Fansided

One September call-up to watch for each MLB team

By Joshua Sadlock

CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 07: Gavin Lux #10 of the National League Futures Team throws during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on July 7, 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 07: Gavin Lux #10 of the National League Futures Team throws during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on July 7, 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 07: Ben Bowden #35 of the National League team pitches during the seventh inning against the American League team during the All-Stars Futures Game at Progressive Field on July 07, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The American and National League teams tied 2-2. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 07: Ben Bowden #35 of the National League team pitches during the seventh inning against the American League team during the All-Stars Futures Game at Progressive Field on July 07, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The American and National League teams tied 2-2. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Colorado Rockies: Ben Bowden

It has been an incredibly disappointing season for the Colorado Rockies, who have fallen to last place in the NL West after making the playoffs two years in a row and inking All-Star Nolan Arenado to what amounts to a lifetime contract. The Rockies have the second-worst record in the National League and have seen all of their heralded young starters take a huge step back. German Marquez, Antonio Senzatela and Kyle Freeland have all had years to forget. Meanwhile, the bullpen has been even worse, with All-Star closer Wade Davis imploding.

The Rockies have sunk hundreds of millions of dollars into their starting lineup and do indeed have one of the best offenses in the National League, regardless of where they play their home games. If the massive contracts for Arenado and Charlie Blackmon are to play out well, the Rockies need to figure out their pitching staff.

Without a single can’t-miss pitching prospect in their farm system, the Rockies should focus the rest of this season on evaluating potential relief options in the upper levels of the Minor Leagues. One prospect who fits that bill is lefty reliever Ben Bowden. The 24-year-old’s best pitches are his fastball and changeup, which can play well in Coors Field.

Bowden has a 3.60 ERA in 127.1 innings of work in the Minor Leagues and has been a strikeout machine thanks to his 97 mph fastball. He has struck out 13.1 per-nine for his career with a respectable walk rate of 4.1 per-nine. The Rockies should take a look at Bowden in September this year and then hone in on turning his breaking ball into another plus offering over the winter.

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