Rockies Make Shocking Decision for McCade Brown to Skip Triple-A Ahead of MLB Debut

The Colorado Rockies are in desperate need of some starting pitching talent, and with that, they are likely to bring up McCade Brown for his MLB debut.

Jul 7, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Colorado Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer (34) reacts during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies have been put in a pretty difficult situation when it comes to their starting pitching rotation. They have some exceptional talent down in the farm system, but many of them still need time to develop and further prove their consistency before being promoted. However, that may not be the case when it comes to one of those prospects.

Double-A starting pitcher McCade Brown has put together a solid campaign in 43 innings with Hartford, looking like a much better pitcher now that he's another year removed from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2023.

That is a great sign about what he could potentially accomplish going forward, as the 2021 third-round pick was expected to be a key part of this rotation despite not having a great track record to begin his professional career.

But it seems like the Rockies are ready to see what he can do at the big league level, because Thomas Harding of MLB.com reported the team will likely be starting Brown on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Expect RHP McCade Brown, a third-round pick in 2021 who has shown healthy after a 2023 Tommy John right elbow surgery, to start Sunday vs. #Pirates. Brown is a combined 4-2, 2.67 in 20 starts at High-A @spokaneindians and Double-A @GoYardGoats.

— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) August 22, 2025

This means that Brown will be coming up to make his MLB debut with no experience in Triple-A whatsoever as he is set to skip that level entirely.

With Colorado moving on from Austin Gomber, it was clear they needed another arm to step up in the rotation for the remainder of the 2025 season. However, it was not exactly expected that a 24-year-old prospect from Double-A would be getting that opportunity, especially with such little experience at the upper levels of professional baseball.

This is another intriguing decision from the Rockies as they look to see what they have on their farm, and it's one that is going to call into question the strategy of the organization after Chase Dollander has had major issues following his rapid promotion through the pipeline.

How Has Brown Performed at the Double-A Level to Warrant This Move?

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The sample size for Brown between High-A and Double-A is 76.2 innings total, so he has moved through three levels of the farm system in less than 100 innings of work. For what it is worth, he was outstanding in Spokane and has been very solid in Hartford, so there is definitely talent to warrant a promotion.

In High-A, he made nine starts, posting a 1.60 ERA, 1.069 WHIP, 48 strikeouts, 15 walks, two home runs allowed and 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings. Following that, he was promoted to Double-A, where he had a 3.14 ERA, 1.070 WHIP, 57 strikeouts to 15 walks, four home runs allowed and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

It is clear that he is a talented prospect. The strikeout stuff is improving, the walk rate is right around where it should be and the ERA is good even after slightly being inflated by some less-than-optimal runs. A consistent WHIP under 1.100 is a strong indicator that he has what it takes at that level and the next, but a jump to the MLB is a huge talent differential.

Hopefully, he can come in and put together a few decent starts in this first MLB stretch of his career, and then, over the offseason, can prepare more for a larger role.

More Rockies News

feed