CINCINNATI — Rockies rookie pitcher Juan Nicasio made progress Monday, walking for the first time since he was hit in the head by a line drive and the C1 vertebra in his neck was fractured Friday night.

“It put a lot of smiles on faces around here,” manager Jim Tracy said before the Rockies played the Reds at Great American Ball Park. “He’s had a very good day.”

Nicasio is in a Denver hospital. The Rockies are working diligently on securing visas for Nicasio’s mother and sister to fly from the Dominican Republic to join him in Denver. The team has told family members it will take care of everything to make sure they are able to support the 24-year-old pitcher. A Spanish-speaking employee of the team has been able to provide the family with updates about Nicasio’s condition.

Ian Desmond of the Nationals hit the ball that struck Nicasio. It’s unclear whether the impact of the baseball or the subsequent fall created the neck injury. There’s no record of any baseball player suffering a similar injury.

Rockies team doctors remain optimistic that Nicasio will make a full recovery, but it’s too early in the rehabilitation process to outline a timetable. Since the injury happened, Rockies trainer Keith Dugger has been praised for his quick actions that possibly saved Nicasio’s life.

Nicasio was stabilized on the field, carried off on a cart and immediately transported to a hospital. During his surgery, a permanent plate and two screws were placed in his neck by a team of neurosurgeons.

Dugger will remain with Nicasio through at least the series against the Reds.

The injury frightened Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook, bringing back a terrible memory. Cook nearly died on the Coors Field mound Aug. 7, 2004, when he suffered a pulmonary embolism. He was inside the Rockies’ clubhouse charting Nicasio’s pitches Friday when Nicasio was injured.

“It definitely took me back to that day,” Cook said. “I went straight to the emergency room where (doctors discovered the blood clots). You’re at the top of your game, then one pitch later everything you’ve ever worked for is gone. It’s scary. I can only speak for myself that I was happy to be alive. I am sure with Juan that’s the case.

“You just put baseball aside. You can worry about that later. The focus is simply on getting better.”

Cook missed a full year after undergoing extensive surgery to remove part of his rib to create better circulation.

Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com