Colorado Rockies news and links for Monday, October 28th, 2024
If you could watch only one minor league affiliate of the Colorado Rockies in 2024, I sure hope it was the High-A Spokane Indians. The Indians—in their fourth season of affiliation with the Rockies—were without a doubt the most interesting and exciting of the four Rockies farm teams.
Under second year skipper Robinson Cancel, the Indians started the season hot and never let their foot off the gas. They were the first half champions of the Northwest League with a record of 38-26. They were the second half champions of the Northwest League with a record of 41-25 and they carried the best overall record in their league at 79-51, finishing a full 10.5 games ahead of the Vancouver Canadians.
The Indians also introduced two new team identities this season. Their “King Carl” identity honored local college championship boxer and civil rights leader Carl Maxey and was a finalist for minor league baseball’s “Best Alternate Identity” award. The Indians also joined minor league baseball’s Copa de la Diversión with a vibrant new identity as “Los Cafecitos de Spokane.”
The star-studded Indians roster featured some of the most MLB Pipeline organizational top prospects and Purple Row’s PuRPs ranked prospects in the entire farm system. The Indians rode that star-power to a Northwest League championship, their first since 2008, snapping a 16-year drought and reclaiming their place as the most decorated franchise in the Northwest League.
“I think the city of Spokane needed a title,” manager Robinson Cancel said, “and we made it happen.”
As befitting of a champion, the Spokane Indians had the most players granted post-season honors in the Northwest League. The Indians had six players named to the post-season All-Star team, five of which were ranked prospects. Two of those All-Stars took home additional honors.
Indians third baseman Kyle Karros (no. 14 PuRP) was the leader and major standout of the team. Coming off a solid—if unremarkable—2023 debut with the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies, Karros made some off-season adjustments and turned in a dazzling 2024 performance that saw him named Northwest League MVP. The son of longtime Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman and famed “Rockies Killer” Eric Karros, Kyle Karros was a killer in his own right. Karros hit .311/.390/.485 and led the Northwest League in hits, doubles, RsBI, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. Karros just barely missed taking home the league’s triple crown, falling one home run short to his teammate and fellow All-Star Cole Carrigg.
If not for Karros, Carrigg (no. 12 PuRP) would have been a good candidate for Northwest League MVP. Hitting .280/.358/.475, the Indians’ center fielder and frequent leadoff hitter finished the season with the league’s forth-best batting average and on-base percentage, and second-best slugging percentage and OPS behind Karros. He also stole the league’s second-most bases with 51 while leading the league with 11 triples and 16 home runs. The publication Baseball America also named Carrigg the best defensive outfielder in the Northwest League, as well as their most exciting player.
Left-handed pitcher and Wake Forest product Sean Sullivan (no. 7 PuRP) didn’t finish the season with Spokane after a late promotion to the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats, but the time he spent in the Pacific Northwest was impressive enough to earn him Northwest League Pitcher of the Year honors. The tricky lefty made 14 starts for the Indians while posting an ERA of 2.16 and a 0.84 WHIP over 83 1⁄3 innings of work. What was truly impressive however was his strikeouts to walks. Sullivan struck out a whopping 101 batters— tied for fourth most on the team—while walking a minuscule eight.
Rockies top pitching prospect and 2023 first round pick Chase Dollander (no. 1 PuRP) also started his season with the Indians. In fact, Dollander was the Indians’ Opening Day starting pitcher. Dollander worked five shutout innings on Opening Day to start what would be an excellent season. In 14 starts with the Indians before being promoted to Double-A Hartford, Dollander posted an ERA of 2.83 and his 111 strikeouts would end up being the second-most of any Indians pitcher in 2024.
Rounding out the Indians’ All-Stars is a duo of relievers, both of whom were promoted to Double-A Hartford mid-season.
One of the Rockies’ most promising bullpen prospects, Eastern Carolina product Zach Agnos made 21 appearances with the Indians before being promoted to Double-A in June. Agnos posted an ERA of just 0.73 with a 0.69 WHIP over 24 2⁄3 innings with ten saves and 30 strikeouts to just two walks.
Agnos’ bullpen-mate Carson Skipper walked only eight batters in 34 appearances with the Indians this season. Skipper—drafted in 2022 out of Auburn—posted a 1.40 ERA and 0.98 WHIP over 38 2⁄3 innings while striking out 56 batters before being promoted to Hartford in mid-July.
The High-A Spokane Indians and their six All-Stars stood out the most among all the Rockies’ minor league affiliates and reached the highest of highs with their Northwest League championship victory. While many of these players will move on—if they haven’t already—the Indians utilized their star-power at the right moment to get the job done.
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Arizona Fall League
Peoria Javelinas 7, Salt River Rafters 6
Outfielder Juan Guerrero was the only member of the Rockies’ Arizona Fall League contingency to play in the Salt River Rafter’s lone game over the weekend. Guerrero hit 3-for-3 with two RsBI and a walk on Saturday. Two of Guerrero’s three hits were for extra bases, including his second home run of the Fall League.
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No. 16 prospect Montgomery picks up where he left off in P.R. | MLB.com
Rockies’ 2021 first round pick Benny Montgomery hasn’t had it easy when it comes to injuries in his professional career. Montgomery has spent more time than he would like on the injured list since being drafted, including season-ending shoulder surgery early in the 2024 campaign. However, Montgomery is returning to the field undaunted. Montgomery will be playing winter ball in Puerto Rico this November with the Leones de Ponce.
“My biggest emphasis in Puerto Rico is getting back into things,” Montgomery said. “Of course, I want to get better, grow in the game. But I just want to play baseball.”
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