Top prospect Nolan Arenado is expected to be promoted to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, following the news that Chris Nelson is being designated for assignment. Troy Renck writes that Nelson told the Denver Post on Saturday night he was being designated for assignment and that the move was made in order to bring Arenado up to the big leagues.
Nolan was held out of the Sky Sox game on Saturday and was playing well in Triple-A, hitting .364/.392/.667 on the year. Arenado pushed hard for a roster spot in spring training and a decision was delayed until the last game of the spring, before Nolan was ultimately sent down to Colorado Springs. The Rockies felt a loyalty to Chris Nelson after he finished the second half of 2012 hitting .344 which was also buoyed by a .433 batting average on balls in play (BABIP). After a slow start this year, where Chris hit only .244 with zero home runs combined with poor defensive play may have ultimately led to his downfall.
Nolan Arenado has been known for his ability to make contact and drive the ball from gap-to-gap. He overcame weight issues and a lack of range at third base early in his career to be named the California League's Top Defensive Player of 2011 and was later named the Arizona Fall League's Most Valuable Player. Arenado didn't perform well in Tulsa, dragged down by a slump in July where he hit a mere .163, leading Nolan to lose his status on many Top 100 lists, including being cut altogether from Keith Law's rankings.
The timing of the call up is intriguing since it nearly coincides with Bryce Harper and Mike Trout's call up dates in 2012 when both joined the big leagues on April 27th.