One of the most exciting times for me on Purple Row is when it is time to put together the Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs). If you haven't done it yet, visit the link here and read all the great discussion and post your own list. As people build their list, they use perceived talent, current statistics, team needs, and many other criteria to rank order possible future Colorado Rockies. As I started to put together my list earlier this week, I thought it important to look at what the team would need in the future and I would like to share my research on that subject.
Here is the list of the current roster plus three who are on the DL (author's note, this was built prior to some roster moves). If only one year is listed, that is the year they become a free agent (if option available then there is a year in parenthesis). If two years are listed, the first is when they are scheduled to meet arbitration, according to baseball-reference.com, and the second is free agency.
Pitchers | Year | Position Players | Year |
Chacin | 2015/2016 | Rosario | 2015/2018 |
De La Rosa | 2014(2015) | Helton | 2014 |
Chatwood | 2015/2018 | LaMahieu | 2015/2018 |
Nicasio | 2015/2018 | Tulowitzki | 2022 |
Francis/Oswalt | 2014 | Arenado | 2016/2019 |
Volstad | 2014 | Gonzalez | 2018 |
Betancourt | 2014(2015) | Fowler | 2015/2016 |
Belisle | 2014(2015) | Cuddyer | 2015 |
Brothers | 2015/2018 | Colvin | 2014/2017 |
Outman | 2014/2016 | Rutledge | 2016/2019 |
Escalona | 2015/2018 | Herrera | 2014/2016 |
Lopez | 2014/2016 | Pacheco | 2015/2018 |
Ottavino | 2015/2018 | Torrealba | 2014 |
Scahill | 2016/2019 | Corpas(pitcher) | 2014 |
This shows that the Rockies have overall a pretty young team. Now, for discussion's sake, if the Rockies were to keep all of their players through arbitration and then let them go to free agency, pick up De La Rosa's option, and pick up one of Belisle's/Betancourt's options, here are the current team needs for the next five years:
2014: One starting pitcher, two relief pitchers, one first baseman, one back-up catcher
2015: One starting pitcher, one relief pitcher, one corner outfielder
2016: One starting pitcher, two relief pitchers, one center fielder, one back-up infielder
2017: One outfielder
2018: Two starting pitchers, three relief pitchers, one catcher, one outfielder, one back-up infielder
Obviously the Rockies will sign some of their young talent to long term contracts and not need to actually replace all of these positions, just like they may bring in free agents to fill some of the positions. However, this gives some idea of where changeover may occur on the Rockies going forward. Who will fill these positions is a great debate and the PuRPs list is a great place to look for the replacements. Hopefully, this information will prove somewhat useful to any of you who haven't submitted your list yet or reference back to it when it is time to do the fall/winter PuRPs list.
GO ROCKIES!