State of the Rockies Farm System

Pair of Longhorns

Next up is one of the most intriguing draft picks this year by the Rockies. Max Belyeu, ranked 7th in the Rockies system, was drafted 74th overall out of the University of Texas in the competitive balance round of the 2025 MLB Draft. The 21-year-old was stellar offensively for Texas and was considered one of the best all-around offensive players among college prospects. The Rockies got him well below his projected draft slot, getting great value.

He has an above-average arm and is projected to be a right fielder in the Majors. Belyeu went straight to High-A Spokane, and the results have not been pretty so far. He is hitting .150 overall with a paltry .544 OPS and just four home runs and nine RBI. But that was in just 80 at-bats. He still has plenty of time to develop and find his offense. Even if he doesn’t pan out, the value of getting him 74th overall and Belyeu’s offensive potential at Coors made him well worth the selection.

Impressive Season Offensively for Jared Thomas

Right behind Belyeu is his former Texas teammate, Jared Thomas. Thomas was also seen as an excellent all-around offensive player when the Rockies drafted him in the 2nd round of the 2024 MLB Draft. The 22-year-old has an excellent left-handed swing and is seen as a player who could hit very well in the Majors. He has seen work at all three outfield spots and is expected to make his debut in 2027. He was excellent this season, posting a 3.00 ERA in 73 games with High-A Spokane. Hitting .330/.427/.495 overall with a stellar .922 OPS.

He struggled to replicate those numbers in 163 at-bats with Double-A Hartford, hitting just .245 with a .721 OPS. But he was rewarded by the Rockies for his quick progress through the system, earning the 2025 Rockies Hitting Prospect of the Year. Like Condon, Thomas has been impressive in the AFL this season. Both players showcased their power potential on October 17, each hitting a grand slam in a 12-9 win over the Scottsdale Scorpions. While not projected to be as much of a speed threat as Carrigg, Thomas still carries plenty of potential as a threat on the bases. Earning 33 steals between Spokane and Hartford. Like Condon, Thomas is putting a nice wrap on a very solid season offensively in the AFL and will look to carry over that strong performance into the spring.

Just a Matter of Time for Zac Veen and Sterlin Thompson

Zac Veen (11th) and Sterlin Thompson (15th) round out the outfielders in the Rockies’ system. Veen made his long-awaited debut in 2024, but it was short-lived. The 23-year-old struggled to adjust offensively to the Major League level. After just 34 at-bats, Veen was hitting just .118 with a .424 OPS and 14 Ks to two BBs. He was promptly sent down on April 23 to Triple-A Albuquerque and did not appear in the Majors again.

A frustrating turn of events for Veen, who has been a highly-ranked prospect in the Rockies’ system for years but has dealt with numerous injuries. But Veen responded to the setback and put together a quality season for Albuquerque. Over 370 at-bats, he hit .289/.354/.468 with an above-average .822 OPS. He also posted 11 home runs and 59 RBI. His 15 steals were the lowest of his minor league career. But he also played in 93 games after a combined 111 games in 2023-24. There is little Veen can prove at Albuquerque now other than being consistently healthy. With him putting a full quality season together for Albuquerque, Veen should be a strong candidate to earn another shot in the Majors soon if he can have a strong spring.

Right on the Cusp of His Debut

Thompson, 24, has yet to make his debut for the Rockies. He put himself in a position to be a September call-up with his strong 2025. But did not get the call. He, like Veen, has already shown he can rake at the highest level of the Minors. Not helping Thompson’s case was plenty of competition for an outfield spot with the Rockies this season, including Veen and Yanquiel Fernández, who both made their debuts in the outfield this season. Additionally, outfielder Mickey Moniak and utility player Tyler Freeman were both great offensively for the Rockies.

There are a lot of quality outfielders around the same age in the Rockies’ system right now. It will be a fierce competition this spring in the Rockies’ outfield. While it could be frustrating for Thompson that his impressive offensive play has not yet earned him a call-up, injuries happen all the time in baseball. If he keeps his head down and continues to produce, he will force the Rockies’ hand like Ryan Ritter did when Ezequiel Tovar dealt with injuries this season.

Pitchers Galore in the Rockies Farm System

The Rockies will never attract free agent pitchers to Colorado. So, the team has been aggressive in the past few seasons in trading for pitching prospects. Pitchers make up exactly half of the Rockies’ top 30. Considering the success rate at Coors Field for pitchers, this strategy is a shrewd one for the Rockies. Throwing a lot of paint at the wall and hoping some of it sticks. Two of those pitchers, LHP Griffin Herring (9th) and RHP Josh Grosz (20th), both came over to the Rockies in the Ryan McMahon trade.

