When it comes to highly touted starting pitching prospects, the Rockies have a dearth of promising arms in their pipeline. That’s where Gabriel Hughes comes in.
Hughes, 21, was the Rockies’ first-round pick last year at No. 10 overall out of Gonzaga. The 6-foot-4 right-hander is Colorado’s top-ranked pitching prospect, per MLB Pipeline, checking in at No. 5.
Due to the rigors of the college season, the Rockies elected to slow-play Hughes’ pro debut until late last year. On Sept. 10, Hughes made his only outing, throwing three innings for Fresno against San Jose.
Hughes burst onto the college scene in 2021, posting a 3.23 ERA in 10 starts, then was the Zags’ workhorse in 2022, with a 3.21 ERA in 15 starts. Hughes has plus-power potential and an advanced feel for pitching for his age. His fastball sits at 94-97 mph. He also has a low-90s slider, which he used to rack up strikeouts in college, and a serviceable changeup.
This summer, Hughes will probably start the season with Fresno again. The expectation is it won’t take him very long to conquer that level before getting promoted to High-A Spokane.
Hughes is the most notable name on a shortlist of the club’s top starting pitching prospects which also includes right-hander Jaden Hill (No. 10 in MLB.com’s rankings, and now healthy following Tommy John surgery), left-hander Joe Rock (No. 17) and right-hander Chris McMahon (No. 25).
