It might be hard to believe, but Greg Reynolds isn’t a 21-year-old who has everything.
He does have a lot. He’s a millionaire because of being the Rockies’ first-round draft choice two months ago in the June amateur draft. His reputation got a boost from coming up through the touted baseball program at Stanford, where he made 27 starts.
Because of his experience and ability, Reynolds escaped the humbling experience of playing rookie-league ball. The Rockies player development department thought so much of his pitching prowess that he began his pro career at the high Single-A level with the Modesto Nuts of the California League.
But after his first five starts for Modesto, the only thing he doesn’t have is what every pitcher works for. He doesn’t have a pro victory.
Reynolds agreed that he’s missing something.
“I have about five starts left in the season and my personal goal is to get a few victories,” Reynolds said. “I didn’t join the team until the last week of June.”
The short time in the Rockies’ farm system isn’t the main reason why Reynolds doesn’t have a win. With the long college season in mind, the player development department has Reynolds on a limit of 75 pitches or five innings, whichever comes first.
Modesto pitching coach Butch Hughes explains that the 0-0 record is a little deceiving.
“He has left the game with the lead three different times,” Hughes said. “He’s pitching every fifth day. He has a bright future. I wish I was his agent.”
Both Hughes and Reynolds believe it was a good decision for him to start well up the development ladder. He could have gone to Casper of the Pioneer League, Tri-City of the Single-A Northwest League or Asheville of the Single-A South Atlantic League.
“I think this is the right entry level for him,” Hughes said. “There’s no sense moving up too fast. He has a chance to get his confidence up. He’s been pitching essentially since last September when the colleges began their fall practices.”
Reynolds is pleased with the pitch and inning limit, after he pitched about 130 innings in college last year.
“I don’t feel like I’m overmatched here,” Reynolds said. “The victories aren’t the biggest thing I worry about. I worry more about giving my team a chance to win. With the limits, it has become pretty tough to get a decision.”
In his first five starts, Reynolds worked 22 innings, allowed 18 hits, walked six, struck out 14 and compiled a 3.68 ERA.
Hughes credits Reynolds with three quality pitches, a fastball that sinks, a changeup with good bite and a curveball that could develop into a good out pitch.
“He’s got all the intangibles,” Hughes said. “He’s a good competitor and he has some moxie. He’ll move right along the chain and if he stays healthy, there’s no question he’ll be a major-league pitcher.”
Reynolds isn’t without a care.
“I’m struggling right now with my curveball,” he said. “The seams on the ball are different than in college. It’s a transition period, but I’m getting a good handle on things.”
Hughes talked of Reynolds’ confidence, but he couldn’t help but tell the story of outfielder Matt Miller, who moved up from Modesto to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
“He thinks he can hit Sandy Koufax,” Hughes said. “I promise that if Koufax was on the mound, he’d be the first to the bat rack.”
In his first eight games at Triple-A, Miller had eight hits in 24 at-bats for a .333 average.
Irv Moss can be reached on 303-820-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
Organization Leaders
(Through Thursday)
HITTING: (70 games) Carlos Rivera, Colorado Springs, .351; Chris Iannetta, Tulsa/Colorado Springs, .341.
RUNS: Cole Garner, Asheville, 80; Eric Young Jr., Asheville, 71.
HITS: Seth Smith, Tulsa, 123; Joe Koshansky, Tulsa, 119; Matt Miller, Modesto/Tulsa/Colorado Springs, 119.
DOUBLES: Smith, Tulsa, 37; Ian Stewart, Tulsa, 35.
TRIPLES: Jonathan Herrera, Modesto, 8; Stewart, Tulsa, 7; Justin Nelson, Modesto, 7.
HOME RUNS: Koshansky, Tulsa, 27; Garner, Asheville, 14.
RBIs: Koshansky, Tulsa, 96; Jeff Baker, Colorado Springs, 84.
STOLEN BASES: Young, Asheville, 73; Corey Wimberly, Modesto, 33.
PITCHING VICTORIES: Ubaldo Jimenez, Tulsa/Colorado Springs, 11; Alan Johnson, Asheville, 10.
LOSSES: Mike Esposito, Colorado Springs, 10; Ryan Mattheus, Modesto, 9; Zachary Simons, Asheville, 9.
SAVES: Nate Field, Colorado Springs, 17; Andrew Johnston, Asheville, 14.
INNINGS: Johnson, Asheville, 131 1/3; Mattheus, Modesto, 124; Marc Kaiser, Tulsa, 124.
WALKS: Samuel Deduno, Modesto, 68; Franklin Morales, Modesto, 67.
STRIKEOUTS: Deduno, Modesto, 141; Morales, Modesto, 125.
ERA: (starters) Brandon Durden, Asheville, 3.34; Enmanuel Ulloa, Tulsa/Colorado Springs, 3.67 (relievers) David Patton, Asheville, 1.70; Josh Newman, Tulsa, 2.29.
