Down on the Farm - 6/29/22

Prospect spotlight on Ezequiel Tovar (COL), Gunnar Henderson (BAL) hits for the cycle, Tennessee Smokies (CHC, AA) throw a combined no-hitter, Moisés Gómez (STL) & Curtis Mead (TB) get promoted

Prospect Spotlight 🔦

Ezequiel Tovar, SS Age: 20, R/R - 6' 0" / 162, Rockies (AA)

International Signing - 2017 J2 $800k

Tovar was part of the 2017 international class, signed by the Rockies at age 16 out of Venezuela. Tovar, who was a relatively unheralded prospect primarily known for his defense, didn’t really start to climb prospect lists until last season when he put up a .309/.346/.510 line as a 19-year-old in Low-A. Although he’s turned heads this season by taking another step forward offensively, it’s his stellar defense that gives him the strongest chance to eventually be a big league regular at shortstop. Tovar probably possesses the defensive chops to start in the big leagues right now. He’s already on Colorado’s 40-man roster as a 20-year-old in Double-A and there’s a strong chance he finishes this season in AAA Albuquerque.

Across 290 plate appearances in AA Hartford this year, Tovar has put up an impressive slash line of .320/.390/.552 (159 wRC+) with 13 home runs and 17 stolen bases. To put that in perspective, there are only five players in all of minor league baseball under 22-years-old with a wRC+ higher than Tovar. The names on the list are all among the top prospects in baseball…