Tyler Paddor, Luke Wortman, Isaac Stevens, Louis Taggart, Aaron McBride | March 4, 2025

With some honorable mentions covered yesterday, we dive head first into the BSB top 40 prospect list. The back of this list is heavy on relievers with a pair of pitchers already on the Rockies 40-man roster and another pair with the potential to get there.

Full List of Prospect Rankings
Honorable Mentions

#40 – LHP Evan Justice

Reliever Evan Justice skyrocketed through the system in 2023, beginning the year in Spokane and finishing in Colorado. The funky lefty struggled in the majors and opened the 2024 season on the IL with a lower back injury. After returning in July, control issues persisted—likely due to adjustments in his delivery, including a new arm angle and the addition of a sinker. Now throwing more sidearm than three-quarters, he appears to have better balance in his mechanics. Seeking a fresh start, Justice headed to the Arizona Fall League, where he dominated—walking just one batter and allowing zero hits across nine outings using his mid-90s heater and heavy low-80s slider.

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Justice is at the top of the list of minor league Arm Barn members and should get another chance in the majors soon, with some wind in his sails. – Aaron McBride

#39 – SS Kelvin Hidalgo

Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2022 for $500K, infielder Kelvin Hidalgo is one of the more intriguing prospects in the Rockies system. At just 6-foot-1 and 166 pounds, he doesn’t have the typical body of a power hitter, but in 2023 broke out for 12 home runs in the DSL (winning the DSL MVP that season). Hidalgo made his stateside debut in 2024 between the ACL and Single-A, but only managed one home run. However, he showed impressive contact ability, hitting .287 in 66 games.

Hidalgo’s approach in 2024 was on the weaker side, he swung early in counts and hit the ball on the ground roughly 55% of the time. With his natural strength, feel for power, and room to add on muscle, he projects for legit power. 2025 will be a telling year, and Hidalgo has a chance to make himself a top 20 Rockies prospect. – Isaac Stevens

#38 – RHP Cade Denton

Denton was one of the best college relievers in recent memory, tossing a dominant 0.41 ERA his sophomore year, before seeing his stuff tick up as a junior, though his ERA increased to a still stellar 1.83. His elite run as the Oral Roberts closer got Denton snagged in round 6 by the Rockies in 2023. Denton can get up to 99, though he usually sits 93-96 with his low-slot running fastball. Denton’s bread and butter is his mid-80s slider with a lot of drop.

After getting drafted by the Rockies in 2023, Denton’s career has started so-so with a 5.07 ERA, though he has walked just 14 in 49.2 innings. Injuries haven’t helped, and the Rockies have been conservative with his usage as well. Regardless, the righty has a big fastball, plus slider, and good command. 

Denton will likely repeat Spokane but he has a chance to hit Hartford this year and could push for a 2026 MLB relief role. – Luke Wortman

#37 – RHP Juan Mejia

After 7 years in the Rockies system, righty reliever Juan Mejia was added to the 40-man roster after the 2023 season. His first season as a member of the 40-man was spent in Double-A Hartford, posting a 5.00 ERA. However, other stats suggest that he has more to show for. Mejia’s 10.83 K/9 and 3.53 FIP (fielding independent pitching – isolates pitching from fielding) shows that Mejia’s stuff is legit and that progress should be in the cards in 2025.

The biggest hole in Mejia’s game is his command, as he owns a career 4.4 BB/9. Everything else though is ready for the big leagues. Mejia has a super athletic and powerful delivery, and has 2 plus pitches in his arsenal; a fastball that sits in the upper-90s, and a slider that induces a high percentage of whiffs. As soon as he hones in his command, Mejia can be a key reliever in the Rockies bullpen. – Isaac Stevens

#36 – LHP Bryson Hammer

With such a fitting last name, Hammer has a sharp downward curveball in his bag though it is his third pitch. Part of a strong 2023 draft class, the Dallas Baptist product attacks hitters with a fastball that can touch 96 from the left side and a potentially 60-grade changeup that plays with deception thanks to Hammer’s low slot and funky delivery. The result of this arsenal was a 1.54 ERA in 2024 between Fresno and Spokane, though Hammer did walk 30 batters in 64.2 innings–a rate he’ll need to clean up to remain such a promising reliever.

Hammer has a strong chance to jump up to Double-A Hartford to start the 2025 season where he can cement his place on the big league doorstep. – Tyler Paddor

With 4 promising relievers rounding out our top 40, this is just the beginning of the relief depth for Colorado with more bullpen hopefuls in the mid tiers of this system. Meanwhile, Kevin Hidalgo stands as one of the more important mid-tier infield prospects in a system that lacks impact players up the middle.

Stay tuned for prospects 35-31 tomorrow!