For a franchise that has had almost zero success with selecting high school pitchers in the first couple rounds of the draft — Aaron Cook and, to a lesser extent, Jamey Wright are the only notable exceptions — it still remains possible that could buck that trend.

Cox is Colorado’s highest-drafted high school pitcher since the Rockies whiffed by taking Riley Pint at No. 4 overall in 2016. Cox was selected in the second round at No. 50 overall out of Toutle Lake High School (Washington) in 2022. In the time since, he went through Tommy John surgery midway through ’23, missed all of ’24 and then was on an innings limit in ’25.

But those speed bumps haven’t dented the confidence of Cox, who is currently in High-A Spokane.

“In the next couple of years, I definitely see myself as a starter in the big leagues,” Cox said. “I’ve just got to keep working and keep chasing that hunger to be the best.”

In a sport defined by what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, Cox’s recent returns are promising.

The 6-foot-2 right-hander struggled out of the gate in ’25, with a 15.43 ERA in four April starts with Low-A Fresno. But then he dialed in his curveball and finished the season with a 3.39 ERA in 23 starts. That featured several dominant stretches, including a sizzling July in which he had a 2.74 ERA in five starts with an 11.7 K/9 ratio and an eye-popping 15.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

The 22-year-old has taken that momentum into this season in Spokane, where his K/9 rate is 12.4. He has a 4.25 ERA in six games this season heading into his next start for the Indians on Tuesday. In his last outing on May 5, he spun a career-high seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts in a win over the Tri-City Dust Devils.

“Outings like that, I’m just trying to show that that’s the standard I hold myself to and that’s what the Rockies can expect when I walk out onto the mound,” Cox said.

Cox’s goals for this season include 200 strikeouts and a sub-3.00 ERA. With swing-and-miss stuff, Cox’s fastball sits in the mid-90s and he can reach back to hit 98 mph when needed. His curveball is in the low 80s, and his four-pitch mix is rounded out by a changeup (which he added during his Tommy John rehab) and a cutter (which he added in this offseason as a bridge between the fastball and curveball), both of which sit in the high-80s.

“I’ve definitely implemented the curveball a lot more over the past couple seasons, especially earlier in the game, because that’s always been my best pitch,” Cox said. “But the development of my changeup and recently adding the cutter has been two weapons that I really like relying on now as well, just making sure that I’m not getting too predictable by throwing too many fastballs to hitters.”

Five more updates on Rockies prospects

While Cole Carrigg is one of the hottest hitters in the minors, Charlie Condon is knocking on the door of his debut, and Zac Veen waits for another shot in the bigs, here are five other  to watch entering the heart of the season.

SS Ethan Holliday

The No. 1-ranked Rockies prospect, drafted fourth overall last year, scuffled in his debut last season with Fresno. He’s back in High-A in 2026, and hitting better: .258 with six homers through 26 games. He still needs to work on striking out less, but he projects to be in Spokane by season’s end.

2B/CF Roldy Brito

Brito signed with the Rockies in 2024 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic, was the Arizona Complex League MVP in ’25 and then tore up Fresno after getting called up. Back in Fresno in ’26, the switch-hitter continues to hit for average (.315) and show off plus-speed.

RHP Brody Brecht

Colorado’s No. 38 overall pick in 2024 out of Iowa, developing command has been a focal point over his first two pro seasons. At 6-foot-4, Brecht sits around 96 with his fastball and can touch triple-digits, with a nice slider to match. He has a 4.91 ERA in six starts this season for Spokane.

OF Sterlin Thompson

One of two minor-league outfielders on along with Veen, Thompson has played right and left in Triple-A this year. The lefty’s hitting .336 with a .473 on-base percentage in 33 games; given left fielder Jordan Beck’s offensive struggles, Thompson’s debut could be imminent.

LHP Konner Eaton

The 6-foot-3 southpaw turned a lot of heads with his performance last year in Spokane, when he posted a 3.56 ERA in 23 starts before a late-season call-up to Hartford. He came back down to earth there, with a 5.30 ERA in four starts, but has a 3.00 ERA in six starts so far for the Goats in ’26. ]]> 7755819 2026-05-12T15:56:41+00:00 2026-05-12T16:10:58+00:00 /2026/05/04/colorado-rockies-depodesta-promising-start/ Mon, 04 May 2026 22:13:03 +0000 /?p=7655304 Judging by Paul DePodesta’s state-of-the-ballclub address, the Rockies are on the right track.

“We’re certainly encouraged by a lot of what’s going on, but at the same time, far from satisfied,” the president of baseball operations said Sunday morning during a Q&A with the media. “I think there are a lot of things we know we can do better, and that we’re going to work to continue to get better. But, but all in all, I think sort of a positive first month.”

DePodesta, hired last November in the wake of Colorado’s 119-loss season, faced a major reconstruction project, not just with the roster but with the front office and coaching staff.

After getting swept by the Braves at Coors Field over the weekend, the Rockies were 14-21 entering Monday’s game against the Mets. Not great, certainly, but significantly better than last season when they were 6-29 after 35 games.

The following are highlights from DePodesta’s session with the Rockies media:

Assessment of the three veteran free-agent pitchers

Colorado signed right-handers Tomoyuki Sugano and Michael Lorenzen, and lefty Jose Quintana for a combined $18.85 million to stabilize a rotation that posted a 6.65 ERA last season, the worst since ERA became an official statistic in 1913. Entering Monday’s game, Colorado starters had a 4.81 ERA, though over the last 15 games, it was 3.97.

