Colorado Springs – Ian Stewart and Joe Koshansky have earned another stripe in their rankings as big-league baseball prospects.
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox players might have opened another door in their bids to reach the big leagues, although it might be in a uniform other than the Rockies’. They now are prospects who are drawing interest from opposing teams.
For most of their journey through the Rockies’ farm system, the two infielders were spoken of as future Rockies. But in the past month or so, there is more evidence one or both could be the asking price in a trade for pitching help for the Rockies.
Both seem to be handling the new dimension well.
“I would hope the Rockies would see me as a player who could play up there for them at some point, hopefully this year, maybe,” Koshansky said. “My goal is to get to the big leagues. If it’s with the Rockies, that’s great. But if they need to trade me to get help in other areas, that’s the business. I feel I’m ready to get a chance up there and see what I can do.”
Stewart is less focused on the expanded role.
“I really don’t know how to look at it,” Stewart said. “In a way, I can look at it as I have value to our team or to another team. If I get traded, that means another team wants me. I look at it as a win-win situation.”
Both believe they have put up the numbers this season in their first year in Triple-A to warrant interest.
Stewart, 22, a third baseman, was the Rockies’ first-round draft pick and 10th player taken overall in the 2003 June draft. He was the first high school position player drafted by the Rockies in the first round. Koshansky, 25, a first baseman, was selected in the sixth round a year later out of the University of Virginia.
Both started a little slowly this season, perhaps affected by the cold, snowy spring in Colorado Springs. But they have come on in the past couple of months to help in the Sky Sox’s race with Salt Lake City to the top of the Pacific Coast League’s Pacific Conference Northern Division standings.
Koshansky has built a reputation for hitting home runs and driving in runs. He is tied for the lead in home runs in the Rockies’ organization with 12, and his 74 RBIs lead the list. As the 6-foot-4, 225-pound left-handed hitter and thrower works his way toward the end of his fourth season in the organization, he has 93 home runs and 341 RBIs during his time in Tri-City, Asheville, Tulsa and Colorado Springs. He also is among the organization leaders in hits with 104 through Thursday’s games, in batting average at .326 and doubles with 20.
Stewart’s climb through the minor leagues has been hampered by assorted injuries, but he has been healthy this season and is getting better at the plate. His totals as he works toward the end of his fifth season in the system are 78 home runs and 352 RBIs. Stewart is rated as a very good defensive third baseman.
Sky Sox manager Tom Runnells is well aware he has two hot commodities. In his opinion, Koshansky is a little more mature.
“I think Ian is a younger player, and he shows his youth in many ways at times,” Runnells said. “But as far as talent and potential, it’s all there.
“Joe is more mature, but both have a big upside in potential. In my opinion, Joe Koshansky could be put into a big-league situation right now and succeed. Will he dominate like he has here? I don’t know, but he has to get a shot at some time.”
Around the system
The better starting pitching in the organization remains at the lower levels. Right-hander Brandon Hynick at Modesto and left-hander Keith Weiser at Asheville each have 10 victories. Casey Weathers, the Rockies’ first-round draft pick in June, awaits his professional debut at Asheville. He is on the pitching staff for the Tourists, but hasn’t entered a game.
Maybe the hitting oddity in the organization is outfielder Anthony Jackson at Asheville. He has 11 triples, six more than anyone else in the organization. First baseman Jeffrey Cunningham is off to a fast start with the Casper Rockies with 11 extra-base hits in 14 games.
Staff writer Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
