The Red Sox have signed former Rockies pitching prospect Helcris Olivarez to a minor-league contract, per the club’s transactions log. The deal comes with an invitation to major-league spring training, according to Ari Alexander of Houston’s KPRC 2.
Olivarez, 23, spent the first seven-plus years of his professional career in the Rockies organization after originally signing with the club for $77,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in August 2016. The left-hander debuted in the Dominican Summer League the following June and spent parts of three seasons in rookie ball through the end of 2019.
While the 2020 minor-league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Olivarez impressed at Colorado’s alternate training site and fall instructional league. The Rockies then added the lefty to their 40-man roster that November in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
Olivarez came into the 2021 campaign ranked by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Colorado’s farm system. But he struggled in his first taste of full-season ball, posting a 6.05 ERA (5.71 FIP) with 112 strikeouts to 68 walks in 22 appearances (21 starts) spanning 99 2/3 innings of work for High-A Spokane. As such, he fell four spots to No. 15 in the system entering 2022.
At that time, Baseball America described Olivarez’s raw stuff as “electric,” noting that the 6-foot-2, 192-pounder “has easy fastball velocity up to 100 mph and usually sits in the high 90s. But his command is questionable and his off-speed pitches need honing, with an average changeup and a curveball that can be flat. Cleaning up and simplifying his delivery will help him achieve the release-point consistency needed to become a bona fide starter. He already creates uncomfortable at-bats from either side, but to complement his plus heat, Olivarez needs to keep a better lid on his emotions on the mound.”
Unfortunately, Olivarez ran into injury troubles last year. He opened the season on Double-A Albuquerque’s injured list and was then transferred to the Rockies’ 60-day injured list with a left shoulder strain in late May. After making one two-inning rehab start for Colorado’s Arizona Complex League affiliate in mid-July, Olivarez was ultimately shut down and later underwent major shoulder capsule surgery.
The Rockies waived and outrighted Olivarez off their 40-man roster right around this time a year ago. He remained in the organization but did not pitch in any organized games this past season. As noted by MLB.com’s Thomas Harding, though, Olivarez returned to action this fall by pitching in a couple of instructional league games and impressed while flashing 93-96 mph with his fastball.
Olivarez, who does not turn 24 until next August, provides the pitching-needy Red Sox with an intriguing left-handed arm who was once viewed as a standout prospect. It remains to be seen if the club views Olivarez as a starter or reliever moving forward, but the southpaw nonetheless possesses tantalizing stuff and — if healthy — could make his impact felt at the big-league level next season.
(Picture of Helcris Olivarez: Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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