Brooks Brown

Reaching the big leagues last July represented an accomplishment in itself for Brown, after he had bounced around in the minors for nine seasons across four different organizations. But that wasn’t the end of the story for Brown, who struggled during a few short-term stints with the Rockies before hitting his stride after a mid-August callup. The 29-year-old finished the season with a 2.77 ERA (3.71 FIP), compensating for an average strikeout rate by limiting walks (1.7 BB/9) and keeping the ball on the ground (58.4 GB%). For a Rockies club desperately short on dependable relief arms, Brown’s modest success will at least keep him firmly in contention for a bullpen gig heading into spring training. Brown won’t be earmarked for a high-leverage role if he does claim an Opening Day spot, but he’ll bring value to the Rockies simply by avoiding the Coors Field blowups that have plagued many relievers in the past.