Weekly Pebble Report: Here At Last (March 31st – April 6th)

Colorado Rockies minor league report for Tuesday, April 8th, 2025

The 2025 minor league season is now in full swing. Each Colorado Rockies affiliate has completed their first series of at least three games and the Low-A through Double-A teams will start their first full six game sets today. Now that everyone is playing, we can dive in to our first full Pebble Report of the 2025 season!

The Call-Ups

Chasing the Dream: After left-handed starter Austin Gomber was shut down from his rehab assignment, the Rockies found themselves in need of a fifth man for their rotation. Right-handed pitcher and 2023 first round draft pick Chase Dollander (no. 1 PuRP) made his MLB debut on Sunday afternoon. He did give up some loud contact—including two home runs—but also showed tremendous poise and flashed his incredible potential. Dollander worked five innings, giving up four earned runs on seven hits and one walk, but he also struck out six batters.

Very Con-Veen-cing: 23-year-old outfielder Zac Veen (no. 4 PuRP) probably should have made the Rockies’ Opening Day roster after an excellent spring training. However, the powers that be determined he had more to work on in Triple-A. It would seem that after eight games they have seen enough. Veen hit .387.472.677 in 37 plate appearances with four doubles, a triple, and a home run. The Rockies have made the call, and Veen will make his big league debut tonight against the Milwaukee Brewers. He will wear no. 13 on his uniform.

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes (3-3, 4-5 Overall)

After losing their first series to the Sacramento River Cats in California, the Isotopes headed back to the lab for a frigid home opener against the Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels). The Albuquerque offense failed to launch over their first four games, culminating in a 15-1 beatdown in on Tuesday in front of a sparse home crowed.

However, something then clicked. After scoring only four runs across their first four games, the Isotopes’ bats found their mark. Over the next five games they scored a whopping 47 runs on the way to a series split.

Call him “Ryan Fritter” because he’s cookin’: Isotopes shortstop Ryan Ritter (no. 17 PuRP) is off to an impressive start to his Triple-A career. After hitting his first Triple-A home run in Sacramento, Ritter put on a show for the home crowed in Albuquerque. He hit 13-for-21 in five games against the Bees with just six strikeouts, three walks, and three RBIs. His best performance came on Wednesday where he went 4-for-5 with a home run and a double while finishing just a triple shy of the cycle.

Yes He Yan!: New reliever Jefry Yan turned heads during spring training with his exuberance on the mound and penchant for celebrating his strikeouts with maximum gusto. I was convinced he’d become an instant fan favorite in Albuquerque and his performance during the first home-stand of the season will certainly help his case. Yan made two two-inning appearances during the week with seven total strikeouts and no earned runs on his ledger. On Saturday he struck out five batters while issuing just one hit and one walk.

Knocking on the Ama-Door: Second baseman Adael Amador (no. 3 PuRP) will be making his case this season to join Zac Veen and Chase Dollander on the big league roster after getting his first taste last season. After the series against the Bees he is riding a five game hit streak, going 6-for-20 with three RBIs. At the plate he looks much more like his old self with impressive discipline. He walked five times while striking out only once in five games against Salt Lake. He also hit his first Triple-A home run.

Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats (2-1, 2-1 Overall)

The Hartford Yard Goats kicked off their tenth anniversary season with a rematch against the same Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees) that eliminated them from their first ever playoff run last season. It would seem the Yard Goats took that personally. The Yard Goats scored 23 runs in a 2-1 series victory. They posted a team record 16 runs on Sunday’s series finale on Sunday.

Kicking off the season in Kyle: Yard Goats third baseman and 2024 Northwest League MVP Kyle Karros (no. 12 PuRP) made his Double-A debut in thunderous fashion as part of a 3-for-5 day at the plate for the home opener. He hit a home run in his first Double-A at-bat and slammed the door shut on the Patriots with a walk-off home run in his last at-bat.

