Tyler Paddor, Luke Wortman, Isaac Stevens, Louis Taggart, Aaron McBride | March 8, 2025

The Rockies have invested heavily into building a quality crop of pitchers in their farm system and now have a stable of moderate upside prospects, headlined by Connor Staine and Jordy Vargas. The question seems to be ‘who’ will be the next MLB rotation candidate rather than if there is a rotation candidate in the system’s middle tiers.

Full List of Prospects Rankings
Honorable Mentions | Prospects 36-40 | Prospects 31-35 | Prospects 30-26
Prospects 21 – 25

#20 – RHP Connor Staine

A 5th round pick out of the University of Central Florida in 2022, Staine is one of the best athletes in this system carrying quality arm talent. The righty has a projectable frame, and a delivery that might allow for more velocity to his fastball in the future, though he already sits 93-95. Last season in Spokane, the righty had a 4.48 ERA and struck out 101 in 90.1 innings, though he did see an uptick in walks with 42. Staine’s season was highlighted by a pair of midsummer 7 inning shutout starts where he combined for 21 strikeouts. That type of dominance is what the Rockies want to see more often.

There’s more overall development needed for Staine to achieve that consistency, but he’s climbing the minor league ladder while putting up solid results. He’s got one of the highest ceilings for any pitcher in the system, and if he can get the most out of his plus fastball, quality slider, and command, then opposing teams will have a lot to look out for. 

Staine looks to be featured in Hartford’s rotation as he makes his case to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason as he becomes Rule 5 eligible. – Luke Wortman

#19 – OF Benny Montgomery

Benny Montgomery, a 2021 high school draftee, has played just 196 games across four minor league seasons—an average of 49 per year. Unfortunately, injuries have defined much of his early career, a frustrating reality for both fans and, undoubtedly, Montgomery himself. Yet, despite the setbacks, his MLB-caliber talent remains undeniable.

Possessing a rare combination of raw tools, Montgomery has proven he can compete at a high level. In just 48 plate appearances last season, he posted a .500 slugging percentage while showcasing elite athleticism. His 70-grade speed and 60-grade arm place him among the top center field prospects in the sport of baseball.

However, his swing has long featured a hitch, leading to a high strikeout rate and inconsistent contact quality. Rather than overhauling his mechanics, the Rockies and Montgomery appear focused on refining the timing of his hitch and leg kick to create a more fluid approach and build on Montgomery’s feel for hitting. A healthy Montgomery in Hartford in 2025 will be an exciting storyline to follow. – Aaron McBride

#18 – RHP Jack Mahoney

Mahoney features a mid-90s fastball with natural downward movement, a mid-80s slider with impressive vertical and horizontal break, and a recently developed changeup that could be his best secondary offering. His athleticism and strong frame position him for success as a starting pitcher. While his command has been steady, refining the consistency of his secondary pitches remains a work in progress. However, all signs point to Mahoney developing into a reliable rotation piece.

In his first professional season, his first season without Tommy John recovery training wheels, Mahoney finished the year at High-A Spokane, experiencing some growing pains as his WHIP rose from 1.15 in Fresno to 1.42 up north in Spokane. Despite this, he proved to be a workhorse, pitching at least five innings in all but two starts.

As a third-round pick with a promising debut and a well-rounded arsenal capable of generating both weak contact and strikeouts, Mahoney remains a strong prospect with a very real chance to pick up starts in the big leagues in the near future. He will likely begin the season in Spokane but should be among the first in line for a promotion to Hartford when an opportunity arises. – Aaron McBride

#17 – RHP Jordy Vargas

In January, 2021, the Rockies signed Right-Handed Pitcher Jordy Vargas out of the Dominican Republic for $500K, immediately being praised for his ideal projectable pitching frame, standing 6-foot-3 and 153 pounds, with long levers. Vargas’ first pro season was with the DSL in 2021, posting a crazy 1.30 ERA in 34.2 IP.

That was enough for the Rockies to promote him stateside in 2022, where he again had a great season between the ACL and Single-A, with a 2.98 ERA and impressive 64:17 K:BB ratio across the two stops. In 2023, Vargas repeated Single-A and started 13 games for the Grizzlies, owning a 4.22 ERA in that span. Unfortunately, during that season, he was shut down and had Tommy John Surgery that took him out for all of 2024 as well.

As mentioned previously, Vargas possesses the ideal build for a pitcher. With a lengthy stature, his mechanics are polished enough to the point where his projection goes through the roof. Offering primarily a fastball/curveball combo, his curveball is what catches the eye of people in the baseball world. It has tight spin, and movement so efficiently that Vargas has an argument for being a top 5 pitcher in the organization.

His fastball has solid velocity–well into the mid-90s–but is less advanced relative to his premier curveball. Vargas has a changeup in his bag but will need to showcase a more developed offering as he rebuilds momentum.

Overall, Vargas is a potential star and 2025 will be important for him as he comes off fresh from injury. He will likely spend most of his time pitching for High-A Spokane this season. – Isaac Stevens

#16 – LHP Carson Palmquist

Palmquist cemented his name in the minds of Rockies fans by opening 2024 Spring Training with a solid outing against much of Arizona’s MLB lineup. He followed that performance up with a remarkable 2024 campaign, highlighted by a 3.17 ERA across 82.1 innings with Double-A Hartford, including 113 strikeouts.

Palmquist peaked on July 5th when he struck out 13 across 7 innings of 1-hit ball. Palmquist found himself in Triple-A less than a month later and experience the gauntlet that is the Pacific Coast League, though Palmquist was good-to-great in 7 of his 9 appearances with Albuquerque with a 3.64 ERA in those 7 successful outings vs 12.71 ERA in the other 2 nightmare starts. The night and day comparison shows Palmquist largely had acclimated to a level where most pitchers record a 5+ ERA.

Palmquist’s brand of baseball is deception. He has a low sidearm slot and overall funky mechanics that keep hitters on their heels. The Miami product’s fastball clocks in right around 90 mph but it plays up thanks to well over 7 feet of extension to home plate (6.5 feet is average). Palmquist also mixes in a cutter, slider/sweeper, and changeup, with all three secondaries capable of missing a lot of bats.

Palmquist will be on the big league radar all year but figures to start the season in the minors until his name is called at 20th and Blake. – Tyler Paddor