Rockies Shift Jaden Hill To Bullpen To Sharpen His Focus
In the Arizona Fall League, Jaden Hill solidified a decision the Rockies seemed destined to make. Namely, he will pitch in relief.
That will be the fastest path to the majors for the burly 24-year-old righthander, who stands in at 6-foot-4, 238 pounds and lacks experience.
Elbow injuries and the pandemic limited Hill to 51.1 innings in three seasons at LSU. He had Tommy John surgery in April 2021, three months before the Rockies drafted him in the second round.
After making his pro debut in July 2022, Hill pitched a combined 17.2 innings in 10 starts in the Arizona Complex League and at Low-A Fresno.
Moving to High-A Spokane in 2023, Hill went 0-9, 9.48 in 16 starts totaling 43.2 innings while striking out 57 and walking 25.
The Rockies had him start to log innings and enhance his development.
Relieving in the AFL, Hill showed consistency from pitch to pitch. In 11 games, he recorded a 3.18 ERA in 11.1 innings, striking out 13 and walking four. He avoided the blowup innings that occurred at Spokane.
“There was a confidence and a swagger during the AFL where he was really trusting his stuff,” assistant farm director Jesse Stender said, “He was probably facing better competition than he was in the Northwest League, and he was making guys look silly.
“He was locating his stuff better. He was crisp with his stuff. He wasn’t leaving it over the plate.”
Hill’s fastball has touched 100 mph, averages 96 and isn’t grunt-and-groan velocity but is easily reached. He’ll continue to work on his highly inconsistent slider that sits at 84 mph and touches 88. That pitch flashes average to some in the organization and plus to others.
Hill’s 82-87 mph changeup, considered the best in the organization, sits at 84.
“It falls off the table,” Stender said. “It’s got late action, and it’s tunneled well off the fastball. When he’s throwing it with consistency, it’s a pitch where you know it’s coming, and you still can’t do anything with it.”
ROCKY ROADS
— The Rockies hired Rolando Garza to be the pitching coach at Low-A Fresno. He replaces Mark Brewer, who retired. Garza was a minor league pitching coordinator for three years with the Rays.
— Dan Meyer joins the Rockies as the Double-A Hartford pitching coach. He spent the past two seasons as the Triple-A Indianapolis pitching coach. Blaine Beatty, who had been the Hartford pitching coach, will fill that role at High-A Spokane.
— Ryan Kibler, who was the Spokane pitching coach the past three seasons, will be one of the two pitching coaches for the Rockies’ Arizona Complex League team. He replaces Dave Burba, whom the Rockies let go.
