Ezequiel Tovar - 6/29/22

Prospect spotlight on Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar

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…

• Emmanuel Rodriguez (A) - 199

• Jordan Lawlar (A) - 180

• Gunnar Henderson (AAA) - 172

• Corbin Carroll (AA) - 168

• Jackson Chourio (MIL, A) - 167

• Ezequiel Tovar (COL, AA) - 159

Tovar has produced significantly more power than expected. He’s slugging .552 and has nearly matched his career high in home runs half-way through the season. He’s also managed to increase his walk rate by more than 4%. Of course, when you start with a walk-rate as low as Tovar’s was last season (2% in A+) it doesn’t take much to improve. Nevertheless, it’s an important development for Tovar who hasn’t shown much patience early in his career.