SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The question posed to Jon Gray was simple and direct: Do you think you have a chance to be the best pitcher in Rockies history?

His answer was measured and thoughtful.

“I think I can definitely accomplish that, because I don’t fear Coors Field at all,” Gray said last week as spring training opened. “I know I can go in there and give it everything I have and get the win.”

Former Rockies right-hander Aaron Cook used to say that winning games pitching at altitude was like a badge of honor. Gray, 25, agrees, though it’s taken him a while to come around.

“That’s exactly the way I feel — now,” Gray said with a faint smile. “I guess it’s pretty fair to say that I didn’t know what I was doing when I first got here.” Related Articles Carlos Gonzalez upbeat about 2017 Rockies, unsure of long-term future with club

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Gray has seemingly tamed the beast. Last year at Coors Field, he posted a 7-2 record with a 4.30 ERA while striking out 94 and walking just 18 in 83⅔ innings.

Compared with other franchises, Colorado’s benchmark for pitching greatness is relatively low, but there are some milestones in place. Left-hander Jorge De La Rosa‘s 86 victories in a Rockies uniform ranks No. 1 — as do his 53 victories at Coors Field, as well as his 985 career strikeouts. Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez had the best season in Rockies history, going 19-8 with a club- record 214 strikeouts and a 2.88 ERA in 2010.

Gray, the third overall pick in the 2013 draft, was projected to be a bona fide ace coming out of the University of Oklahoma, and he received a $4.8 million signing bonus based on his raw talent. Solid as an oak, the 6-foot-4, 232-pound right-hander turned pro with a plus fastball and wicked slider, but in need of another pitch.

Fast forward to 2016, when Gray flashed star potential in his first full season in the majors. Though his 10-10 record and 4.61 ERA were pedestrian, he offered hints of brilliance. His 185 strikeouts set a rookie franchise record, as did his 9.91 strikeouts per nine innings.

“Jon really made great strides last year in a number of areas. Performance, his confidence, really getting his feet on the ground as a major-league starting pitcher,” said new Rockies manager Bud Black. “He’s got to continue to grow, continue to pass these tests that every young player has to pass, and continue to perform like a top-of-the-rotation major-league starter. He’s very capable of doing those things based on his talent, his work ethic and his passion to play.”

Gray’s shining moment came Sept. 17 against San Diego at Coors Field. He struck out a club-record 16 batters while pitching a four-hitter and walking none. No Padres baserunner got beyond first base. The 16 strikeouts were the most ever at Coors Field — surpassing Hall of Fame left-hander Randy Johnson, who whiffed 14 Rockies at Coors Field on May 13, 2001, while pitching for Arizona.

Rookie catcher Tom Murphy was behind the plate for Gray’s gem, but he believes another game was more telling of how good Gray can become. It was played Sept. 10 at San Diego, just one start before Gray’s masterpiece at Coors Field. Gray had nothing that night at Petco Park. He got the hook after four innings, having given up six runs on eight hits.

“Jon just didn’t have a very good feel for his pitches,” Murphy recalled. “I went back into the tunnel to grab something during the game and I see Jon all alone, trying to getting a feel for his pitches. He was just throwing into an empty net; nobody was around.”

For Murphy, the moment symbolized Gray’s transformation.

“Before, I think you would have seen Jon almost feeling sorry for himself,” Murphy said. “He was not searching for answers, not trying to get ahead of the curve, just accepting it. He didn’t let that happen last year. He took ownership.”

Gray, who participated in Pilates during the offseason to increase his flexibility and body balance — “Look, I can touch my hands to the ground now. Pretty cool,” he said — is beginning this season in a good place.

“I know I can only get better if I take care of myself,” he said. “My arm feels better too. I’m throwing easier now.”

Gray’s fastball hums in the 95, 96 mph range, and his 88 to 90 mph slider has always been an effective swing-and-miss pitch. But according to Rockies pitching coach Steve Foster, Gray’s still-developing curveball, which has surpassed a so-so changeup as his third pitch, could transform him into an ace.

“Last season, me and Holmsie (bullpen coach Darren Holmes) worked hard to get Jon’s delivery right,” Foster said. “There were things that weren’t consistent when he first got up here. We worked to iron those things out. And Jon started trusting that curveball as a pitch he could deliver with confidence.”

Still, the curve remains a work in progress.

“I think it’s a weapon now. If I can throw it for a strike, it changes the whole game,” Gray said. “Guys aren’t stepping into my fastball or slider the way they were earlier.

“Plus, it’s been shown that it’s a pitch I can strike somebody out with. So that’s something I want to home in on, see if I can drop the pitch in front of the plate.”

Foster makes no concrete predictions about Gray’s future, yet he believes the best is yet to come.

“I think every time Jon goes out there on the mound he learns a little bit more about himself,” Foster said. “He learns about what a particular pitch does at Coors Field versus how it acts on the road.

“He’s learned to control his emotions, he’s learned how to control the tempo of the game. he’s learned how to control the strike zone and how to take advantage of the count. For me, it’s all about experience. All Jon lacks is experience, because the talent is there.”

In 38 big-league starts, Gray is 10-12 with a 4.79 ERA. That’s not impressive. But Gray isn’t about to carry early career baggage with him.

“I was gaining confidence last year, but it would come and go,” he said. “Sometimes I felt like I belonged out there, sometimes I didn’t. I’ve tried to get rid of any of those old, negative thoughts. Now I think I’m ready to take the next step.”

GRAY AREA

Will right-hander Jon Gray evolve into a true ace and become the best pitcher in Rockies history?

Pros

Powerful build and powerful arm

Two plus pitches (fastball and slider) with a promising curveball developing

Signs of increased maturity and competitiveness

Cons