2003 Wrapups: Colorado Rockies
With the 2003 minor league season coming to a close, we will be providing a brief wrapup of the season for all 30 minor league teams. In each report, we will take a look at how the team's Top 10 Prospects performed, identify some emerging prospects and organizational leaders, and report on the performance of their top draft pick.
Complete index of Team Wrapups 2003 League Wrapups
By Kevin Goldstein
October 1, 2003
Season Results
Performance of Top 10 Prospects
Here's how our top 10 prospects entering this season performed in 2003.
| 1. Aaron Cook, rhp
Age: 24 |
Started the year in the rotation, and pitched complete-game five-hitter at Coors in his fourth start. Struggled from there on, and a move to the bullpen didn't help. Excellent sinker kept the ball from leaving the park (just eight HR allowed), but more walks than strikeouts and a .317 opponent average led to his demise.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Rockies (MLB) |
4-6 |
0 |
6.02 |
43 |
124.0 |
160 |
89 |
83 |
57 |
43 |
| Colorado Springs (Triple-A) |
1-1 |
0 |
2.25 |
2 |
16.0 |
10 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
| 2. Chin-Hui Tsao, rhp
Age: 22 |
Now two years removed from Tommy John surgery, Tsao came into his own this year, leading the Texas League in ERA and going 7-0, 2.21 in his final nine starts for Tulsa before making his major league debut on July 25. Limited the Phillies to just two hits and one run over six innings in his fourth start for the Rockies, but struggled thereafter.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Tulsa (Double-A) |
11-4 |
0 |
2.46 |
18 |
113.1 |
88 |
34 |
31 |
26 |
125 |
| Rockies (MLB) |
3-3 |
0 |
6.02 |
9 |
43.1 |
48 |
30 |
29 |
20 |
29 |
|
| 3. Rene Reyes, of
Age: 25 |
Offensive explosion at Colorado Springs was not home field generated, as he hit all six of his home runs on the road to go along with a .335 average. Hit just .238 in September for the Rockies, and as a first-baseman/corner outfielder, is going to need to develop his secondary skills.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Colorado Springs (Triple-A) |
98 |
370 |
60 |
127 |
23 |
3 |
6 |
50 |
22 |
56 |
12 |
.343 |
.380 |
.470 |
| Rockies (MLB) |
53 |
116 |
13 |
30 |
7 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
5 |
19 |
2 |
.259 |
.287 |
.388 |
|
| 4. Jason Young, rhp
Age: 24 |
Started to find the velocity he showed at Stanford, and while he held his own at Triple-A, he still gave up over a hit per inning and was absolutely hammered coming out of the Rockies bullpen in September.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Colorado Springs (Triple-A)
| 6-7 |
0 |
3.95 |
23 |
116.1 |
128 |
63 |
51 |
37 |
99 |
| Rockies (MLB) |
0-2 |
0 |
8.44 |
8 |
21.1 |
34 |
22 |
20 |
9 |
18 |
|
| 5. Choo Freeman, of
Age: 24 |
2002's breakout season looks like a fluke now, as Freeman started the year with just six hits in his first 20 games, and regressed to his free-swinging days.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Colorado Springs (Triple-A) |
103 |
327 |
44 |
83 |
9 |
4 |
7 |
36 |
23 |
71 |
2 |
.254 |
.315 |
.370 |
|
| 6. Jayson Nix, 2b
Age: 21 |
A breakout campaign for Nix, who led the California League in runs scored and hit 15 home runs in the final two months of the season. Still strikes out quite a bit, but projects as on offensive second baseman in the mold of Jeff Kent.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Visalia (High Class A) |
137 |
562 |
107 |
158 |
46 |
0 |
21 |
86 |
54 |
131 |
24 |
.281 |
.351 |
.475 |
|
| 7. Jeff Baker, 3b
Age: 22 |
Wrist surgery delayed his pro debut until May, and he put together a solid campaign despite dealing with soreness and swelling in the joint all season. Finally shut down in August, and underwent a second wrist surgery to shave down a bone on Sept. 18.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Asheville (Low Class A) |
70 |
263 |
44 |
76 |
17 |
0 |
11 |
44 |
30 |
79 |
4 |
.289 |
.377 |
.479 |
|
| 8. Zach Parker, lhp
Age: 22 |
Put together a string of solid outings early in the year before beginning to suffer from elbow soreness, which prevented him from going more than five innings in his last four games. Had arthroscopic surgery in July, and is expected to be ready for spring training.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Visalia (High Class A) |
5-5 |
0 |
3.69 |
16 |
90.1 |
85 |
38 |
37 |
27 |
52 |
|
| 9. Jeff Francis, lhp
Age: 22 |
Was 2-7, 6.88 in April/May, but was one of the best pitchers in the minors over the final three months of the season, going 10-2, 1.83 over his final 16 starts while limiting opposing batters to a .184 average.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Visalia (High Class A) |
12-9 |
0 |
3.47 |
27 |
160.2 |
135 |
66 |
62 |
45 |
153 |
|
| 10. Brad Hawpe, 1b
Age: 24 |
Solid but unspectacular season for last year's Carolina League MVP, who saw his walk rate plummet and missed six weeks with a separated shoulder.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Tulsa (Double-A) |
93 |
346 |
52 |
96 |
27 |
0 |
17 |
68 |
31 |
84 |
1 |
.277 |
.338 |
.503 |
|
Top Draft Pick:
| Ian Stewart, 3b
La Quinta HS, Garden Grove, Calif. Bonus: $1.95M |
10th overall pick had a dazzling pro debut at Casper, drawing comparisons to a young Jim Thome.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Casper (Rookie) |
57 |
224 |
40 |
71 |
14 |
5 |
10 |
43 |
29 |
54 |
4 |
.317 |
.401 |
.558 |
|
Emerging Prospects:
Garrett Atkins, 3b: Former UCLA star rebounded from a subpar 2002 year, hitting .319-11-67 at Triple-A Colorado Springs, but over 100 points higher at home (.377) than on the road (.267). Went just 11-for-69 (.159) in his big league debut.
Jeff Salazar, of: Eighth-round pick in 2002 hit just four home runs in his pro debut, but exploded in his full-season debut, falling just short of a 30-30 campaign and leading the organization in home runs and RBIs.
Statistical Leaders
| Batting Average |
Rene Reyes |
.343 |
| Home Runs |
Jeff Salazar |
29 |
| Runs Batted In |
Jeff Salazar |
98 |
| Stolen Bases |
K.J. Hendricks |
50 |
| Earned Run Average |
Chin-Hui Tsao |
2.46 |
| Wins |
Justin Hampson |
14 |
| Strikeouts |
Jeff Francis |
153 |
| Saves |
Brad Klontz |
30 |
