Whether it’s trout fishing or forcing batters to fish for hits against a well-rounded pitch mix, Rockies prospect Griffin Herring has settled in nicely in the Pacific Northwest.

It’s been a whirlwind month for the 22-year-old Griffin, who was acquired by the Rockies from the New York Yankees along with fellow pitcher Josh Grosz in the trade that sent Ryan McMahon to the Bronx.

However, while it’s been a month of change, Herring has quickly become a key weapon for the High-A Spokane Indians, posting a 1.71 ERA in his first five starts spanning 21.0 innings. Opposing batters are hitting just .132 against him, helping Griffin be named on Wednesday as the “hottest” pitching prospect in the Rockies organization by MLB.com.

“He knows what his strengths are,” said Spokane pitching coach Blaine Beatty. “At this level, it’s about the consistency of the execution. Pitchers here are learning how to read hitters and how to manage their pitches.

“It’s been really good to work with him and understand what he brings to the table. He understands where he is and how his stuff’s going to play going forward.”

That “stuff” includes a sweeping slider that has been called his best pitch, along with a fastball and changeup, plus a curveball he has incorporated into his mix since arriving in Spokane.

“I’ve threw it in spring training, but it ended up getting put on the back burner,” Herring said. “A couple of weeks before the trade, I had been throwing it in bullpens. The week I was traded, we were planning on putting it in action.

“The Rockies have been very supportive of it. When I first came in, I threw some curveballs for them and now it’s becoming a piece of my arsenal.”

Beatty agreed, adding that the curveball may not be the dominant pitch for Herring, but will keep batters more off-balance.

“This curveball is just going to give him some more intangibles,” Beatty said. “I think it’s going to give him a bigger range and it’s going to tunnel well with his extension at the top of the zone. It’s just another contribution to the assets that he already has now. He’s really performed well with his fastball, slider and change, and this just adds to that.”

The addition of the curveball is one of the many changes Herring has undergone this season. The southpaw was preparing for a start for High-A Hudson Valley on July 25 when he received the news he was being traded to Colorado.

“I officially found out while I was headed to the stadium. I had an idea because Twitter was blowing up,” Herring recalled. “I’d received a couple of calls reinforcing nothing had been put through and nothing was 100% yet, so I was heading up to the field to be present. If I did have to start, I would be ready for it and, if not, I would get all my stuff.”

Herring did indeed pack up and head from upstate New York to eastern Washington by way of the Rockies pitching lab in Scottsdale. Once he finally arrived, he was already ranked as the top left-handed pitching prospect in the Rockies organization by MLBPipeline.com.

“On Friday, it was a bit of a weird feeling going out there in a new uniform, but I had a lot of good conversations with my new teammates and everyone has made me feel welcome here with the Rockies organization,” Herring said. “We (Spokane) went on the road right after that, so I had a full bus ride with all the guys and got to really know them. After that, it was just back to baseball.”

Now able to focus on baseball knowing he is a part of Colorado’s future, Herring is working on the things he needs to do to eventually step on the mound at Coors Field.

“That’s been the goal from the very start. Nobody wants to be a career minor league baseball player,” said Herring, who was selected by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2024 MLB draft. “The goal is always to make it to that next level and incorporate the things that you need to incorporate to make it to that level.

“For me, it doesn’t change being with Colorado and hearing about the elevation and pitch movement and everything that goes with altitude. It’s just another part of the game that you have to adapt to.”

Adapting has been a constant part of Herring’s calendar in recent weeks, and that includes taking up a new hobby as well.

“’I’ve never been to the Northwest. It’s beautiful out here,” Herring said. “All the rivers are amazing, but I definitely need a fishing guide to show me how to catch some trout.”

Whether it’s a guide on the river or in the dugout, Herring is ready and willing to learn and master his craft.