Colorado Rockies Prospect Jhoulys Chacin Collects Postseason Hardware

Although the Rockies' miracle 2007 run to the World Series went completely unrewarded when it came to the postseason awards (Holliday= MVP,Tulo= ROY, Todd + Tulo = Gold Glove for all you math majors out there), this season, the focus has shifted to the Rockies' farm system, where one Rockies pitching prospect recently received the Minor League's top accolade.

Jhoulys Chacin, currently on the single-A Modesto Nuts roster, was named the MILB Starting Pitcher of the Year. And what a year it was. 

Splitting time between the Asheville Tourists and the aforementioned Nuts, the righty Chacin managed to compile an unreal 18-3 record with a 2.03 ERA, while racking up a CC Sabathian K/BB ratio of 160/42 in 177.2 innings pitched.

Those 18 wins are a Rockies organizational record. He held opponents to a paltry .221 batting average, including .224 against lefties thanks to an ankle-breaking change-up that dives down and away from left-handed batters.

He started out the season at low-A Asheville and the 20-year-old hurler proved himself to be a man amongst boys. In 16 starts, he went 10-1 with a 1.86 ERA while holding opponents to a Mendoza-line-straddling .205 batting average against. 

When moved up to the incredibly hitter-friendly California League in Modesto, he continued to be unfazed by throwing eight shutout innings in his first start and striking out eight. 

As his innings pitched continued to creep higher, the Rockies decided to limit him to five innings a start, so he wouldn't wear down as quickly. He finished his season at Modesto with an 8-2 record and a 2.31 ERA.

Chacin is still only 20 years old but now has moved himself into the top tier of prospects in the Rockies' organization. Since he is so young, don't expect to see him with the big club anytime next year. The Rockies have already experimented with rushing pitchers through the organization (see Morales, Franklin and Reynolds, Greg) without much success.

However, he is definitely on the fast track, and with another season like his last one, it could be sooner rather than later that we see Chacin in a Rockies uniform.