“I think by and large, probably the most consistent thing over the first month has been our pitching,” DePodesta said. “I mean, our pitching is giving us a chance to win virtually every night. Every team will have a bad start here and there, but for the most part, they’re giving us a chance to win. And I think those three guys have been central to that.”

Using an ‘opener’ in the first inning ahead of Dollander

Right-hander Chase Dollander is off to an excellent start, despite his hiccup on Saturday night in Colorado’s 9-1 loss to Atlanta. After eight games, including one official start, Dollander is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA. He’s struck out 42, walked just 12, and has a 1.15 WHIP.

“It’s actually about trying to get him as much length as possible in a game,” DePodesta said. “So it’s not so much about having him avoid certain hitters, because he’s been pretty good against the top of the lineup. We think he certainly has stuff that will play the third time through a lineup.

“But I think at least initially, this was about trying to, sort of, lengthen him out as much as we possibly could.”

Left-hander Brennan Bernardino started ahead of Dollander in Saturday’s game and gave up hits to the first three Atlanta batters, including Drake Baldwin’s two-run homer. It’s an extremely small sample size, but openers have a combined 10.80 ERA (5.0 innings pitched, six earned runs), and Colorado’s record when they used an opener is 1-5.

Faith in slumping outfielders Beck and Doyle

Jordan Beck entered Monday’s game hitting .167 with a .469 OPS and one home run. Brenton Doyle was hitting .213 with a .567 OPS and one homer.

“First of all, we don’t want to be reactionary,” DePodesta said. “We also don’t want our players thinking that, ‘Boy, if they 0 for 4 tonight, they’re not in the lineup tomorrow.’ Or worse, they’re going to Triple-A tomorrow, right? Or if they give up a run, or something like that. We believe in these guys. We also believe in a lot of the guys we have in Triple-A right now, but we want to give them ample opportunity to play.”

The chance of calling up prospects Condon and Carrigg 

Cole Carrigg, who plays both infield and outfield, was named the Pacific Coast League player of the week on Monday after going 9 for 13 with two doubles, one triple, one homer, and seven RBIs over three games. He’s riding a PCL-best 13-game hitting streak, during which he slashed .521/.574/.729 with three doubles, two triples, one home run, 14 RBIs, and nine stolen bases.

After a monster start, Charlie Condon has cooled off. He hit four home runs in his first 10 games, but none since. Through April 17, he posted a line of .339/.456/.589, but now he’s slashing .250/.403/.406.

“Something we talked about all winter was sort of creating enough competition and depth with our big-league roster that we never want to call a player up just because we didn’t have anybody else,” DePodesta said. “We want to call players up when they are banging down the door, where we have to make room for them because they’re just playing so well, and they have the underlying foundation in place to be successful up here. Not just to survive, but to be successful.”

Do the Rockies have enough power in the lineup?

Led by red-hot Mickey Moniak’s 11 home runs to go with his .327 average, and catcher Hunter Goodman’s nine homers, the Rockies had hit 35 homers entering Monday’s play, tied with the Tigers and Phillies for 17th-most in the majors.

Asked if the Rockies have enough power in-house now, or need to develop sluggers over the next few seasons, DePodesta answered, “I think probably a combination of two. I think we’ll hit for more power as the year goes on. You look at some of our guys right now, who traditionally hit 15- 20-plus homers, and they have one right now.

“So I’m confident those guys will end up hitting for more power as the year goes on. At the same time, Mickey and ‘Goody’ both have (hit homers). And Mickey missed the first week (with a finger), so I think, as a team, we feel like we have enough.”

Veen, Colorado’s No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 draft, hit just .118 in that stint while striking out at a 37.8% clip. The outfielder’s at-bats were largely undisciplined, and judging by the entirety of his turbulent 2025 season, Veen clearly lacked the off-field maturity to be ready for his call-up.

Enter Paul DePodesta, the Rockies’ first-year president of baseball operations, and his belief that even the organization’s most prized minor leaguers needed more seasoning before getting a chance in LoDo.

“One of the things we really did purposely this winter was to try to help stabilize the big-league team,” DePodesta said. “The ancillary benefit of that was, and we’ve talked about this extensively (since I was hired), that it was going to force our young players to really earn their spot, to force their way onto the team, and not sort of skip part of what we think is really foundational experience at both Double-A and Triple-A.

“Sometimes players that are extremely talented will show up in the big leagues just a little too quickly.”

That philosophy is being exercised in real time this season with Veen as well as first baseman/outfielder Charlie Condon. Both players opened the season with Triple-A Albuquerque, and the Rockies seem in no rush to get Veen back up to the majors or to debut Condon, the club’s No. 3 overall pick in ’24.

Veen’s newfound sobriety

For , his biggest hurdle back to the bigs — a substance abuse issue — is now out of the way after the 24-year-old got sober in the offseason.

As Veen first detailed during spring training the outfielder was smoking marijuana every day last season and drinking excessively, too. Veen further explained those issues in an interview this week with The Denver Post, noting he got in trouble with the organization last season after getting caught smoking marijuana during a game at Isotopes Park.

“There where times last year where I had the world in the palm of my hand, or so it seemed, and I wasn’t feeling as fulfilled as I am since I stopped doing all that stuff,” Veen said. “I’m more fulfilled now, even if baseball or other things aren’t going my way, than if I was with the world seemingly in the palm of my hand when I was drinking and smoking.”

