Rockies land 2 pitching prospects from Yanks for McMahon

DENVER -- Ryan McMahon’s hot hitting out of the All-Star break has earned him a trade to the Yankees, and netted the Rockies two starting pitching prospects.

TRADE DETAILS
Rockies receive: LHP Griffin Herring (Yankees' No. 8 prospect) and RHP Josh Grosz (Yankees' No. 21 prospect)
Yankees receive: 3B Ryan McMahon

Possessing the Majors’ worst record at 26-76 going into Friday night’s game at Baltimore and coming off consecutive 100-plus loss seasons, the Rockies knew part of the road back included a rebuild. That meant parting with McMahon, who was in the fourth year of a six-year, $70 million contract and considered a beloved leader.

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“I have a ton of respect for Ryan, Natalie [his wife] and the whole family, and everything he has meant to this organization -- we’re talking 13 seasons since we drafted him in 2013,” said Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt, who said there was interest from other teams. “I remember the first time I saw him, when he was a sophomore in high school.

“I think of what he did for the ballclub in his time here. I wish him nothing but the best. He’s in a good situation and hopefully he does well.”

The Rockies spurned offers for McMahon in the past, with the Yankees reportedly one of the interested teams. But with the chance to win more in the future than the present, they traded for a constant need -- starting pitching depth, since veteran free agents tend to avoid pitching in Denver’s altitude and the roster is not one that will allow them to trade for bona fide Major League starters.

“We’re just constantly trying to build the depth and quality of players in our system,” Schmidt said.

A sixth-round pick from LSU in 2024, Herring, 22, is 7-3 with a 1.71 ERA (second in the Minors) and 102 strikeouts against 36 walks over 16 starts (89 1/3 innings) in his first full professional season. His .178 batting average against is fifth among Minor Leaguers. He was 4-1 with a 1.21 ERA in eight starts at Single-A Tampa and 3-2 with a 2.22 ERA in eight starts since being promoted to High-A Hudson Valley.

The 6-foot-2 Herring fits the profile of several pitchers the Rockies have targeted. He has a deceptive delivery that enhances a low- to mid-90s fastball, a sweeping slider that’s a strikeout pitch and a changeup that's developing nicely.

“He was a bullpen guy in college and he’s started this year, so we’re going to have to watch the innings -- especially this year, because he’s already up in the high 80s,” Schmidt said. “There’s a feel to pitch, a fastball that has some good extension rates that allows it to play up, and a good slider. He’s pitched well at the A-ball levels, and we are going to try to get him through the season healthy.”

Grosz, 22, was just shy of his 21st birthday when he was drafted by the Yankees in the 11th round in 2023 out of East Carolina -- a year after the Rockies selected fellow alum Zach Agnos in the 10th round.

Since turning pro, the 6-foot-4 Grosz has shown a knack for the strikeout. Using a fastball-slider-changeup mix, Grosz has 225 career strikeouts against 87 walks in two pro seasons. He spent most of last year at Tampa and Hudson Valley, with one appearance at Double-A Somerset. This year, he was 4-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) at Hudson Valley, with 94 strikeouts and 35 walks in 87 innings.

“It’s a good arm,” Schmidt said. “[Fastball] up to the mid-90s, an average slider and average changeup with a feel to pitch. I think the fastball is up a tick here in pro ball from college. He’s going to work at 93-95 and has been able to touch the upper 90s.

“It’s another good arm. We’re trying to add to the talent base.”

The Rockies have plenty of development time with both. Grosz will not need to be added to the 40-man roster until after 2026, Herring after 2027. Herring will become the Rockies' No. 5 prospect, while Grosz will enter the list at No. 18.

The Yankees, in need of third base help, scouted several possible trade candidates, such as the Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suárez and the Pirates’ Ke’Bryan Hayes. McMahon fit their requirements of being a strong defender -- a National League Gold Glove finalist the last four years -- and having the ability to hit for power.

McMahon, 30, a second-round pick in 2013 out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., is batting .217, and he was leading the NL with 127 strikeouts -- after representing the Rockies in the 2024 All-Star Game. Two massive slumps affected his numbers. Much of his problems came as he was trying to carry a lineup beset by injuries to key pieces Kris Bryant, Ezequiel Tovar and Thairo Estrada, and often fielding youth.

In six games at Coors Field coming out of the All-Star break, McMahon blistered the Twins and Cardinals by going 6-for-20 with three home runs, two doubles, seven RBIs, four walks and six strikeouts while batting fourth and fifth in the order.