Rockies get two starting prospects for Mears

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Rockies’ accumulation of starting pitching depth continued Saturday when they acquired right-handed starters Bradley Blalock and Yujanyer Herrera from the Brewers for righty reliever Nick Mears.

Blalock will be on the Rockies’ 40-man Major League roster and is now ranked as Colorado's No. 20 prospect by MLB Pipeline. Herrera is No. 30.

“Our scouts felt strongly about the quality of the return for Nick,” Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt said. “It was something we wanted to pursue.”

TRADE DETAILS

Rockies receive: RHP Bradley Blalock (Brewers’ No. 17 prospect) and Yujanyer Herrera
Brewers receive: RHP Nick Mears

If it feels like you’ve heard the Rockies acquiring pitching before, you’re correct. In the period leading to last year’s Trade Deadline, the Rockies made four player(s)-for-players(s) deals that brought in six pitchers, four of them starters.

One acquisition from the Braves, Tanner Gordon, was called up as the 27th man to start against the Giants in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Other starters brought in were Connor Van Scoyoc, Jake Madden and Mason Albright, all from the Angels and now working in Colorado’s Minor League system. The Rockies also acquired two relievers from the Braves -- righties Victor Vodnik, who is pitching late in games for the Rockies, and Alec Barger.

Blalock, 23, who was the Brewers’ No. 17 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, went 5-2 with a 4.08 ERA in 16 starts with 64 strikeouts to 27 walks at Double-A Montgomery. Blalock signed with the Red Sox out of Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., as a 32nd-round Draft pick. After missing all of 2022 because of Tommy John surgery, Blalock went 6-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 15 starts at the Single-A and High-A levels with the Red Sox and the Brewers, who acquired him for infielder Luis Urías at last year’s Trade Deadline.

The Brewers called up Blalock for one game – a scoreless inning on June 20 against the Padres. Schmidt said Blalock will be sent to Double-A Hartford.

“We think he’s a quality arm to be put in Double-A, but we think he might be close to pitching at the Triple-A level,” Schmidt said. “There’s some power, some arm strength, and he’s got some swing-and-miss stuff. I think there is a lot of upside.”

Herrera, 20, went 9-1 with a 2.91 ERA in 16 games (nine starts) at two A levels in the Brewers system. He was 6-1, 3.18 in 12 games (nine starts) at High-A Wisconsin. Herrera’s fastball sits in the low-to-mid 90s but can reach 97, and his changeup is his best secondary pitch.

“He’s big and physically strong, and there’s a feel to pitch -- another young arm that we were able to acquire,” said Schmidt, who said Herrera will join High-A Spokane.

Several other Rockies have been mentioned as deadline candidates, but multiple teams inquired about Mears, who was 1-4 with a 5.56 ERA in 41 games for the Rockies this season.

"He's got the weapons,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “He's got a good fastball. He's got the curve and the slider that have become more consistent. The Brewers identified him -- and, full disclosure, a couple of other teams were asking about him.”