Veen, who says substance abuse issues are prevalent in his family, understands addiction recovery is not a straight line.

He’s been intentional with his actions to maintain sobriety this season, including attending Bible studies, recovery groups in Albuquerque and consistent calls with his pastor from his church back in his home state of Florida. Veen also leaned heavily for guidance on his former high school and club coach, Johnny Goodrich, whom Veen called “the closest thing to a father figure I have in my life,” considering the outfielder has not seen his biological father since the age of 15.

“I have gone to a few random (recovery) meetings since I’ve been in Arizona or I’ve been here (in Albuquerque),” Veen said. “And that’s kind of how I stay on that (sobriety). I just really appreciate being around people who want to better themselves and be the best they can be, which is what I want for myself.”

On the field, Veen is hitting .258 with two homers through 25 games. He’s played all three outfield spots this season, and DePodesta believes that finding the balance between being a free swinger and being selective when the situation or count calls for it will help Veen take the next step offensively.

“If he can rein in that (aggression) in a little bit because big league pitchers are better equipped to take advantage of that, he can do so much damage on so many pitches,” DePodesta said. “So if we can bring him in a little but still allow him to be aggressive on the right pitches, he has a really, really bright future. He’s still showing all the same tools. He’s got big power, he can run. He’s versatile defensively.”

Veen, who was limited to just 46 games in 2023 and 65 games in ’24 due to injuries, says his goal is to stay on the field all season.

“Best-case scenario is I get 500 to 600 at-bats and I play in the most games that I’ve ever played in,” Veen said. “That is the ultimate scenario for me. In a perfect world, I’m obviously in the major leagues (at some point in ’26), but in an even more perfect world, I’m just being the best version of myself every day. And at the end of the year, the pieces fell right where I wanted them to.”

Condon stacking ‘healthy reps’

While Veen bides his time, fans have been clamoring for the arrival of , who followed up a torrid spring training with a solid start to the season in Triple-A.

The 23-year-old is batting .269 with four homers through his first 21 games, but DePodesta says the debut of Colorado’s behind shortstop Ethan Holliday (who is currently in Low-A) likely isn’t imminent.

“It’s hard for any of us to say exactly what that time is or how long that takes, but we all want to make sure that he has that (base),” DePodesta said. “And I think he’s certainly showing signs of that. He’s doing all the right things. Now it’s just a matter of being able to do that longer and get even more experience under his belt so he feels really, really good about it before he gets a chance to come up to Coors Field. Hopefully, at that point, he never goes back.”

After struggling in his debut pro season in 2024, where Condon hit .180 with one homer in 24 games while dealing with a finger injury, he fractured his wrist at the start of the ’25 campaign. So ’26 has been his first fully healthy season as a pro, which Condon is relishing as he waits for the call that’s been expected since the day he got drafted.

“It’s been nice to be able to stack healthy reps,” Condon said. “There’s something to be said for being able to be healthy for an extended period of time and really finding a groove. And so that’s been refreshing for sure.

“Whenever that time comes (for my debut), I will 100% be ready.”

Condon, who led the NCAA with a BBCOR-era record 37 homers has yet to find consistent power in the minors. He has 19 homers in 145 games, and while DePodesta lauded Condon’s “mature approach” at the plate, Condon acknowledged he’s still searching for the right combination of average and power.

“For me, it’s really about blending the hit tool and the power tool,” Condon said. “I don’t want to be a guy that’s just all one or the other. I want to be a guy that handles the bat well but also runs a fair amount of balls out of the yard every year.”

In the field, Condon has split his time this season between first base and right field. He also played third base in college and briefly in the minors, but that position seems to be tabled for now.

“It comes pretty easy to him in the outfield — he feels comfortable there, he tracks the ball well,” DePodesta said. “He’s working hard in pregame in terms of getting even better jumps and covering more ground. But given his athleticism and his length (at 6-foot-5), he’s going to get some balls both down the line and in the gap. He’s got a chance to be a pretty good corner outfielder.”

Veen, Condon fit in 2026

With the Rockies outperforming critics’ expectations through the first month-plus of 2026 — Colorado is 14-18, matching the win total the club didn’t get to until June 15 of last year’s disastrous 119-loss season — the question becomes of how Veen and Condon could fit into the big-league roster.

Veen is on but Condon is not, so the latter would require designating someone for assignment. Triple-A outfielder is also on the 40-man roster, and given he’s currently hitting .308 with a .438 on-base percentage, he very well might get the call before Veen or Condon.

There could be a performance-based opening for one of those players sometime in the near future if current trends hold. In the outfield, Troy Johnston (who also plays first base) and Mickey Moniak have been two of the strengths of the lineup so far. But left fielder Jordan Beck (hitting .153 with one homer) and center fielder Brenton Doyle (hitting .220 with one homer) are struggling.

Both Beck and Doyle have options, though it’s unlikely Colorado would send Doyle down to Triple-A, given the importance of his two-time Gold Glove Award defense in the wide Coors Field outfield. DePodesta gave a vote of confidence to both players, especially considering the platooning that has been going on in the outfield with Johnston, Jake McCarthy and Tyler Freeman also seeing time out there.

Meanwhile, at first base, T.J. Rumfield is hitting .264 with three homers and is playing well enough to warrant an extended opportunity to keep that job for the time being. Rumfield tore up spring training to earn the job after being acquired via a January trade with the Yankees for reliever Angel Chivilli.

Condon, like Veen, isn’t putting extra weight on himself to force the Rockies’ hand for a call-up.

