Rockies acquire Hoffman, Castro from Jays

Colorado could be saying goodbye to the days of sinkerballers and pitching to weak contact. Because now the Rockies want to bring heat.

According to MLB.com's Thomas Harding, Monday's blockbuster trade sends big league shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins to Toronto for right-handers Jeff Hoffman and Miguel Castro, the Jays' No. 3 and 5 prospects. A third prospect yet to be named and Major League shortstop Jose Reyes are also headed to Colorado. [Update: Blue Jays' No. 29 prospect and right-handed starter Jesus Tinoco is the third prospect the Rockies will receive in the deal, the club confirmed Tuesday.]

East Carolina product Hoffman was the ninth overall selection in last year's Draft and made his professional debut this season following 2014 Tommy John surgery. His initial test came at Class A Advanced Dunedin, where the Cohoes, New York native went 3-3 with a 3.21 ERA. He lit up radar guns, his fastball touching 99 miles per hour in his season debut on May 20.

Hoffman was promoted to Double-A New Hampshire just over a week ago and has made two starts for the Fisher Cats, posting a 1.54 ERA while not recording a decision. In 67 2/3 total innings this year, the 22-year-old has struck out 46 batters while walking just 17. MLB.com's No. 69 overall prospect joins lefty Kyle Freeland in the Rockies system. Freeland, Colorado's No. 3 prospect and No. 47 overall, was taken one pick ahead of Hoffman last year.

Just 20 years old, Castro made his big league debut on April 6 and has seen action at two Minor League levels this season. With Toronto, the right-hander went 0-2 with a 4.38 ERA in 13 relief appearances and struck out 12 batters in 12 1/3 innings. Since being sent down in early May, the La Romana, Dominican Republic native has made 13 appearances -- five starts -- with Triple-A Buffalo and another three relief appearances with Class A Advanced Dunedin.

With Buffalo, Castro posted a 1-3 record and 4.58 ERA, fanning 21 batters in 19 2/3 innings. He struck out seven while not allowing a run over five frames in Dunedin.

Tinoco signed with the Blue Jays out of Venezuela back in September 2011 and was in the midst of his first year with a full-season club with Class A Lansing at the time of the blockbuster deal. The 20-year-old right-hander went 2-6 with a 3.54 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 68 strikeouts and 22 walks in a career high 88 1/3 innings with the Lugnuts. His fastball, which can hit the mid-90s on the radar gun, is his best weapon along with a 45-grade curveball and changeup, per MLB.com.

Freeland recently returned from offseason shoulder fatigue and May surgery to remove chips in his elbow, making his debut last week for Rookie-level Grand Junction. Meanwhile, Colorado's top prospect, righty Jon Gray (11th overall) has gone 5-6 with a 4.53 ERA in 20 appearances for Triple-A Albuquerque, but has posted a 3.34 ERA since the start of May and leads the PCL with 102 strikeouts in 109 1/3 innings.