"[His velocity] is where it was," Ash said. "He had an oblique [strain] in Spring Training that probably cost him 3-4 weeks, but it's within the scope [of the team's original timetable for Hellweg's return]."
If Hellweg continues to make progress, the idea is to promote him to Double-A Biloxi, then to Triple-A Colorado Springs before the end of the season.
Ash had less encouraging news about another hard-throwing prospect, Taylor Williams, who received a platelet-rich plasma injection last week in an effort to treat a right forearm strain that has sidelined him since the end of Spring Training.