“This game is hard enough by itself, and it becomes even harder when you start putting external pressure like that on yourself,” Condon said. “So for me it’s about focusing on the day-to-day. Obviously (debuting this season) is a goal of mine. That’s something I’m working very hard for. But will I be upset and disappointed in myself if that doesn’t happen? Yeah, sure, probably a little bit. But it’s not something that I can focus too much on because so much of that is out of my control.”

If my informal eight-man panel is correct, the Rockies will join Gil Hodges, Don Lock, and Claude Osteen in an infamous chapter in major league history. Hodges was the manager, Lock was the best hitter, and Osteen was the best pitcher for the 1964 Washington Senators. losing 100 or more games for the fourth consecutive season.

No major league team has done that since. But the 2026 Rockies will, at least according to my panelists.  Add up their predictions, divide by eight, and you get a 59-103 record.

I’ll start. I’m encouraged by the long-overdue front-office shuffle led by new team president Walker Monfort. And I’m intrigued by young players like third baseman Kyle Karros and Charlie Condon. But the reality for this season is that the starting pitching is still too thin over the long haul, and the offense too punchless to improve by 20 games over their 119-loss 2025 season.

Saunders’ prediction: 60-102.

Sean Keeler, Denver Post columinst

The season highlight might well be those long-overdue statue unveilings for Todd Helton and Larry Walker. Beyond that? Meh. The best thing about 2026 for the Rox is also the worst: The record won’t mean much. It’s a free hit for Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes. A honeymoon year. A transition year. A throw-everything-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks year. It would be great to give a long-abused fan base some good vibes before Dick Monfort and his fellow Lords of the Realm torpedo 2027, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Keeler’s prediction: 62-100.

Kyle Newman, Denver Post sportswriter

The Fightin’ Rox will be better in 2026, but they are attempting to climb out of the abyss. This is going to take years to get competitive again, so book a fourth consecutive 100-loss season.

The starting pitching will be better, but the Rockies’ depth at that critical position remains thin. After an inevitable injury or two to starting pitchers, the season will unravel quickly. Also, the Rockies won’t hit for enough power once again, even though they’ll play better at home. Look for 2027 to be a true turning point year where Colorado can perhaps sniff a win total in the 70s.

Newman’s prediction: 60-102

Nate Peterson, Denver Post sports editor

Looking for a purple-and-silver lining for 2026, Rockies fans? Here it is: Colorado’s hard-luck MLB franchise will again be the worst team in baseball, but it will somehow, someway avoid the historical ignominy of four-straight 100-loss seasons.

No, Ted Lasso isn’t the skipper, but the arrival of Paul DePodesta, the addition of some crafty veterans on the mound and the development of young talent on the field will be enough to avoid the century mark for losses. The Rockies won’t be the 1962 Phillies, who improved by an MLB-best 34 wins. But they’ll be 20 wins better, which will feel like a miracle. 

Peterson’s prediction: 63-99

Troy Renck, Denver Post columnist

The Rockies will be terrible, but a light will replace an incoming train at the end of the tunnel. With a veteran starting rotation, improved health of shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle, and a versatile lineup that strikes out less, the Rockies will look like a major league team again. That is not meant as a backhanded compliment, but an indictment of the past regime. As the use of analytics and improved coaching takes hold as prospects develop, hope will return.

Renck’s prediction: 60-102

Jorge Castillo, ESPN baseball writer

Will they flirt with the wrong kind of history again?

Colorado finally hit the front-office reset button, hiring longtime executive Paul DePodesta as president of baseball operations to replace general manager Bill Schmidt to course-correct. … DePodesta didn’t overhaul the roster over the winter, instead signing four players to contracts of one or two years and making minor trades. The Rockies will look to avoid disaster.

Keith Law, national baseball writer, The Athletic

I have the Rockies finishing with the worst record in baseball again, but winning 11 more games, and I’m not sure how strongly I can even defend that other than to say that it����ap very hard to be 119-loss bad two years in a row. They do have new people calling the shots in the front office, including Paul “The Revenant” DePodesta, and I expect some gains on the margins, but they’re going to need more than an Ezequiel Tovar breakout to get back to even 60 wins this year.

Dan Szymborski, FanGraphs baseball writer

If another NL West team shocks the Dodgers, it won’t be wearing purple-and-black.

Here are the top 10 most intriguing Rockies prospects to watch in 2026, with their estimated times of arrival to the big leagues.

SS Ethan Holliday

The 4-1-1: Last year’s No. 4 overall pick hit .239 with two homers in 18 games for Low-A Fresno. He’ll likely start 2026 in Fresno or High-A Spokane and brings a recalibrated offensive approach into the season, including an adjusted stride to help with timing. For fans looking for light at the end of the Rockies’ dark tunnel, a solid sophomore pro season from Matt’s son would be a great sign.

ETA to LoDo: 2028

1B/OF Charlie Condon

The 4-1-1: Along with Holliday, Condon is the other primary reason to believe that star power is on the horizon for Colorado. The 2024 No. 3 overall pick turned in a stellar spring training, and the first half of 2026 should be his final test in the high minors. If he can stay healthy — Condon had a thumb injury in ’24, and a wrist injury in ’25 — he’s tracking to debut sometime this summer.

ETA to LoDo: 2026

UTL Roldy Brito

The 4-1-1: The Dominican is a switch-hitter who plays middle infield and center field, and had a dominant season in ’25 across rookie ball and Low-A. The 18-year-old was the Arizona Complex League MVP, an ACL postseason all-star, a Baseball America rookie all-star and the Rockies’ minor-league player of the year. He hits for average with sneaky pop, too. A fast-riser to keep tabs on.

