (119 points, 19 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: NR — High Ballot 17, Mode Ballot 29
How did he enter the organization?
2024 Trade (Tampa Bay Rays)
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
The trade that brought Jones from Tampa Bay to Colorado in exchange for former PuRP Joe Rock this March was a bit of a headscratcher for Rockies fans, as Colorado was trading from a perpetual weakness in starting pitching depth close to the big leagues for an up the middle athlete who was three years older (and indeed is the oldest player on this PuRPs list).
The 26-year-old switch-hitting shortstop/outfielder had been a top-100 prospect for the Rays as recently as 2022 (when he was added to their 40-man roster), but he hadn’t yet harnessed his considerable tools into a big league contributor five years after he was Tampa Bay’s first-round pick (22nd overall) out of UNC-Wilmington. However, it must also be said that Jones does possess excellent tools — top of the scale 80 speed, great range defensively at multiple up the middle positions, and above average raw power.
Jones’ prospect journey has been impacted by the pandemic (no 2020 season) as well as injuries that have limited him to 333 minor league games in five seasons. That no doubt has contributed to Jones’ struggles at the plate, as he has struck out in over a third of his professional plate appearances. Still, he’s stolen 148 bases in 168 attempts (88%) in the minors, including a 34 of 35 tally this year.
Leading up to the trade, Jones had made it to Triple-A in 2023, where he was a league average offensive performer (101 wRC+) with a .278/.344/.468 line. This year with Albuquerque, Jones has replicated that production (100 wRC+) in the friendly confines of the Pacific Coast League with a .261/.344/.470 line with 11 HR among his 28 XBH. That’s despite an unspecified injury that cost him about a month of action. Jones has mostly played center field in Albuquerque with a smattering of shortstop.
Shortly after getting back from the IL, Jones was needed at the big league level after a rash of injuries hit the Rockies. Jones only appeared in six games with the Rockies in 13 days with the big club and made only six plate appearances, starting just one game (he only played five innings in that one). In his final Major League plate appearance to date, Jones got his first hit, a home run clobbered from the left side of the plate in the ninth inning on the losing end of a blowout. Because of that, Jones technically owns a 1.133 OPS in his big league career and 0.1 rWAR, which is tied for 14th on the Rockies this year.
Here are some of Jones’ 2023 highlights:
What do the scouts say?
Fangraphs wrote up Jones as a 35+ FV prospect in April, he’s currently 41st in the system:
It’s rare for me to have a hitter this old on a prospect list, or a hitter who has struck out north of 35% of the time, let alone both. But Jones has elite speed, he’s a viable shortstop defender (but not a great one), and I think his athleticism will translate to center field in a big way over time. I think the Rays took too long to deploy him there (they waited until he was 25) and, amid some absolutely insane highlight reel plays early on in 2024, his relative inexperience still shows. He needs to communicate better with the corner guys, take charge of 50/50 balls in the gap, and be more decisive about where the baseball needs to go. These are problems of inexperience. As a shortstop, Jones’ range is incredible, and while his throwing stroke is atypical for a big league shortstop, he finds improbable ways to get the ball over to first base using his body control. This guy is going to hang around the upper levels of pro ball for a while longer just because he’s athletic enough to play two premium positions, and while he’s limited on offense (he punishes the fastballs he connects with, but is otherwise hapless), the tools for Jones to make a situational impact on a big league roster are still here.
When Jones was in Tampa Bay’s system in 2023, he was ranked 16th by MLB.com as a 40 FV player:
Optimistically, you can point to Jones’ sheer athleticism, natural ability and tools that could lead to him being a productive big leaguer in a lot of different ways. He has impressive bat speed and surprising power for someone who’s also a plus-plus runner. You could argue his struggles last season were the result of a wrist injury that was more limiting than he let on, and if he hits enough to get to his power, everything else takes care of itself. Similarly, you could argue that his range at shortstop – which leads to some spectacular plays — almost makes him look worse than he is; he’ll get to balls that he can’t realistically turn into outs, but he’ll try anyway, which is how errors pile up.
But the concerns are obvious, especially about his bat and his ability to handle offspeed pitches. He’s a good enough shortstop to stick there, but now that he’s on the 40-man roster, he must find a way to become a potential big leaguer — and he’s not about to take Wander Franco’s job or surpass Taylor Walls as a defensive shortstop. That could mean finally introducing him to center field, where his elite speed would play well, and creating different paths to playing time.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Jones clearly has big league tools and could likely serve as a speed and defense reserve right now for the Rockies. I don’t know that anything more is likely given the long road it’s been to get to this point, but if Jones can improve his contact rate he’s a potential impact big leaguer. I ranked Jones 28th on my list as a 40 FV player because of the floor his defense provides as well as the ceiling his power/speed combination presents.
★ ★ ★
Stay tuned for the next installment of the mid-season 2024 PuRPs list!