Colorado Rockies 2024 Offseason Preview: Can Team Find the Pitchers to Fit Its Developing Lineup?

Season 2024: Eliminated on September 3, last in NL West

Let’s take a look at last season for the 2024 Colorado Rockies, the questions the team must answer this winter, and the outlook for 2025.

Read more: 2024 MLB Season Previews: White Sox vs. Marlins

Things that went well

A handful of position players took steps forward. The most notable improvement came from Brenton Doyle, who followed up his 2023 Gold Glove season by taking offensive steps with his strikeout and walk rates. The end result was a 20-20 player who also reached base at a solid rate. As is typical with Colorado players, Doyle did most of the damage at Coors Field.

Meanwhile, Ezequiel Tovar showed improved power skills that complemented his exceptional defensive play. The 23-year-old also deserves credit for establishing balanced home/away splits. Tovar’s doubles partner, Brendan Rodgers, was also a bright spot as he rebounded from an injury-plagued 2023 to reclaim his place in the heart of the team’s lineup. Finally, Michael Toglia emerged as an impressive power hitter during his first extended tryout in the big leagues.

Things that went wrong

Nolan Jones couldn’t stay healthy, as a nagging back injury led to two IL stints that cost him about 2.5 months of the season. When he was in the lineup, Jones looked nothing like the man who hit .297 while reaching a 20-20 plateau in 2023. Kris Bryant joins Jones as a regular Rockies player who’s been struck down by injuries, and for Bryant, it’s become a recurring theme. The 32-year-old has played in three IL stints and has now played in less than half of the Rockies’ games in the three seasons since signing a seven-year, $182 million contract in March 2022.

While pitching is usually the Rockies’ Achilles heel, this season was worse than most. The team finished last in the majors in ERA by a wide margin, with even the historically poor White Sox outperforming Colorado on the mound. While it’s easy to blame Coors Field for the pitching woes, the Rockies also finished last in ERA when they visited.

Off-season plans

Colorado has many of the pieces in place for a respectable lineup. The infield is set with Toglia (first base), Rodgers (second base), Ryan McMahon (third base) and Tovar (shortstop) all signed through next season. Doyle will once again patrol center field and it’s reasonable to expect Jones to have a healthier, more productive season in left.

With Charlie Blackmon set to hit free agency, the team has the option to use Bryant as a DH and hopes the reduced workload helps him stay in the lineup. And there’s optimism at catcher, as Drew Romo appears ready to at least be part of a platoon. Romo performed well in Triple-A this year (.838 OPS) and joined the team after Elias Díaz was released in August. Jacob Stallings, who has a mutual option for 2025, could work with Romo after an effective season at age 34.

Right field is where the team will likely invest the most in free agency. Jordan Beck (more on him later) could be the answer, but depending on Beck, he feels overly optimistic. Anthony Santander would be a fantastic free agent prize, but he will demand a lucrative contract. Max Kepler is another option and will be more attainable with a reasonable deal.

The Rockies don’t have a ton of pitching talent, but they do have four inning-eaters under contract through 2025 in Cal Quantrill, Kyle Freeland, Austin Gomber and Ryan Feltner. Still, pitching remains by far the team’s biggest need, both in the rotation and in the bullpen. Convincing high-end free agents to make half of their appearances at Coors Field is always a challenge, meaning Rockies management has to settle for lesser names on the open market or explore trade options.

Prospects on the horizon

Colorado is in the middle of the minor leagues in terms of talent. 3B/OF Charlie Condon, the third overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is the jewel in the Rockies’ system, but he’s unlikely to reach the majors in 2025.

Immediate help should come in the form of three outfielders: Beck, Zac Veen and Yanquiel Fernández. Beck appeared overmatched in a few brief major-league trials but has solid numbers in the minors and could open 2025 on the Rockies’ roster. Veen was the ninth pick in the 2020 MLB Draft but has been limited by injuries in recent years and is expected to spend most of 2025 in Triple-A. Fernández, a Cuban native who signed with the team in 2019, is on a similar trajectory to Veen and could debut next summer.

Second baseman Adael Amador is another prospect of note, and he will get more time to develop given that he is behind Rodgers on the organizational depth chart. Like Beck, Amador struggled during a cup of coffee with Colorado this year.

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Goals for 2025

Until the Rockies figure out their pitching situation, they’re still a long way from a postseason berth. And with most of their projected rotation members in their 30s, it’s unlikely the current cast of characters will take a significant step forward anytime soon. What’s more, the lack of immediate pitching help in the minors is notable. The combination of these factors means that general manager Bill Schmidt will have to look outside his organization for pitching help — or else resign himself to his team remaining in a rebuilding phase for a while longer.

So far, the team has resisted the urge to embark on a complete teardown, which would mean trading position players like McMahon and Doyle. Another year of finishing last in the majors in ERA could force the Rockies in that direction.

Fantasy focus

Fantasy managers will always be obsessed with hitters who play their home games at Coors Field, making Doyle a coveted prospect in the 2025 drafts. And plenty of managers will be willing to take a chance on a bounce-back season from Jones. Finally, Tovar, McMahon and Rodgers will all be useful picks in the second half of the draft, especially in leagues with daily trades that allow managers to start that trio for every home game but only some away games.