ETA to LoDo: 2029

OF Sterlin Thompson

The 4-1-1: The 2022 first-round pick swung a solid bat over 120 games in Triple-A Albuquerque last season, batting .296 with 18 homers and a .911 OPS. That led Colorado to add Thompson to its 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. He’ll start 2026 in Albuquerque again, and if he stays consistent, an injury could open the door to his debut this season.

ETA to LoDo: 2026

OF Cole Carrigg

The 4-1-1: When Carrigg was picked in the second round in 2023, there was a question about where he would fit defensively. That question has been answered, as Carrigg played outfield exclusively with Double-A Hartford in 2025, primarily in center. A switch-hitter with speed, Carrigg will need to bring down his strikeout rate (27% in ’25) in order to take another step in ’26.

ETA to LoDo: 2027

RF Robert Calaz

The 4-1-1: The other most intriguing international prospect in the system besides Brito, Calaz tore it up in ’24 in rookie ball and Low-A, before getting humbled in Fresno last year with a regressive season. But there’s still hope the righty with raw power can develop a more seasoned approach starting in ’26. He’ll likely start in High-A; getting back on track could land him in Hartford.

ETA to LoDo: 2028

RHP JB Middleton

The 4-1-1: Following a high workload with Southern Miss ahead of Colorado taking Middleton in the second round, he’s set to make his professional debut in ’26. For an organization in desperate need of starting pitching depth at all levels, Middleton has a repeatable delivery, a three-pitch mix and competes with an edge. This summer will be the start of the test of his potential as a pro starter.

ETA to LoDo: 2028

OF Jared Thomas

The 4-1-1: The 2024 second-round pick raked last summer with a .330/.427/.495 slash line in High-A Spokane, earning a promotion to Double-A. Then he carried that momentum into the Arizona Fall League, batting .302 in 17 games. He has the wheels to rack up steals and play center field. He had surgery to fix a broken left hamate after last season; likely starts ’26 in Hartford.

ETA to LoDo: 2027

RHP Gabriel Hughes

The 4-1-1: The No. 10 overall pick in 2022 has been through the wringer, including on-field struggles (7.14 ERA in Double-A in 2023) and Tommy John surgery. Last year was his first full season back from the procedure, and he made to Triple-A. He’s on the 40-man roster and in spring training. The Rockies will soon see if he can fulfill his first-round potential.

ETA to LoDo: 2026

LHP Konner Eaton

The 4-1-1: After taking a flier on Eaton in the sixth round in 2024, early returns suggest the Rockies got a steal. In his first full pro season in ’25, the southpaw dominated High-A before earning a promotion to Hartford. He led all Rockies minor leaguers with 149 Ks, and also led the organization in Ks/9 (9.58) and was second in WHIP (1.26). The Rockies’ 2025 MiLB pitcher of the year.

ETA to LoDo: 2027

The club’s No. 2 prospect is having a splendid spring. The 23-year-old entered the weekend slashing .414/.471/.828 (1.299 OPS) with three home runs and three doubles in 15 games. His K-rate was just 17.6% (six strikeouts in 34 plate appearances).

But that doesn’t mean Condon has kicked down the big-league door to the majors. Not yet. The first baseman is unlikely to break camp with the Rockies because the club wants to ensure he has a solid foundation across all areas of his game.

Still, I would not be surprised if Condon is playing in the majors before the All-Star break. But if they wait until August and he stays with the team for the rest of the season, the club doesn’t waste one of his minor league options.

Regardless, the third overall pick in the 2024 draft isn’t shy about his aspirations for 2026.

“I think about that a lot,” Condon said early in spring training when I asked him about debuting this season. “But it����ap not what I’m worried about, it����ap not what I’m playing for. I’m trying to play the best baseball I can.”

The Rockies want to see several things from Condon this spring, especially his ability to consistently hit major league fastballs. So far, at least, he’s passed that test.

The club is also testing Condon’s skills as an outfielder. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder is a terrific athlete, but he’s still a work in progress as a corner outfielder. Keep in mind that rookie T.J. Rumfield, acquired from the Yankees in a trade, looks like he’s played his way into a starting position at first base.

Rumfield, 25, entered the weekend hitting .367 with a team-high four home runs. And keep in mind that Rumfield has played 430 games in the minors. Condon, slowed by injuries in each of his two professional seasons, has played in just 124, including 22 in the Arizona Fall League.

The Rockies front office — like many front offices, past and present — is hesitant to throw a player into the fire too soon. The road to hell is paved with rushed prospects.

That’s because baseball is filled with false springs. Young hitters blossom when they face big-league pitchers who are still working on their changeup or saving their gas for the regular season. Prospects rake against minor league pitchers who leave sliders hovering over the heart of the plate.

But, often, promoted prospects fade under the majors’ harsh spotlight. Jackson Holliday, the oldest son of former Rockies star Matt Holliday, is a prime example. In April 2024, Jackson made his debut at the tender age of 20, but spent just 16 days with the Orioles before being shipped down to Triple-A Norfolk. Jackson hit 2-for-34 (.059) over his first 10 games for Baltimore.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rules of baseball promotion.

In spring training 2013, Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado’s glove work was already golden. He hit .278 with four home runs in 19 Cactus League games, and many thought he should have made the team. He didn’t.

