Jun 15, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Colorado Rockies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Rockies Rising Prospect Named Finalist for MiLB Pitcher of the Year

Originally posted on Colorado Rockies on SI
By Sean O'Leary | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Colorado Rockies might want to forget 2025. At least at the major league level. They set a new franchise high for losses in a season while also firing Bud Black during the middle of the year. It's about to be time for a massive overhaul in Denver, but they have a bit of a head start in one department.

The Rockies have significantly improved their farm system over the last few seasons. They loaded up at the top, taking Ethan Holiday and Charlie Condon at the top of the past two drafts. However, they've found talent elsewhere in the draft.

Cole Carrigg, Brody Brecht, JB Middleton are more of just their top ten were drafted outside of the first round of the past three drafts. Kyle Karros was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 draft.

They've also done a nice job of acquiring prospects in the trade market. One in particular, Griffin Herring, has stood out enough to be nominated for MiLB's Pitching Prospect of the Year.

Herring’s Dominant Debut Season

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Drafted by the New York Yankees in the sixth round of the 2024 draft out of LSU, Herring was acquired by the Rockies at this year's deadline in the Ryan McMahon trade. An elite college reliever, some scouts thought he was "too valuable" to get a chance at starting, according to his scouting report. The Yankees gave him a shot to start and he hit the ground running.

A three-pitch pitcher, the 22-year-old has a plus slider that he is able to get batters to swing-and-miss at. While the slider is his best pitch, he also has a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a below average changeup he is still newly incorporating as a starter.

Herring has been able to overpower Single-A and High-A hitters with his stll imporving stuff this season. In 23 starts, the left-hander has thrown 119.1 innings with 149 strikeouts, a 0.997 WHIP and 1.89 ERA.

The left-hander proved two important things this season. The first is that he can handle an increased workload. He threw nearly 120 innings in his first year as a starter when his career high at LSU was just 50.1.

The second is that his stuff is already playing in pro ball. Though his scouting report says he may need to "add more strength," his sweeper is still doing the dirty work and the changeup is improving. After only throwing it 11 times in college, he focused on it in the Cape Cod League.

Herring has elevated his prospect stock exponentially this season. In the running with two star rookies, Trey Yesavage of the Toronto Blue Jays and Jonah Tong of the New York Mets, Herring's number nine ranking on Pipeline's Rockies list may soon be rising.

This article first appeared on Colorado Rockies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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