Raimel Tapia

Tapia saw an uptick in playing time due to his defensive versatility and injuries to other Rockies outfielders, but he failed to make much of his opportunities. His offensive production was especially disappointing considering that he gets to play his home games in Coors Field. Although he recorded a .275 batting average, he had a 14.6% swinging-strike rate and a 44.7 O-Swing% that would have ranked sixth worst among major-league hitters if he had qualified. Tapia failed to record many meaningful hits, with a hard-hit rate of 30.1% and only 44 RBI in 138 games. Barring injuries to Colorado's outfielders in spring training, it's likely that Tapia will open the year back in a reserve role, slated for a downtick in playing time. He is out of minor-league options, and if he gets off to a slow start in his fourth-outfielder role, the team could DFA him and swap him out for someone like Yonathan Daza.

As he enters his age-25 season, a fair amount of the shine has worn off Tapia, largely because the Rockies are in no rush to give him playing time. Throw out his 2018 MLB sample (just 27 PA). In 105 games at Triple-A Albuquerque, Tapia hit over .300 with an 18.0% strikeout rate. He had a .194 ISO, which is an impressive mark for a slight, 180-pound player, and he didn't do all of that damage at Albuquerque's notoriously hitter-friendly home park, slugging over .500 on the road. Tapia showed good speed and instincts on the basepaths, swiping 21 bags in 24 attempts. The bat-to-ball consistency hasn't quite translated to the big leagues in his past stints, but his contacts skills are good enough for Tapia to hit .280 or higher while playing half his games at altitude in Colorado. Unfortunately, the Daniel Murphy signing pushes Ian Desmond to the outfield, so Tapia enters another season without a clear path to MLB playing time.

Tapia spent nearly half the season with the Rockies in 2017, seeing most of his action as a backup outfielder with chances to start against right-handed pitching. No matter how you slice it, a combined four homers for a player playing half of his games in Colorado during his time in the big leagues, and all of his games in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League at Triple-A is disappointing. Tapia possesses a good hit tool, but he rarely walks. Fortunately, he has shown an improved success rate as a basestealer over the past year, going 17-for-21 between the two levels after a 26-for-43 mark in 2016. Carlos Gonzalez will likely depart as a free agent this offseason, but the Colorado outfield remains crowded with Ian Desmond, Gerardo Parra and a presumably healthy David Dahl all available to compete for playing time flanking Charlie Blackmon. Still as reserves go, you could do much worse.

Tapia's fourth season in the minors proved to be one of his best campaigns. The top prospect got his first taste of Double-A action and took it in stride, slashing .323/.363/.450 in 104 games with Hartford. He also showed an impressive ability to make contact, as he only fanned a bit over 10 percent of the time. This success translated nicely into the Triple-A ranks, as he posted a .346/.355/.490 slash line that vaulted the 22-year-old into the majors for a September callup. Tapia's ability to make contact paired with his speed makes him an intriguing option going forward, as he'll likely be given a chance to strut his stuff at the big league level again at some point during the 2017 season. That being said, garnering a role could take some time, as David Dahl, Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez seemingly have the three outfield spots on lockdown for the time being.

There are few hitters in the minor leagues with Tapia’s combination of success and detractors. His impressive minor league statistics are just a small part of the story with this enigmatic outfield prospect. Tapia, who turns 22 in February, stands 6-foot-2, and unfortunately his listed weight of 160 pounds appears accurate. In addition to his slight frame, Tapia’s unusual batting stance -- his elbows threaten to get lower than his knees -- gives many scouts pause when projecting Tapia as a future big league regular. Those who like Tapia tend to really like him, particularly his ability to regularly square the ball up. He has hit over .300 and slugged over .450 at every stop over the last three years, and offers plus speed to boot. If his unique aesthetics works at the highest level, a la Hunter Pence or Jose Altuve, the offensive ceiling will be a mile high. If he fails, this will serve as a cautionary tale for those who scout the box score.

The Rockies aren’t short on intriguing outfield talent at any level of their system, but Tapia’s stock may have risen more than any of the organization’s prospects last season. After getting off to an inauspicious start with a .244 batting mark after April, Tapia set Low-A Asheville ablaze from thereon, finishing with a .326 average while swiping 33 bases. Despite his non-traditional batting mechanics, Tapia has drawn raves for his contact skills and management of the strike zone, while his speed tool and ability to play all three outfield spots are other attributes that will aid his climb to through the minors. The jury is still out on whether or not Tapia can hit for enough power to become an everyday corner outfielder, but at 6-foot-2 and a slight 160 pounds, there’s still plenty of room for him to add some bulk. The 21-year-old will spend most of the upcoming season at High-A Modesto, with an eye on arriving in the big leagues by late 2015 or 2016.