But Arenado couldn’t be kept down for long. He debuted on April 28 at age 22 and 12 days. He ended up hitting .267 with 10 homers and 52 RBIs in 133 games. Plus, he won the first of his 10 Gold Gloves.

And there is precedent for a terrific spring training translating into a direct ticket to the show: Trevor Story.

In 2016, the 23-year-old shortstop blasted his way onto the Rockies’ major league roster by slashing .340/.407/.792 (1.199 OPS) with six home runs, four doubles, and a triple in 20 Cactus League games.

He didn’t slow down. In April, Story crushed 10 home runs, six of which were 425 feet or longer. He was named National League rookie of the month after rapping out 17 extra-base hits. The only other players in modern history (since 1901) with as many extra-base hits during the month in which they made their major-league debut were Joe DiMaggio, then 23, with the Yankees in May 1936, and Albert Pujols, then 21, with St. Louis in April 2001.

Story’s 12 home runs in his first 40 games were the most in big-league history. Before a left thumb injury ended his season at the end of July, Story hit .272 with 27 homers and 72 RBIs in 97 games.

I’m not predicting that Condon is the next Arenado or the next Story. Arenado played 432 games in the minors before his debut; Story played 537.

But Condon has similar star potential, and remember, he was a great player at the University of Georgia. That’s a big deal.

I’m eager to watch him rake at Coors Field. If we don’t see that until June, July, or even August, I’m fine with that.

It will be up to Condon to prove there’s nothing false about his spring. I’m confident that’s going to happen.

That’s according to in the majors. The Rockies, Marlins and Cardinals are the only teams without a player on the list. More than two dozen ESPN baseball experts submitted their top 100 rankings, and the ESPN baseball staff averaged them to create the final list.

I’m tempted to say that the list will put a big chip on the shoulders of three Rockies players: shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, center fielder Brenton Doyle, and, especially, catcher Hunter Goodman. But then, when your team loses 119 games, you don’t get many chips to play with.

For the record, there are 13 shortstops on ESPN’s list, led by Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., who comes in as the third-best player in baseball. The Athletics’ Jacob Wilson is ranked 94th, and the Nationals’ CJ Abrams is No. 98.

It’s hard to believe Tovar is considered a lesser shortstop than Wilson and Abrams, but then, Tovar had a forgettable 2025 season. Left hip and left oblique injuries limited him to 95 games and a .253/.294/.400 slash line.

In 2024, however, Tovar won a Gold Glove Award, led the National League with 45 doubles, and led Colorado with 26 home runs. Prediction: Tovar will be among baseball’s top-10 shortstops in 2026.

Goodman was Colorado’s lone All-Star last season. He admits he needs to become better behind the plate, but he’s a force with a bat in his hand. He hit .278 last season with 31 homers, 28 doubles and five triples.

There are seven catchers on ESPN’s list, led by Seattle sensation Cal Raleigh. The Brewers’ William Contreras (No. 28) is the National League’s top-ranked catcher. I get it, he’s an excellent game-caller in his prime.

Still, Goodman has a right to feel snubbed. After all, last season he led NL catchers in average, home runs, slugging (.520), OPS (.843), and RBIs (91).

Doyle won Gold Gloves in center field in 2023 and ’24, but last season was a “rollercoaster,” as he called it. Injuries, dealing with his wife’s miscarriage, and some flaws in his swing reduced his slash line to a pedestrian .233/.274/.376 with 15 homers and 18 stolen bases in 138 games. That was quite a come-down from ’24 when he slashed .260/.317/.446 with 23 homers and 30 stolen bases in 149 games.

So Doyle is on the outside looking in at the seven other center fielders on ESPN’s top 100, led by Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez (No. 9) and Cubs budding superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong (No. 22). Doyle has the talent to be a dynamic player for many years, but he has a lot to prove.

Hot in the desert. No. 2 prospect Charlie Condon is having a sweet spring, but I don’t see him making the 26-man roster coming out of camp.

The future first baseman/outfielder entered Thursday’s game hitting .467 with a 1.623 OPS, three home runs and five RBIs in 15 at-bats. That’s impressive for a player in his first big-league camp, but manager Warren Schaeffer, president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, and Rockies coaches are weighing more than at-bats vs. second-tier pitchers or veterans testing out their spring stuff. Condon still has to prove he can hit big-league fastballs.

However, a strong spring, followed by a solid stint at Triple-A Albuquerque, makes a big-league debut this season a realistic possibility — perhaps before the All-Star break.

Karros watch. Kyle Karros, my pick as Colorado’s breakout player this season, is a future Gold Glove third baseman, at least according to Schaeffer, who’s said more than once this spring.

But that doesn’t mean he’s a lock to make the 26-man roster. DePodesta and company are trying to determine if Karros needs more minor league at-bats before he becomes the everyday third baseman.

Karros made his debut last season, hitting .226 with one home run in 43 games (156 plate appearances). Keep in mind that Karros was worn down by a long season and faced some of the majors’ best pitchers in his short stint with the Rockies.

As the Cactus League continues, the Rockies’ brass will be watching Karros carefully to see if he’s major-league ready at the plate.

But one thing is for certain: When Karros is the starting third baseman, that frees up free-agent signee Willi Castro to play second and gives the Rockies a much better defensive infield.

Fill up the zone. Rockies pitchers, especially the starters, are experimenting with new grips and new pitches this spring. The result has been a lot of walks — 56 in the first 12 Cactus League games. However, one pitcher has been a strike-throwing machine in both games and practice. That’s right-handed reliever Zach Agnos. In his first three appearances (three innings), he’s allowed no runs, fanned five, and walked none.

