Rockies recall former first-round pick amid rotation injuries

According to Russell Dorsey of Bally Sports, the Rockies are set to recall right-handed reliever, Riley Pint. Pint is already on the 40-man roster, but of course, a move to clear space on the active roster will be necessary to recall Pint, whose first appearance will be his MLB debut.

The 25-year-old Pint was the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft by the Rockies, and quickly ascended prospect rankings to become a consensus top-50 prospect in the sport ahead of the 2017 campaign. Unfortunately, injuries and control issues lead to Pint being largely ineffective over five seasons in the minors, with an ERA of 5.56 over 68 appearances. Those struggles lead Pint to retire during the summer of 2021, at just 23 years old.

Pint would ultimately reverse course, returning to the Rockies ahead of the 2022 campaign. In 45 2/3 innings of work split across the Double-A and Triple-A levels, Pint posted a 4.53 ERA with a strikeout rate near 30%, though he was held back by a 15.5% walk rate. Pint has spent the entire 2023 campaign so far at the Triple-A level, struggling to a 7.41 ERA through 17 innings. While that figure is certainly a cause for concern, as is his massive 18.6% walk rate, it should be noted that Pint is pitching in the notoriously hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League and that some peripheral stats indicate he’s been unlucky to this point, with an unusually high .395 BABIP and a strand rate of just 63.3%.

Pint joins a Rockies pitching staff that has been ravaged by injuries early in the season, with German Marquez, Antonio Senzatela, Noah Davis, and Dinelson Lamet all already on the injured list. That quartet may soon be joined by Ryan Feltner as well, as the right-hander was struck in the head by a line drive during Saturday’s game against the Phillies.