By Tracy Ringolsby
November 30, 2009


Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2009.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Tyler Matzek, lhp 2. Christian Friederich, lhp 3. Wilin Rosario, c 4. Jhoulys Chacin, rhp 5. Hector Gomez, ss 6. Eric Young Jr., 2b/of 7. Tim Wheeler, of 8. Rex Brothers, lhp 9. Esmil Rogers, rhp 10. Nolan Arenado, 3b

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Nolan Arenado Best Power Hitter Kent Matthes Best Strike-Zone Discipline Darin Holcomb Fastest Baserunner Eric Young Jr. Best Athlete Eric Young Jr. Best Fastball Tyler Matzek Best Curveball Christian Friederich Best Slider Rex Brothers Best Changeup Jhoulys Chacin Best Control Matt Reynolds Best Defensive Catcher Michael McKenry Best Defensive Infielder Jonathan Herrera Best Infield Arm Hector Gomez Best Defensive Outfielder Chris Frey Best Outfield Arm David Christensen

PROJECTED 2013 LINEUP

Catcher Chris Iannetta First Base Brad Hawpe Second Base Hector Gomez Third Base Ian Stewart Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki Left Field Seth Smith Center Field Dexter Fowler Right Field Carlos Gonzalez No. 1 Starter Ubaldo Jimenez No. 2 Starter Tyler Matzek No. 3 Starter Aaron Cook No. 4 Starter Christian Friederich No. 5 Starter Jorge de la Rosa Closer Rex Brothers

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2009 2000 Choo Freeman, of Out of baseball 2001 Chin-Hui Tsao, rhp Royals 2002 Chin-Hui Tsao, rhp Royals 2003 Aaron Cook, rhp Rockies 2004 Chin-Hui Tsao, rhp Royals 2005 Ian Stewart, 3b Rockies 2006 Ian Stewart, 3b Rockies 2007 Troy Tulowitzki, ss Rockies 2008 Franklin Morales, lhp Rockies 2009 Dexter Fowler, of Rockies

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2009 2000 *Matt Harrington, rhp Out of baseball 2001 Jayson Nix, 2b (1st round supp.) White Sox 2002 Jeff Francis, lhp Rockies 2003 Ian Stewart, 3b Rockies 2004 Chris Nelson, ss Rockies 2005 Troy Tulowitzki, ss Rockies 2006 Greg Reynolds, rhp Rockies 2007 Casey Weathers, rhp Rockies 2008 Christian Friederich, lhp Rockies 2009 Tyler Matzek, lhp Rockies

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Tyler Matzek, 2009 $3,900,000 Greg Reynolds, 2006 $3,250,000 Jason Young, 2000 $2,750,000 Troy Tulowitzki, 2005 $2,300,000 Chin-Hui Tsao, 1999 $2,200,000

ROCKIES LINKS

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After making their first World Series appearance and winning Baseball America's Organization of the Year award in 2007, the Rockies plummeted to 74 wins as an encore. A month after their disappointing season ended, they traded their best player, Matt Holliday, a year before he became a free agent in a move that appeared to signal the beginning of a rebuilding process.

Colorado stumbled to an 18-28 start in 2009, costing manager Clint Hurdle his job as it appeared the club was headed for another disappointing season. But the Rockies suddenly reversed course, going 74-42 after bench coach Jim Tracy replaced Hurdle. They won a franchise-record 92 games and advanced to the playoffs for the third time in their history.

Just as homegrown players had sparked the World Series run two years earlier, they keyed the turnaround this time. Colorado was the only team to field an Opening Day lineup consisting solely of players it had originally signed and developed.

Following an injury-plague second season, Troy Tulowitzki reclaimed his place as one of baseball's elite shortstops. Ubaldo Jimenez blossomed into a legitimate ace. Rookie Dexter Fowler, who ranked No. 1 on this list a year ago, injected speed and athleticism into the lineup after claiming the center-field job.

More talent is on the way. Lefthander Christian Friedrich, who surprisingly lasted 25 picks in the 2008 draft, ranked second in the minor leagues in strikeouts per nine innings (12.0) and may push for a big league audition by the end of 2010. Righthanders Jhoulys Chacin and Esmil Rogers made cameos in Colorado, providing further evidence that pitching shouldn't be in short supply. Second baseman Eric Young Jr. earned a spot on the postseason roster with his speed and defensive versatility.

Rockies scouting director Bill Schmidt and his staff further stocked the system with a 2009 draft rated as the industry's best by Baseball America. Lefthander Tyler Matzek slipped through the first 10 picks primarily because he had let it be known that he was looking for "unprecedented money," and Schmidt pounced with the 11th overall choice. At the Aug. 17 signing deadline, Colorado was able to land Matzek for $3.9 million, the biggest bonus in franchise history but not an extraordinary sum for a player rated by some clubs as the second-best talent in the draft.

Schmidt said he didn't think taking Matzek despite his questionable signability was a gamble, because the Rockies also owned the 32nd and 34th overall selections, compensation for the loss of free agent Brian Fuentes. They got two more talent values with those choices in a pair of college players with upside in outfielder Tim Wheeler and lefthander Rex Brothers.

In his decade on the job, Schmidt has proven to be conservative and productive in his drafting approach. His first draft, in 2000, produced nine big leaguers, including Garrett Atkins, Clint Barmes and Brad Hawpe, who still were playing important roles in Colorado last season.

The Rockies also continue to get a huge return on their modest investments in their Latin American program. Jimenez, a Dominican, has emerged the last two seasons as their No. 1 starter, while Franklin Morales, a Venezuelan, is their best lefty reliever. Four of their best minor league prospects were signed out of the Dominican Republic (catcher Wilin Rosario, shortstop Hector Gomez and Rogers) and Venezuela (Chacin).

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