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Rockies Select Austin Kitchen

By Nick Deeds | June 22, 2024 at 3:08pm CDT

The Rockies announced this afternoon that they’ve selected the contract of left-hander Austin Kitchen. Right-hander Geoff Hartlieb was designated for assignment in order to make room for Kitchen on both the 40-man and active rosters in Colorado.

Kitchen, 27, will make his big league debut the first time he gets into a game with the Rockies. The southpaw went undrafted out of Coastal Carolina University back in 2019 and spent the 2020 season pitching for the independent Washington League as a member of the Steel City Slammin’ Sammies. After impressing with a 1.50 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 12 innings of work as a reliever in indy ball that year, the Rockies decided to bring Kitchen into the fold and assigned him to Single-A Fresno during the 2021 season.

Kitchen’s first season in affiliated ball left something to be desired, as he struggled to a 4.97 ERA while striking out just 16.6% of batters faced across 50 2/3 innings of work split between the rotation and bullpen. From 2022 onward, Kitchen moved into something closer to a full-time relief role and saw his results improve noticeably. That first season after moving out of the rotation saw Kitchen strike out a far more respectable 21.2% of batters faced while surrendering an ERA of just 3.32 between the High-A and Double-A levels, and the following season saw him return to Double-A with similar numbers across 59 2/3 relief frames. Kitchen got a taste of Triple-A action at the end of last year but was blown up for six runs in a single inning of work across two appearances.

This year, the southpaw has made 18 relief appearances at the Triple-A level that have gone much better. Kitchen sports a 3.00 ERA that’s all the more impressive given the fact that he plays in the inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League, although his strikeout rate has dipped to a somewhat worrying 17.6% figure in 33 innings of work this year. Nonetheless, Kitchen’s performance has been enough to get him an opportunity in the majors with the Rockies, who could certainly use all the help they can get given their disastrous 5.75 ERA out of the bullpen this year, good for dead last among all big league clubs.

Making room for Kitchen on the active and 40-man rosters is Hartlieb, a 30-year-old righty who has pitched in parts of five big league seasons since making his debut with the Pirates back in 2019. Hartlieb’s big league opportunities have been relatively few and far between since the end of the 2020 season, as he’s appeared in just 14 big league games over the past four years. He’s not exactly impressed in those 22 innings of work, however, surrendering an ERA of 8.59 and striking out just 17.2% of batters faced. That includes a rough stint with Colorado this year, where he’s allowed ten runs (nine earned) on 13 hits and five walks while striking out seven in nine innings of work.

The Rockies will now have one week to either work out a trade involving Hartlieb or attempt to pass him through waivers. If Hartlieb clears waivers, the Rockies can attempt to outright him to the minor leagues, although the right-hander would have the right to reject that assignment in favor of free agency after being outrighted previously in his career.

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Colorado Rockies Transactions Austin Kitchen Geoff Hartlieb

Marlins Outright Kent Emanuel
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AL East Notes: Duran, Romano, Orioles, Abreu
View Comments (10)
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10 Comments

  1. DarkSide830

    1 year ago

    Domain Expansion: Austin Kitchen

    Reply
  2. HopefulTwinsFan

    1 year ago

    This can only mean one thing…

    That Bob Bathroom will get selected soon. Calling it now.

    1
    Reply
    • AHH-Rox

      1 year ago

      Rockies used to have Forrest Wall in their system.
      Insert your own joke about Tom House and Bobby Doerr.
      Rockies also have Jake (man) Cave.

      2
      Reply
  3. آلي مكبيل_.._.بيتزا بيبيروني آشتون كوتشر

    1 year ago

    They need to fill out the Kitchen by getting Burger from the Marlins and claiming sPeas with a lispe, maybe getting Rice from the Yankees, Dusty Baker as a coach.

    1
    Reply
  4. HiredGun23

    1 year ago

    I wonder if Kitchen throws a sink(er)…

    6
    Reply
  5. King123

    1 year ago

    Rockies cooking with this one.

    5
    Reply
  6. The UnderCROWNd

    1 year ago

    He won the College World Series as a freshman at Coastal Carolina.

    1
    Reply
  7. Curly Was The Smart Stooge

    1 year ago

    One of the best blues songs ever written was Common In to My Kitchen, Give this guy a chance, he will eat your lunch and make dinner an after thought.

    1
    Reply
  8. Paleobros

    1 year ago

    Broadcasters of the world, please don’t miss the opportunity to say “He got up in his kitchen” when he throws inside.

    1
    Reply
  9. Steinbrenner2728

    1 year ago

    Rockies are now throwing everything and the Kitchen sink at a wild card attempt.

    1
    Reply

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