3 Rox prospects who could get the Sept. call, and 4 who likely won't

This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding’s Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

DENVER -- With Major League rosters expanding from 26 players to 28 on Sunday -- one position player and one pitcher can be added -- the Rockies’ potential choice for a position player centers on an intriguing pair from Triple-A Albuquerque: catcher/utility man Hunter Goodman and infielder-outfielder Greg Jones.

Goodman, 24, was on the big squad from April 24-Aug. 15, but with Elias Díaz (now under Minor League contract with the Padres) and Jacob Stallings behind the plate then and other options in right field -- and with Michael Toglia running with first base -- Goodman saw action in just 55 games.

Outfielder Nolan Jones’ return from injury led the Rockies to option Goodman on Aug. 19, and the club cleared playing time for No. 9 prospect Drew Romo. However, five of Goodman’s seven non-designated hitter appearances have been at catcher -- an indication that the Rockies want to see him catch late in the year.

The switch-hitting Greg Jones, 26, went 1-for-6 with a home run during a brief Major League callup in June. In 69 games at Albuquerque he is batting .262 with a .340 on-base percentage, 12 home runs and 39 stolen bases.

To be able to use Jones’ speed on offense, the Rockies are trying to develop his defense in center field and around the infield. The effort to develop him as an infielder began at the time of his callup.

The pitching decision is less clear. The Rockies still might add righty 2021 second-rounder Jaden Hill (Colorado's No. 21 prospect, per MLB Pipeline) to the Major League roster, though Hill sustained a right hamstring strain on Aug. 17 and was placed on the 7-day IL on Aug. 18.

With the Triple-A schedule running into mid-September, there is still opportunity for those not called up on Sunday.

Who isn't coming?

Four key prospects are not expected to be promoted. The reasons for three are easy. The other takes some explaining.

• Outfielder Zac Veen (Rockies No. 4, MLB No. 89), who is not on the 40-man Major League roster, has been limited to 49 games because of injuries to his back and both thumbs. After his latest stint on the injured list (July 25-Aug. 23), the 23-year-old was bumped up to Albuquerque, where he is 4-for-17 with a home run and a double.

• Outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez (No. 5, No. 93) -- 21 years old and already on the 40-man roster -- is judged to need to finish the season at Triple-A for more experience. He entered Thursday slashing a combined .274/.326/.414 with 10 homers between Double-A Hartford and Albuquerque.

• Infielder Adael Amador (No. 6, No. 94), who received a 10-game look in June straight out of Double-A, has hit .218 for the Yard Goats and is only lately finding his form after a lingering oblique injury. The Rockies believe playing in the Eastern League playoffs is the 21-year-old's next developmental test.

• Lefty Carson Palmquist (No. 15) has an argument on merit -- the 23-year-old has gone 7-5 with a 3.52 ERA and 133 strikeouts to 48 walks in 107 1/3 innings between Hartford and Albuquerque.

So why not Palmquist?

The southpaw does not have to be placed on the 40-man Major League roster until after next season. Of course, he will have a shot to make the team and claim a roster -- and starting rotation -- spot next spring.

But keeping him off this season and this winter protects the Rockies, and theoretically Palmquist, if he does not make the team. It means the Rockies will not have to burn a Minor League option.

Although there are voices in the Rockies organization that have called for Palmquist to debut this season, the strategy is reasonable. But that doesn’t mean the pitcher has to like it. It may be better if he doesn’t.

Lefty Kyle Freeland was in the exact same spot at the end of 2016, when he posted a combined 3.89 ERA and 108 strikeouts against 44 walks in Double-A and Triple-A, but, “had to watch good friends of mine get their callups … that allowed me to have a chip on my shoulder going into the next year.”

Palmquist was in Major League camp for part of Spring Training before an injury in his right neck-shoulder area forced him to Minor League camp. Freeland said he didn’t have a chance to get to know Palmquist. But Minor League instructors say Palmquist is similar to Freeland in the fire he shows on the mound.

“The best advice I got when I was knocking on the door was make to the decision as hard as possible on those guys upstairs,” Freeland said. “Don’t worry about outside factors, like if you’re getting the call or not.”