Rockies' Pitching Prospects Make Exclusive List, Impress in Minors

(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Baseball America recently published a list of its top 50 prospects at the mid-point of the 2009 season.

Though there were no Rockies in the top 25, three of the team’s most promising young pitchers made the latter half of the list.

Jhoulys Chacin (Ranked #30)

Tulsa Drillers, age 21

Entering the season, Chacin was universally regarded as Colorado’s top pitching prospect, ranking alongside center fielder Dexter Fowler among the organization’s most promising youngsters.

Signed out of Venezuela in 2004, Chacin was dominant between Asheville and Modesto last season, finishing 2008 with a record of 18-3 and a cumulative ERA of 2.03. The 20- year-old struck out 160 batters and only walked 42 in nearly 180 innings.

This season, Chacin moved up to AA-Tulsa, where he has continued his winning ways. Though Chacin hasn’t been quite as dominant in the Texas League, he has begun to come around, lowering his ERA to 3.43 over 16 starts.

Chacin relies primarily on a troubling changeup and a heavy sinker that tends to induce a lot of ground balls. With his repertoire, he is well suited for Coors Field.

Chacin will be getting a chance to show himself to the world in the coming weeks when he joins Sky Sox second baseman Eric Young Jr. at the 2009 Futures Game.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?