Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht.

A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the Hawkeyes and, of course, an attention-grabbing prospect ranking. But because he didn¡¯t play in the Minors after being drafted, he was seen only on the back fields during instructional ball and Minor League camp.

After Brecht¡¯s spotless, two-strikeout inning in the Rockies prospects' 3-1 victory over the White Sox prospects at Camelback Ranch, a wider audience should want to see more from him.

Brecht, 22, was more than eager for his breakout.

¡°It¡¯s been a long offseason -- a long time without a game -- especially after not going [to a Minor League team] after the Draft,¡± Brecht said. ¡°So I was really excited to go out there and play the game.¡±

Brecht replaced starter Gabriel Hughes (who threw two scoreless innings) and came back from a 2-0 count to fan White Sox No. 29 prospect Wilfred Veras swinging, authored another swinging K of Tim Elko and worked Chicago's No. 10 prospect George Wolkow into a fly ball to right field.

Out of the six swings he induced, Brecht coaxed four whiffs, a foul ball and Wolkow¡¯s fly ball.

¡°I just wanted to establish a fastball and let everything else play off that -- let the slider work, let the splitter go to work, too,¡± Brecht said. ¡°Just attack the zone, get ahead early and then everything else plays off each other.¡±

It¡¯s not just Minor League fans and Rockies Nation who want to see more of Brecht.

¡°I absolutely loved his arm action, snapping that breaking ball really well,¡± said Double-A Hartford manager Bobby Meacham, who managed the Rockies' Spring Breakout club. ¡°I could tell how happy he was to be out there healthy and pitching in a game like this. It must¡¯ve been a ton of fun.¡±

THREE MORE TAKEAWAYS FROM SPRING BREAKOUT

? Hughes (Colorado's No. 16 prospect) rounded out the impression: Many in Rockies camp were taken by Hughes¡¯ intellectually curious manner, and impressed by the way he has been gradually rebuilding his offspeed pitches since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023.

But after each of his innings -- the two-strikeout first inning and a second inning that featured a double-play grounder from MLB Pipeline's No. 39-ranked prospect Colson Montgomery -- Hughes was quite animated as he left the mound. He is as competitive as he is cerebral.

¡°I¡¯m never going to back down the intensity,¡± Hughes said. ¡°That¡¯s just how I play, and I was happy to be able to go out and showcase that intensity.

¡°It¡¯s incredible being around guys that I¡¯m going to be moving up with, playing with in the future. And we came out with a win.¡±

? Amador (Rockies' No. 7 prospect) shows his full game: Considering Adael Amador¡¯s bat-to-ball skills and strike-zone control, it's no surprise that he boasts a .472 on-base percentage and .805 OPS in 16 Cactus League games this spring.

While Amador is more a gap hitter than a power hitter, he knocked 14 homers in Hartford last year and showed off his power with a two-run homer off Riley Gowens in the sixth inning Sunday.

But the lasting impression came when Amador ranged to his left to nab Montgomery¡¯s grounder to start a double play in the second. Amador moved from shortstop last year, but he took much of the season to find a level of comfort.

After bulking up last year, Amador lost movement and flexibility and dealt with oblique issues. The new Amador looks the part of a second baseman.

¡°I love that kid,¡± said Meacham, who managed Amador last season and made developing him as a second baseman a personal project. ¡°He worked his butt off and I could see that coming into Spring Training. I saw him the first day and was like, ¡®Wow. He looks great, looks like he lost a little weight.¡¯ Then the first time I saw him fielding ground balls, I was like, ¡®He¡¯s been working on some of the stuff.¡¯¡±

? Remember these arms: In 2023, righty prospect Jordy Vargas (No. 14 in the Rockies' system) joined Hughes and Rockies rotation members Germ¨¢n M¨¢rquez and Antonio Senzatela in undergoing Tommy John surgeries from Rangers physician Dr. Keith Meister over one of the darkest periods in Rockies history. Now healthy, Vargas threw a clean, 13-pitch seventh inning.

¡°I didn¡¯t know much about him, but I saw him pitch once earlier this spring and it was a ¡®Who is that guy?¡¯ kind of thing,¡± Meacham said. ¡°It¡¯s so fun to see guys have success after going through that full year of work coming back from surgery.¡±

Lefty reliever Welinton Herrera (No. 23) entered with two out and two on in the fifth and fanned White Sox No. 8 prospect Chase Meidroth.

¡°He¡¯s kind of flown under the radar with people outside of the Rockies, not us,¡± Rockies pitching strategist Flint Wallace said of Herrera, 20, who struck out 92 in 62 1/3 combined innings with Single-A Fresno and High-A Spokane last year.