A healthy Agnos would be a big boost for the back of the bullpen. He held opponents scoreless in 12 of his 14 career games last season, but then his elbow started barking, and he lost his edge. Agnos was on the injured list from July 27 to Sept. 24 with a flexor strain.

The third overall pick in the 2024 draft wants to make his major league debut this season and believes it’s possible.

“I think about that a lot,” the Rockies’ No. 2 prospect and potential first baseman of the future said last week as he settled in to his first big-league camp.

“But it’s not what I’m worried about, it’s not what I’m playing for,” the softspoken product out of Georgia continued. “I’m trying to play the best baseball I can. But every guy in this locker room, and the guys in the (minor league) locker down the hallway, wants to get to Denver and help the Rockies win up there.”

Several of the players drafted before and after Condon in the first round have already made their marks, or are about to. Condon might not keep track of such things, but sportswriters do:

• Second baseman Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick out of Oregon State, finished last season with Triple-A Columbus after a painful summer, but word out of Guardians camp is that his major league debut is on the horizon. Bazzana played just 84 games in 2025. First, he suffered a right oblique strain in May while playing with Double-A Akron, missing almost two months. Then he missed the final week of Columbus’s season with a left oblique strain. Bazzana ended up slashing .245/.389/.424 with 17 doubles, five triples, nine homers, 39 RBIs over 374 plate appearances.

• Right-hander pitcher Chase Burns, selected second overall by the Reds out of Wake Forest, debuted last season, going 0-3 with a 4.57 ERA in 13 games (eight starts). He’s in the mix to break camp as part of Cincinnati’s starting rotation.
• The big winner of the ’24 draft, at least so far, was the Athletics, who drafted first baseman Nick Kurtz with the fourth pick out of Wake Forest. On his way to being named American League rookie of the year, Kurtz hit 36 home runs with 86 RBIs in 117 games, joining superstars Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani as one of only three players with at least 400 plate appearances to post an OPS over 1.000.
• Konnor Griffin, picked ninth overall by the Pirates out of Jackson Prep High School in Jackson, Miss., is just 19. He’s currently the top prospect on almost all of the charts, and he’s being talked about as a generational player. He has a real shot to break camp as Pittsburgh’s starting shortstop.
• Of course, there are cautionary tales, too. Jac Caglianone, picked sixth overall out of Florida, debuted last season and played 62 games with the Royals. After a sizzling start, he posted a .157/.237/.295 slash line with seven homers.

However, Caglianone was sensational in the minors, slashing .337/.408/.617 in 66 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year until his season was curtailed by injuries.

Which brings us back to Condon, who could debut this season, though not likely until the second half. His infant career has been slowed by injuries, and initially, he had a tough time adjusting to pro ball.

In 2024, at High-A  Spokane, he tried to play through a left-hand injury before shutting down late in the season, finishing with 35 games played. He hit just .180, with one home run and 34 strikeouts in 109 plate appearances.

Then, last year, Condon broke his right wrist diving for a ball in his first minor league spring training game and missed all of April. He worked his way through the Arizona Fall League before debuting with Double-A Hartford on July 2. In 35 games for the Yard Goats, he hit .235 with 11 home runs.

“My first quarter of pro ball wasn’t what I wanted or what anyone thought it would be,” Condon said of his time at Spokane. “And then I was really excited last year at this time, to show up and show the true version of myself. I felt really good and then the broken wrist happened.”

It was, he admits, a huge blow.

“I felt like I had put myself in a really good spot to cruise through camp, put up some good numbers and then roll into the season,” he said. “Then something like that happens. So, you have to slow yourself down and think things through. I guess it was really just a test of patience and a test of being able to be in your shoes wherever you are.”

But it took some time to grasp that kind of insight.

“It’s way easier to speak about it that way now, in hindsight,”  he said. “There was definitely that first week after I broke my wrist where I wasn’t in the best spot mentally. I was upset about what happened, and I wished I could go back and change it. But there was obviously no way to do that.”

Now he can only move forward.

“I have faith in my abilities, I know what I can do,” he said. “Now I get a chance to show what I can do in my first big-league camp.”

Which is why they acquired the Yankees’ minor leaguer in exchange for talented but mercurial right-handed reliever Angel Chivilli in a trade in late January. Now it’s Rumfield’s job to bust open the door of opportunity.

“I’m super excited to get my shot,” the 25-year-old Rumfield said Thursday. “I think the Yankees did a good job developing me, but with the guys they had there, it was just super hard to get my shot at the big leagues with certain people there.

“So, it was a breath of fresh air, thinking I could come over here and impact this team at the major league level this year. It’s all I could ask for.”

The retooled, rebuilding Rockies have job openings posted throughout their lineup, but no position is more competitive than first base as the club opens Cactus League play against the Diamondbacks on Friday afternoon at Salt River Fields.

“It’s completely wide open,” manager Warren Schaeffer said.

That means that a strong showing this spring could be Rumfield’s golden ticket to the majors. The fact that he’s a left-handed hitter helps his cause.

There are four prime candidates at first: Julien Edouard (who also plays second), Blaine Crim, Troy Johnston (who also plays outfield), and Rumfield. But, as Schaeffer pointed out, first base could be a shared position, depending on how spring training goes.

“We are looking for the best fit to the puzzle going into opening day,” the manager said. “We value versatility.”

