The Rockies announced they’ve designated reliever Jordan Sheffield for assignment. The move frees a spot on the 40-man roster for outfielder Wynton Bernard, whose previously-reported contract selection has been made official. Colorado placed center fielder Yonathan Daza (separated left shoulder) and catcher Elias Díaz (left wrist sprain) on the 10-day injured list, recalling Dom Nuñez to take Díaz’s spot behind the dish.
Sheffield, a former supplemental first-round pick of the Dodgers, landed in Colorado over the 2020-21 offseason via the Rule 5 draft. He spent all of last season in the majors, as required for a team to retain a Rule 5 pick’s rights. Sheffield worked as a low-leverage arm for skipper Bud Black, pitching to a 3.38 ERA across 29 1/3 innings. His strikeout and walk rates (17.2% and 11.2%, respectively) didn’t align with that quality run prevention. Nevertheless, Sheffield averaged 96.4 MPH with top-of-the-scale raw spin on his four-seam fastball, making him an interesting long-term relief option for the Rox.
Things have fallen apart during the Vanderbilt product’s second year in the organization. He’s made only two big league appearances, with his fastball velocity sitting at a diminished 93.7 MPH. He’s been blasted over 21 appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque, posting an 11.21 ERA with just a 16.3% strikeout rate and a huge 19.6% walk percentage. He’s also surrendered eight home runs in only 17 2/3 innings.
The Rockies will place Sheffield on waivers over the next few days. He’s never previously been outrighted, meaning the organization could keep him around without requiring a 40-man roster spot if he goes unclaimed. That seems likely, given the extent of his struggles in Triple-A this season.
Certainly looks like Shef has a mechanical issue going on. Looks like a good pickup for a rebuilding club.
I hope the Yankees take a flyer on Justus Brother. I doubt he makes it to them though.
This dude looks good, what’s the problem? Someone grab him!
BB rate over 9.0 this season.
In two innings! So they DFA a decent pitcher for a 31-yr old rookie OF with three career at bats? Makes sense to me! NOT
Man, there were 3-4 pitchers I would have preferred to see DFA’d ahead of Sheffield. He did a good job last year. Yeah, he was horrible in Albuquerque, but that place makes Coors Field look like a pitcher’s park.
Can’t blame his huge walk rate this year on the ballpark.
Sure you can. If you are constantly trying to pitch on the black because anything in the zone is going to be crushed, you are likely to have a huge walk rate. It shows me that he had no confidence in his stuff having the ability to get the other guy out.
Wasn’t this guy one of the top prospects in all of baseball at one time? I thought he was part of the Yankees system a few years ago?
Where’s that delete button? He has a brother who played for the Yankees at one point recently. How about researching before posting? That would be nice.
Are you scolding yourself? Give yourself a break man. There are so many relief pitchers with similar names in MLB that you can be forgiven for mixing up two brothers.
Yeah it was a lazy move. I posted before researching. Not cool. Good to hear from you.., always been Bros going way back. Thanks.
@Gary That’s Justus Sheffield, his bro. Mariners AAA pitcher.
Justus and Jordan are really the same person; similar to Miley Cyrus and Hanna Montana.
I remember Justus Sheffield as a huge pitching prospect for the Yankees, too small, didn’t throw hard enough