The Cole never bothered him anyway: Super utility-man and center fielder Cole Carrigg (no. 10 PuRP) didn’t seem to mind the chilly Hartford weather one bit as he made the transition to Double-A over the weekend. Carrigg went 5-for-13 with four RBIs and a stolen base against the Patriots. His breakout game came on Sunday when he went 3-for-4 with his first Double-A home run.

Hoping to hit Hughesing altitude: Right-handed pitcher Gabriel Hughes was on a pitch count for his return to the Yard Goats rotation on Opening Day. However, he made every pitch count. Hughes (no. 11 PuRP) is still on the mend from Tommy John surgery, but I don’t expect him to stay in Double-A on repeat assignment for very long. He threw 52 pitches over four innings of work for a hitless, scoreless outing. He also struck out three batters without issuing a free pass. Hughes is on my radar to make a big league debut at some point this season.

High-A: Spokane Indians (1-2, 1-2 Overall)

The defending Northwest League champion Spokane Indians lost a lot of their key pieces to promotion and are a very different looking team. They lost two of three against the Everett Aqua Sox (Seattle Mariners) to kick off their season, picking up their first win of 2025 on Sunday during the first King Carl day of the year.

Pacheco this out: 22-year-old right-handed pitcher Albert Pacheco made the best start for the Indians over the weekend. He worked five scoreless frames against the Aqua Sox while giving up just one hit and one walk and striking out seven batters as notched the win on Sunday. Pacheco spent time with both Low-A Fresno and High-A Spokane last season with a combined 3.73 ERA over 23 appearances and 21 starts.

Well, well, Welinton: Indians left-handed reliever Welinton Herrera looked completely untouchable in his season debut on Sunday. Herrera—on repeat assignment to start the season—struck out all five batters he faced in 1 ²⁄₃ innings of work.

Loading up the tank with Var-gas: Right-handed pitcher Jordy Vargas (no. 13 PuRP) made his first appearance on the mound since 2023 after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Vargas—on a strict pitch count—only worked two innings and threw 37 pitches, but struck out two batters. The only hit he allowed was a solo home run and he did walk one batter, but seeing the 21-year-old from the 2021 international draft class back on the mound is plenty to cheer for.

Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (2-1, 2-1 Overall)

Much like the Indians, the Grizzlies are a very different team heading into 2025. However, they started off their season strong with two wins and some solid pitching. Unfortunately, they were no-hit by the Stockton Ports (Sacramento Athletics) on Sunday in front of their home crowed at Chukchansi park, and even worse: in front of beloved blue Australian cartoon dog Bluey. It’s also worth noting that outfielder Robert Calaz (no. 5 PuRP) left Friday’s game after four at-bats and did not appear again during the series.

Return of the Jack(son): Much like Indians pitcher Jordy Vargas, right-handed pitcher Jackson Cox (no. 26 PuRP) lost his 2024 season to Tommy John surgery. The 21-year-old was a second round pick out of high school in 2022 and made ten appearances with the Grizzlies in 2023 before the injury. Like Vargas, Cox was on a strict pitch count. He threw 38 pitches over two scoreless innings. Cox gave up one hit and two walks, but also struck out three batters.

Don’t call him basic: 2024 19th round pick Nathan Blasick out of New Orleans enters the 2025 season as the Grizzlies closer and has hit the ground running in that role. Blasick worked the ninth inning in two games over the weekend, walking away with both a win and his first professional save. He struck out two batters in two hitless, shutout innings.

I couldn’t think of clever wordplay for Brody Brecht because the Denver Nuggets fired their head coach and general manager while I was writing this: After making his Rockies debut during this year’s Spring Breakout showcase in impressive fashion, right-handed reliever Brody Brecht (no. 6 PuRP) has made his first professional regular season appearance. Making an peculiar start on Sunday afternoon, Brecht worked three innings without giving up a hit or an earned run. While he did walk two batters, he also struck out an impressive seven with a quality showcase of his abilities.

★ ★ ★

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