Rockies Insider: Analyzing Colorado’s notable prospects in rookie ball as Arizona Complex League season winds down

As the insignificant league play winds down, Colorado’s rookie-league squad has plentifulness to play for — and an array of highly-ranked prospects to ticker — up of the 2021 finale connected Sept. 18.

The Arizona Complex League Rockies are 30-11 arsenic of Thursday and beryllium successful 2nd spot successful the standings, a half-game back. There’s nary playoffs successful this league, truthful ACL Rockies manager Jake Opitz (who antecedently helmed the Grand Junction Rockies earlier MiLB’s restructuring) says the squad is “in a contention for the wide champion record.”

“That’s what we’re playing for,” Optiz said. “We’ve been going back-and-forth for the apical spot with the Mariners, but we’ve beauteous overmuch had the champion grounds down present since extended (spring training) started, truthful it’s been a amusive summer.”

The ACL Rockies’ occurrence has been catalyzed by a fig of renowned prospects. Shortstop Adael Amador — 1 of the apical prospects in the 2019 planetary signing period — has been awesome defensively and successful the leadoff spot. The 19-year-old Dominican is the Rockies’ 17th-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and is slashing .278/.372/.435 with 3 homers.

“He’s a switch-hitter who plays a bully shortstop, shows an precocious consciousness for the bat, has instincts,” Opitz said. “He’s got a ton of country to turn which is the breathtaking part, due to the fact that he’s already beauteous good… His (projectability) already shows up much often than it doesn’t.”

Benny Montgomery, Colorado’s first-round prime astatine No. 8 wide this year and already its No. 2 prospect, besides highlights the ACL Rockies roster. The outfielder is conscionable 18 at-bats into his nonrecreational vocation but already has Opitz convinced.

“He’s got each instrumentality you tin imagine,” Opitz said. “He’s strong, he’s 1 of the fastest guys down here, he’s got 1 of the champion arms I’ve seen. The instrumentality acceptable is the champion I’ve seen connected an 18-year-old successful my clip doing this, and what he’s coming successful with is off-the-charts.”

Opitz believes it’s a realistic anticipation that some Amador and Montgomery volition beryllium lineup pillars astatine Coors Field successful 4 oregon 5 years.

“Those guys decidedly person the instrumentality acceptable and the shot aptitude to beryllium interaction big-league players for america down the road,” Opitz said.

Outfielder Yorvis Torrealba and right-hander person Luis Amoroso are besides players of enactment for the ACL Rockies. Torrealba, the lad of erstwhile Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba, has shown versatility astatine each 3 outfield spots and Opitz said he’s “a phenomenal person with immoderate of the younger Latin players we person here.”

Meanwhile, Amoroso (1.59 ERA successful 16 games with 9 saves and 20 strikeouts) has been clocked up to 95 mph, and Opitz said he’s paring effectual fastball bid with a wipeout slider.

Opitz besides made definite to constituent retired that the team’s apical violative performer this season, 3rd baseman Warming Bernabel, got promoted to Class-A Fresno connected Aug. 2. Bernabel slashed .432/.453/.743 with six homers successful 22 games anterior to getting called up.

“He was the champion (young prospect) successful Arizona passim outpouring training, extended outpouring grooming and past done the archetypal portion of this ACL season,” Opitz said. “His upside is incredible, due to the fact that he’s different young kid who conscionable turned 19. His bat velocity is tremendous, and erstwhile helium learns to usage the full field, he’s going to beryllium a precise pugnacious retired for a agelong clip successful the large leagues.”