Herring, 22, was very impressive in seven games with High-A Spokane. In seven games, he posted a 2.40 ERA with 47 Ks to 13 BBs in 30 IP. He also allowed just one home run and a 0.90 WHIP. He mainly relies on an above-average sweeping mid-80s slider. His fastball currently tops out at 94. MLB.com projects that he will need to add more strength to his 6’2″ frame and more velocity to his fastball to be a starter in the Major Leagues. But also sees his floor as a high-leverage reliever. Either way, the Rockies have acquired a very exciting pitching prospect from New York who will be fun to watch going forward.

Brody Brecht Is a Name To Keep an Eye On

The top pitching prospect for Colorado is RHP Brody Brecht. The 23-year-old was drafted 38th overall in the 2024 MLB draft out of the University of Iowa. He has electric stuff with a well-above-average slider and fastball. His fastball hovers in the 96-99 range and can reach triple digits. But, he dropped in the draft due to poor command, with a career 6.8 BB/9 at Iowa. He has the floor of a reliever due to the uncertainty around his command. But his high ceiling gives the Rockies tremendous value at 38th overall. He is off to a great start with an excellent first season with Low-A Fresno.

He posted a 2.60 ERA with a stellar 87 Ks to 32 BBs in 55 1/3 IP over 16 starts. Obviously, the BBs’ number could use improvement. But his strikeout stuff is tantalizing. The Rockies sorely need more pitchers who can consistently strike out batters. That will not matter if Brecht has command issues pitching at Coors. But if Brecht can fix his command issues as he works his way through the minors, the Rockies have a serious pitching talent in their organization.

Gabriel Hughes, Time in Colorado?

Like Veen, Gabriel Hughes was drafted in the top ten by the Rockies with plenty of hype. But has dealt with significant injuries since. An unfortunate reality for several top prospects in the Rockies’ farm system in recent seasons. The 24-year-old RHP (14th) is now two years removed from Tommy John surgery in 2023. His fastball averages 93 mph but is good at drawing ground balls, which bodes well for Coors. He also utilizes a slider in the mid-80s, an 80-82 mph curve, and an upper-80’s changeup.

MLB.com projects his ceiling as a back-end starter, but the Rockies’ porous rotation can use any help it can get. He was also a candidate for a September call-up as he finished the season strong. In 14 starts with Triple-A Albuquerque, Hughes posted a 5.11 ERA with 48 Ks to 29 BBs. On the surface, those numbers do not look impressive. But Albuquerque is a major hitting environment, and stats have to be looked at accordingly. More importantly for Hughes, he, like Veen, put a quality season together at Albuquerque and proved he can stay healthy. Hughes was reportedly recently added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule-5 draft. There are holes to fill in the Rockies’ rotation, and Hughes could very well be a quality spring away from debuting in purple.

The Cupboard Is Not Bare for DePodesta

It is not a deep system by any means, and is exceptionally light on infield help. But DePodesta has some pieces to work with. Until his debut, Holliday will be the most talked-about prospect in the Rockies’ system. Rightfully so, considering where he was drafted, his last name, and his power potential. But Holliday is followed closely by a strong group of outfielders led by Condon. They need more time to develop, but Herring and Brecht lead a growing group of exciting pitchers to watch in the Rockies’ system.

As the rebuild begins in full for the Rockies, there will surely be several more debuts next season for one of the youngest teams in the MLB. Following the impressive debuts of Ritter and first baseman Warming Bernabel, among others, this season. Barring any unforeseen injuries or regression by some of their top prospects, this Rockies’ system has nowhere to go but up. They will also surely be sellers at the deadline again, providing the opportunity to bolster their farm system further.

DePodesta is hurt by the Rockies’ recent struggles in the 2026 Draft. Even though they finished a distant last in the MLB, the Rockies can draft only 10th overall due to anti-tanking rules that prevent a team that has participated in the lottery in consecutive years from receiving a top-nine pick. But that is still plenty high enough to get a quality player. Additionally, this system has time to improve as the Rockies’ rebuild progresses. It has a long way to go in doing so. But there is a quality foundation for DePodesta to work with as his tenure as the Rockies’ president of baseball operations gets underway.