Farm Report: Nolan Arenado hasn’t stopped hitting (scoreboards)
Rockies third base prospect Nolan Arenado had an impressive spring, as most of you know, going 15-for-54 with four doubles, four homers and 12 RBIs. The soon-to-be 22-year-old challenged for a spot in Colorado's opening day lineup, but the organization ultimately chose to ship him temporarily to Triple-A.
The move makes some sense, for all the usual financial/developmental reasons. (Realistically, the difference between Chris Nelson's production and Arenado's, this year, is probably not enough to justify starting the kid's service-time clock.) But fantasy owners need to keep a close eye on Arenado's minor league box scores; he's a potential high-impact add who, when promoted, will do his hitting in a friendly park.
Arenado opened his season with a strong series against Reno, homering in his first two games, reaching base safely in eight of his 14 plate appearances. Over three games thus far, he's scored four runs and driven in four more.
On Friday, he hit a bomb of notable distance. This via the Colorado Springs Gazette:
Arenado’s home run on Friday, a solo shot in the seventh inning, bounced off the mountains atop the Security Service Field scoreboard in left field.
[...]
“The wind obviously made it go a little bit farther, but right when I hit it I knew it was out,” Arenado said. “I made sure I ran, I didn’t try to show up the pitcher at all.”
If you're hitting scoreboards, you're doin' work — wind-aided or not.
Here's a clip of the blast, from MiLB.com. That thing was obliterated. Whoa. And apparently both of his homers this season have been scoreboard shots.
So Arenado's name pretty clearly belongs on your list of stashable farmhands. He's a former Arizona Fall League MVP, and he led all minor leaguers in RBIs back in 2011 (122). There are no sure-things in the prospect chase, but Arenado is close. If an injury or mid-season trade clears a path, you'll want this guy.
