Blake Street Banter Team | February 15, 2025
Welcome to part 2 of BSB Tools Week! As a reminder, this series seeks to rank the best tools in the Rockies farm system. Yesterday, we featured the best command tools in the system with Sean Sullivan leading the way. Today, we change gears and look at the best secondary pitches in the organization.
The Rockies have a strong share of quality offspeed pitches (splitters/changeups) rising through the system while a pair of sliders lead the way from recent top picks.
Top 10 Breaking Balls
Honorable Mentions
Righty starters Jordy Vargas, McCade Brown and Yujanyer Herrera who have similarly shaped curveballs each garner great results. Lefty Carson Skipper has a deadly vertical curveball from his quirky overtop arm slot, and it’s a nightmare for left-handed hitters. Some impressive sliders belong to Seth Halvorsen, Isaiah Coupet, and Sandy Ozuna where each player creates great spin and shape. Some impressive breaking balls belong to: Odarlin Cruz (curveball), Michael Prosecky (curveball), Sam Weatherly (slider), Luis Amoroso (slider), and Carson Palmquist (slider) among others.
#10 – RHP Dugan Darnell’s Splitter
Darnell has been creeping up the ladder in the Rockies organization, navigating through the pitching nightmare Pacific Coast League this past season. Much of Darnell’s success in the organization can be attributed to his nasty splitter.
Darnell boosts this offering with his high arm slot that allows him to make his splitter a bowling ball in the mid-80s. In a new Rockies era where splitters appear to be quite viable at Coors Field, Darnell’s offspeed offering could make waves and set him up for success in the big leagues.
#9 – LHP Luis Peralta’s Curveball
After being acquired from the Pirates at the trade deadline, we all got to see Peralta’s stuff on display in his brief MLB debut. Peralta throws his curveball with deception across his body and it works like a sweeping curveball, mostly breaking to the gloveside with limited drop. This kind of curveball can be difficult for hitters’ eyes to adjust to and Peralta has a tendency to locate it with precision.
After striking out 75 batters in just 47.2 minor league innings, Peralta proved his curveball is as good at sending hitters back to the dugout as any pitch.
#8 – RHP Juan Mejia’s Slider
When Juan Mejia was added to the Rockies 40-man roster after the 2023 season, word went around about his fastball-slider combo. Having a fastball in the upper-90s helps Mejia’s nasty slider garnish whiffs. After a poor 2024 campaign where Mejia put up a 5.00 ERA in Double-A it his stuff may have been less explosive than expected, but this is not true.
His command was inconsistent, but the stuff was still evident for Mejia in 2024. Mejia’s slider specifically has tight spin, and comes in sharply on the hands for left-handed hitters. When tunneled (pitches being thrown from the same arm angle) efficiently with his fastball, Mejia’s slider racks up a high number of whiffs, creating potential to be an above average MLB pitch. His career SO/9 of 11.0 evidences his long-lasting MiLB success.
#7 – LHP Luichi Casilla’s Curveball
The unique profile of Luichi Casilla is mainly looked at for his dazzling 100 MPH fastball, but he also possesses a curveball with great movement. Both pitches come from the same tunnel, so out of the hand, Casilla’s fastball high in the zone looks the same as a curveball down in the zone, often freezing batters, and making them watch the curveball pass as a strike. The curveball itself has lively movement and drops last second at a steep decline. Casilla will (continue to) dominate the lower levels, and batters will still struggle to get good looks off of Casilla.
#6 – RHP Zach Agnos’s Changeup
Agnos was far from a well-known prospect leading into 2024, but that changed after he tossed a 1.38 ERA this season. His changeup is a major reason for his success. The cambio sits in the 83-87 mph range and features heavy sink. The pitch looks very similar out of his hand to his fastball, making hitters not sure what pitch is being thrown. His solid command helps him to get the most out of his pitch. Agnos’s changeup could help him land a late inning relief role with the Rockies very soon.
Zach Agnos mini-Banter Session
#5 – RHP Jackson Cox’s Curveball
With injuries and Tommy John surgery impacting Cox’s professional career at the outset, we have yet to see his infamous curveball consistently. Pitching just 31 IP in his career, despite being drafted in 2022, it is hard to fully project Cox. Although, before his injuries, Cox’s curveball was routinely over 3,000 RPM while only 13 players in MLB averaged over 3000 RPM on their curveballs in 2024. Cox’s curveball is nasty, and strongly appears to be the best curveball in the entire organization.
Cox’s other pitches don’t profile as well alongside his curveball, but we may see a change in that aspect in 2025 where he’s projected to start the season healthy with a lot of mental development under his belt.
#4 – RHP Brody Brecht’s Splitter
Brody Brecht has two potential 70-grade offerings in his fastball and slider, but he also has a potential plus pitch in his changeup. The pitch is the hardest off-speed pitch in the system, averaging 90 mph–a roughly 6 mph difference from Brecht’s heater. The pitch has a ton of movement, which can actually hurt Brecht’s efforts to locate his splitter; but once he learns to harness his command, the splitter will be a major key to him landing in the MLB rotation.
#3 – RHP Jaden Hill’s Changeup
Coming out of LSU in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Jaden Hill has always had a plus changeup. His mechanics and pitching style have changed considerably since being drafted, even becoming a full-time reliever, but he has found what works for him.
Upon being called up to the majors in 2024, Hill’s changeup had some sweet results. It tails hard to his armside against right-handed hitters and drops considerably too. It shouldn’t be a problem in Coors due to the already low spin rates, relying more on gravity rather than spin. In Hill’s short MLB stint, batters were whiffing at his changeup 35.3% of the time proving that it can be a great strikeout pitch and arguably the best in a system full of quality changeups.
#2 – RHP Chase Dollander’s Slider
There’s not one specific facet that makes Dollander such a good prospect, rather it is a combination of talents that makes him one of the best prospects the Rockies have had in their history. While his fastball is his best tool, Dollander’s slider provides an excellent second piece to his arsenal. The pitch usually sits in the mid-80s but can reach the lower-90s at times. The pitch features plus sweep and goes well with his other offerings. While it has not performed as well since his elite sophomore season in 2022, Dollander’s slider is still dynamic and one of the best overall pitches in the organization.
Chase Dollander Banter Session
#1 – RHP Brody Brecht’s Slider
Arguably the best pitch in all of college baseball last year, Brecht’s upper-80s demon breaking ball is one that could make him an excellent MLB pitcher on its own. Brecht throws the pitch with conviction and similar effort that he throws his heater with, deceiving hitters; not that Brecht even needs to hide the baseball for him to be effective. Brecht’s slider primarily breaks vertically with limited horizontal movement but it’s absolutely rare to see a breaking ball capable of touching 92 with this kind of downhill movement.
The Rockies have collected their share of impressive secondary offerings, though these ten figure to be some of the most effective in the big leagues. Put some special attention of Dollander and Brecht’s sliders as they have the potential to make waves in MLB.
Stay tuned for the third part of BSB Tools Week, dropping tomorrow! Spoiler alert, we’re bringing the heat.
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