With the Troy Tulowitzki trade now a month old, the three pitchers the Rockies received in the trade continue to perform well in the minors. While it is too early to make any concrete judgment, right now it seems as if the Colorado Rockies and the Toronto Blue Jays both got what they wanted in this mega trade.
Jeff Hoffman has received a lot of the spotlight, and rightfully so, pitching for the New Britain Rock Cats in Double-A. Hoffman has performed well and with the minor league season ending soon, will look to finish strong. Through 25.1 innings pitched, Hoffman has given up 12 runs off 22 hits while striking out 20 batters and allowing only 5 walks. At still only 22-years-old, Hoffman will likely stay in the minors next year maybe moving up to Triple-A to join Miguel Castro, if he remains there. Hoffman is a power pitcher who can put up triple digits consistently and it will be hard to keep him in the minors for too long.
The 20-year-old Castro is the only pitcher the Rockies got in the Tulowitzki trade with any major league experience. Currently pitching for the Albuquerque Isotopes in Triple-A, Castro has been fantastic. In nine games so far, Castro has thrown 11 innings and allowed only two runs off five hits. He has also struck out nine. With continued performances like this, it’s not unrealistic to maybe get a glimpse of Castro sometime in September when rosters expand, as the Rockies continue to evaluate their bullpen going into next season.
Finally, the guy that is not getting much attention is Jesus Tinoco. Still only 20-years-old, Tinoco has been nothing short of brilliant so far the Asheville Tourists down in Class-A. In five starts for the Tourists, Tinoco has allowed three runs off 22 hits and six walks in 28 innings. Couple that with 28 strikeouts and it is easy to see that the kid has talent. While the sample size is small, early impressions must have the Rockies staff excited.
While Hoffman and Castro are very close to coming to the majors and hopefully staying there, Tinoco may still be a few years away, but early signs show that the Rockies may have received three quality pitchers for the future. The next step will be seeing if these pitchers can master the pitching curse of Coors Field.
Yes, the star shortstop is gone for good, but maybe a few years from now Rockies fans will be able to look at this trade and crack a smile.