Everything you need to know about the Rockies' new prospects

DENVER – The Rockies stayed with their Trade Deadline strategy of recent years by collecting prospects.

Current right-handed setup man Victor Vodnik and starting pitchers Bradley Blalock and Tanner Gordon are among hauls from recent Deadline deals to aid the big league club.

This year, the Rockies brought in four prospects from the Yankees' system, including two that entered the top 11 in Colorado’s Top 30 prospect list, per MLB Pipeline.

Let’s examine the newest Rockies:

No. 5 prospect, LHP Griffin Herring, High-A Spokane
Acquired in: Trade with Yankees for 3B Ryan McMahon
Pipeline scouting report: Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

One of the unsung heroes in Louisiana State's 2023 national championship run, Herring worked 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to beat Wake Forest in an elimination game at the Men's College World Series. The Tigers' best bullpen option as a Draft-eligible sophomore in 2024, he logged a 1.79 ERA with a 67/13 K/BB ratio in 50 1/3 innings while scouts lamented that he was too valuable in that role to get an opportunity to start. The Yankees gave him that chance when he made his pro debut this year after signing for a well-over-slot $797,500 in the sixth round. And he was running with that starting shot, pitching well across two levels of A-ball when he was dealt with Josh Grosz to the Rockies for Ryan McMahon on Saturday.

Herring's best pitch is a sweeping mid-80s slider with horizontal and vertical action that confounds both lefties and righties. He can't overpower hitters with his fastball, which operates in the low 90s and tops out at 94 with some armside run, and he'll need to find more velocity or life against better competition. He threw only 11 changeups at LSU but emphasized the pitch more during three Cape Cod League starts last summer, showing some decent if firm mid-80s cambios with depth.

Herring has a long arm action and a less-than-smooth delivery, though it throws batters' timing off and didn't stop him from pounding the strike zone as a sophomore. To succeed as a pro starter, he'll need to add more strength to his 6-foot-2 frame and improve his fastball and changeup. If he can't, he still could become a high-leverage reliever thanks to his slider and mound presence.

Organizational fit: He’s a much-needed lefty starter, one of four in the Rockies’ Top 30 prospect list.

ETA: 2027

No. 11 prospect, 2B Roc Riggio, Double-A Hartford
Acquired in: Trade with Yankees for RHP Jake Bird
Pipeline scouting report: Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

Riggio played with Athletics first-rounder Max Muncy at Thousand Oaks (Calif.) High School in 2021 and could have been a top-three-rounds pick if not for his commitment to Oklahoma State. He turned down the Brewers in the 11th round and spent two years with the Cowboys that included a legendary NCAA Regionals playoff performance (15-for-27, four homers, five doubles, 17 RBIs in five games) as a freshman. A 2023 fourth-rounder, Riggio slashed just .217/.356/.369 in his two seasons in pro ball. Despite being slowed early by a hand injury, he was having an impressive bounce-back season and reached Double-A, only to be sent to the Rockies in the Trade Deadline deal for Jake Bird.

Riggio has the build, bravado and max-effort swing of a lefty-hitting version of Dustin Pedroia, but he doesn't have the same feel for the barrel. He lives for launching balls in the air to right field and his solid raw power will play well in any big league ballpark, if he can keep making the improved contact he’s shown this year. Riggio has a reasonably disciplined approach and draws walks, but his all-out stroke comes up empty too often against non-fastballs and when he does stray out of the strike zone.

His aggressiveness is evident on the bases as well, as Riggio swiped 27 bags in his first full pro season despite below-average speed, though he wasn’t looking to run as much in 2025. His lack of quickness and fringy arm strength should limit his effectiveness at second base, but he has looked better than expected in the Minors and could become an average defender. The Yankees tried Riggio briefly at shortstop last season, but he doesn't possess the tools for the position and the game speeds up on him too much there.

Organizational fit: Current Rockies rookie Ryan Ritter and switch-hitting Adael Amador, currently at Triple-A Albuquerque after stints in the Majors the last two years, have competition for the title of second baseman of the future.

ETA: 2026

No. 19 prospect, RHP Josh Grosz, Spokane
Acquired in: Trade with Yankees for 3B Ryan McMahon
Pipeline scouting report: Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

One of the youngest college pitchers selected in the 2023 Draft, Grosz didn't turn 21 until six weeks after signing with the Yankees for $150,000 as an 11th-rounder. The East Carolina product fanned 131 batters in 121 2/3 innings during his 2024 pro debut while spending most of his time at two Class A stops. He ranked among the High-A South Atlantic League strikeout leaders this season as part of a prospect-studded rotation at Hudson Valley when he was sent to the Rockies along with Griffin Herring on Saturday for Ryan McMahon.

Grosz has added a couple of ticks of velocity to his fastball since turning pro, and he now works at 93-95 mph and touches 98 with quality riding action. He creates high spin rates on his heater and his mid-80s slider, and the Yankees have helped him increase the break on the latter pitch. Grosz's upper-80s changeup is firm yet effective because its fade and sink keep left-handers at bay.

The 6-foot-4 Grosz mixes an upright delivery with a low three-quarters arm slot. He has fringy control and command, and his fastball is his lone better-than-average offering. He has the ceiling of a back-of-the-rotation starter and could end up as a multi-inning reliever.

Organizational fit: The Rockies like Grosz's delivery and pitch action, and they believe he can help the rotation.

ETA: 2026

No. 27 prospect, LHP Ben Shields, Hartford
Acquired in: Trade with Yankees for RHP Jake Bird
Pipeline scouting report: Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

Shields barely pitched in his first three college seasons at Massachusetts before cracking George Mason's rotation and leading the Atlantic 10 Conference in strikeouts (107 in 80 2/3 innings) as a fifth-year senior in 2023. Though he was old for a college prospect at age 24, the Yankees signed him for $25,000 as a nondrafted free agent. They improved Shields' extension and lowered his release height, turning him into one of the better lefty pitching prospects in their system. The Rockies noticed and acquired him in the Trade Deadline deal that sent Jake Bird to the Yankees.

New York also had Shields concentrate on throwing his breaking pitches more often. He has a plus curveball that parks at 80-82 mph and a solid slider that's a tick harder, with both featuring quality depth. Shields' fastball stands out more for its carry and armside run than its ordinary velocity (averaging 93 mph, topping out at 96), and he can miss bats with all three of his offerings.

Shields uses his breakers more than his heater and has all but abandoned his changeup this year, so he may be more of a multi-inning reliever than starter. He does provide consistent strikes and reached Double-A quickly this season despite missing the first two months with a hip ailment that bothered him toward the end of 2024. He should be able to contribute in the Majors in the near future.

Organizational fit: The Rockies were looking for a lefty with starter potential. Now they’ve added two.

ETA: 2026