The Colorado Rockies have focused heavily on corner infield prospects in recent drafts. Players labeled as first and third base prospects comprise much of the farm system’s current strength. Michael Toglia could be the next slugger to graduate from the Colorado system.
Michael Toglia Prospect Report
Amateur Production
Colorado originally tried to draft Toglia in 2016 out of high school but he chose to play for UCLA. Toglia had three productive seasons with the Bruins. His combined slash line in college was .307/410/573 with 36 home runs. Toglia struck out in approximately 22 percent of his plate appearances but walked just over 14 percent of the time.
He also participated in the prestigious Cape Cod League twice but had mixed results. He hit just .224/313/412 against some of the premier amateur talents in the country while swinging a wood bat. Toglia hit 13 combined home runs but struck out over 70 times in fewer than 300 plate appearances and didn’t walk much. He was good enough in college to overcome those summer issues and he was rewarded. The Rockies drafted him again as the 23rd overall pick in 2019.
Minor League Introduction
Toglia has only played in one abbreviated season in the Colorado system. He debuted last year for the organization’s short-season squad in Boise. Whatever issues Toglia had swinging wood in Cape Cod partially disappeared as he hit .248/369/483 with nine home runs. His walk rate was consistent with his time in college but he still struck out over 25 percent of the time he was at the plate. The Northwest League average was 23 percent. Toglia could be an above-average regular but he will need to learn better plate discipline to maximize his potential. Some of that improvement will come from experience and more dedicated coaching.
One key thing to note is his rookie splits. Toglia is a switch-hitter and displayed some pretty sizable platoon issues. He hit an excellent .274/387/556 as a left-handed batter. However, his line plummeted to .161/316/194 when hitting right-handed. All of his home runs came from the left side of the plate. Some differences are expected from switch-hitters but he will need to get better hitting right-handed. That will help Toglia unlock the power he projects to have from both sides. There were some struggles in 2019 but fans shouldn’t worry. There is plenty of time for Toglia to adjust to professional pitching.
What Makes Toglia a Top Prospect
As said above, Toglia is a switch-hitter with power. That alone should be attractive for a first base prospect. His power potential should give him a chance to move quickly through the system. Fans will want to see fewer strikeouts but Toglia will be fine if he mashes at the plate. Toglia also has positive marks on his fielding. The combination of hitting and defense gives Toglia a very high ceiling as an everyday player at the major league level. Seeing how he has adjusted during an extended and chaotic offseason will be a key storyline this year.
What to Expect from Toglia in 2020
Toglia will move to one of Colorado’s full-season affiliates in 2020 when baseball operations resume. The most likely destination is High-A Lancaster where the offense is inflated due to the league’s environments but it presents an advanced level of competition. Good early returns could mean Toglia moves up to AA-Hartford at some point. The biggest problem right now is just knowing when baseball will come back.
Firstbase is a unique position. The threshold for offense is higher because firstbase defense is one of the lowest priorities in modern baseball. Strikeouts can cause issues for even the most talented slugger even if he has other good qualities. Toglia’s early production looks fine but he will need to keep up with pitching as he advances. It helps that the Colorado minor leagues feature some of the most hitter-friendly environments. That will give Toglia plenty of opportunity to understand how pitches move as he works toward the major leagues. He has competition as Colorado’s first baseman of the future since that position is one of the farm system’s strongest. Toglia has all the skills to excel at the cold corner but it will be a couple of seasons before he debuts.
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