Colorado catching prospect Chris Iannetta has taken over starting duties in his second season with the Rockies, displacing Yorvit Torrealba after a disappointing rookie season a year ago.

The 25-year-old Iannetta has joined the Rockies lineup by batting .276/.398/.511 with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs in 82 games. Torrealba, the team’s primary catcher during its run to the World Series in 2007, faces season-ending knee surgery, paving the way for Iannetta to secure the No. 1 job permanently.

A key to Iannetta’s solid season has been his ability to jump on the first pitch and make the most of it. In the 36 at-bats he’s put the first pitch in play, the right-handed hitter has 20 hits, including three doubles, a pair of triples and five home runs. He’s slugging 1.167 in first-pitch situations. Take away those at-bats and Iannetta is batting .233 and slugging .409 in 290 plate appearances.

In time, scouting reports will catch on to Iannetta’s first-pitch success and he’ll have to make adjustments to continue his current production. For now, the Rockies are benefiting from his first-pitch prowess. Among players who have put the first pitch in play at least 30 times in 2008, no one has a higher batting average than Iannetta.

Highest Batting Average on First Pitch of At-Bats, 2008
(minimum 30 AB putting first pitch in play)

Player. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . AVG
Chris Iannetta, Col. . . . . . . . . . 36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .556
David DeJesus, KC. . . . . . . . . . .45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .556
Fred Lewis, SF. . . . . . . . . . . . . 41. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .537
Nate McLouth, Pit. . . . . . . . . . 31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .516
Alexi Casilla, Min. . . . . . . . . . . 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .500
Shin-Soo Choo, Cle. . . . . . . . . .32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .500

Iannetta, Nate McLouth, Fred Lewis, Alexi Casilla and Shin-Soo Choo are all young players who are just finding their way in the majors, and they’ll have to compensate when pitchers get to know their tendencies.

The same may be true for Josh Hamilton, Ryan Ludwick and Carlos Quentin. All three are having breakout seasons, and they also rank among the more prolific home-run hitters on the first pitch of plate appearances.

Most First-Pitch Home Runs, 2008

Player. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HR. . . . . . . . . . . SLG
Josh Hamilton, Tex. . . . . . . . . .12. . . . . . . . . . . .889
Ryan Ludwick, StL. . . . . . . . . . 12. . . . . . . . . . .1.056
Manny Ramirez, Bos-LAD. . . . . . 12. . . . . . . . . . .1.000
Carlos Quentin, CWS. . . . . . . . .11. . . . . . . . . . . .831
Hanley Ramirez, Fla. . . . . . . . . 10. . . . . . . . . . . .986

The two stars named Ramirez are known quantities who are dangerous in nearly any count. Less is known about the others, but it’s safe to say that pitchers have taken notice that Hamilton, Ludwick and Quentin have all surpassed the 30-homer plateau in 2008.