No. 2 prospect Charlie Condon could well be the first baseman of the future. But he’s in his first major league camp, and while there’s a chance he could debut later this season, he’s got a lot to prove to Schaeffer and the Rockies’ front office.

At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Rumfield makes for a big target at first base. Plus, he won a minor league Gold Glove playing for Double-A Somerset in 2023. He set a Patriots franchise record by posting a .997 fielding percentage over 78 games. He committed just two errors all season.

“I think it’s just about my ability to focus, pitch to pitch,” he said of his fielding prowess. “That, and knowing what to do with the baseball before it’s hit to me. Winning the Gold Glove reinforced the idea that doing the little things I do every day is not for nothing.”

Rumfield spent the entire 2025 season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, slashing .285/.378/.447 with 16 home runs, 31 doubles, a triple and five stolen bases. He had an impressive 11.9% walk rate vs. a 18.4% strikeout rate. In 2024, Rumfield slashed .292/.365/.461 with 15 homers in 114 Triple-A games.

“Last year, it was all about growth with my mindset,” he said. “This year, it’s all about applying that, and trying to do what I did in Triple-A at the plate, only at the next level.”

Blocked in the Bronx

Paul DePodesta, Colorado’s new president of baseball operations, is sky high on Rumfied’s potential.

“He’s a solid defender at first base to go along with his bat,” DePodesta said. “He’s been a very productive hitter at Triple-A at age 24 and 25. He’s got really good bat-to-ball skills, and he has some emerging power.

“He’s a guy that can manipulate the bat pretty well and, as a consequence, has hit for average, along with some of that juice. We think he’s a nice combination of skills.”

But Rumfield’s path to the Bronx was blocked by first base talent in the Yankees organization, namely icon Paul Goldschmidt and the emergence of power hitter Ben Rice. Last season, the Yankees signed Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million deal to be the No. 1 first baseman. But Rice’s emergence, especially at the plate, relegated Goldschmidt to a part-time role in the second half. This offseason, just a week before spring training began, for another season, this time for $4 million.

Rumfield was drafted in the 12th round out of Virginia Tech in 2021 by Philadelphia and was traded to New York before the 2022 season. He played well in the minors, hitting .284 in 52 games at High-A Hudson Valley. Then, he won the batting title in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .400.

Rumfield understands that this camp represents a big chance, but he also knows he can’t play to win the job. He just has to play.

“It’s all about the work,” he said. “It’s about showing that you can be a good teammate and that you can be reliable. Show up on time, every day, do the right things. I think the baseball part of it will figure itself out.”

Of course, it will be up to Schaeffer, DePodesta and the rest of the Rockies brass to figure out who makes the 26-man roster.  Performance and statistics in Cactus League games will only take a player so far.

“There are a lot of people here, on the staff, who will weigh in on things,” Schaeffer said. “There will be a lot of conversations. Is it better that a player performs well in Cactus League games? Absolutely. But there is more to it than that.

“It’s not like, ‘Hey, we’re going to take this guy because he hit .300 and another guy hit .280.’ There is way more to it than that.  Are you working on the things you should be working on? Are you showing progress in zone awareness? Has your chase (rate) gone down? Can we physically see that there have been adjustments that led to that? Is it going to be sustainable? We’ll be looking at a lot of things.”

But now, with a new front office and coaches in place, the players insist there is a new direction and a new energy at Salt River Fields. For Rockies fans, hope might finally be a worthy investment.

But now comes the hard part. All of the talk, strategy, meetings, and optimism must transfer to the baseball field. Work begins in earnest on Tuesday with the Rockies’ first full-squad workout.

Here are 10 questions that need to be answered:

1. Will the latest approach to solving the Rockies’ pitching pay off? After a torturous 2025 season that featured one of the worst team pitching performances in major league history, the pitching think tank was overhauled. The revamped staff features pitching coach Alon Leichman, assistant Gabe Ribas, bullpen coach Matt Buschmann, and Matt Daniels as the director of pitching.

They will be working on pitch sequencing, pitch shaping and expanded repertoires — all being steered by analytics. The emphasis will be on pounding the strike zone.

2. Do the three veteran, free-agent starters acquired during the offseason — 34-year-old right-hander Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano (35), and lefty Jose Quintana (37) — have enough left in the tank to stabilize Colorado’s wobbly rotation? At least in the short term, to buy some time? If they can, it will give the Rockies’ young pitchers more time to develop.

3. Was prized right-hander Chase Dollander able to shake off his sometimes nightmarish rookie season? Spring training will provide some hints.

Dollander made several mechanical tweaks during the offseason, hoping to make his sizzling fastball more effective and his slider more dependable in the zone. It’s a huge spring training for Dollander, but, of course, the true test will come at Coors Field. Last season, he had a 3.40 ERA in 10 road starts compared to a 9.98 ERA in 11 starts at Coors Field.

4. Right-handers Seth Halvorsen and Victor Vodnik figure to compete for the closer’s job during camp, but will Halvorsen’s elbow pass the stress test?

He finished last season on the injured list after pitching his final game on Aug. 2. Initially, there were fears that Halvorsen would have to undergo Tommy John surgery. However, tests showed there was no damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. Halvorsen, who turns 26 on Feb. 18, had Tommy John surgery as a freshman at the University of Missouri in 2019, so his health will be a question mark until it isn’t.

5. Can outfielder Zac Veen overcome his personal demons and become the player Colorado envisioned when they drafted him ninth overall in 2020 out of Florida’s Spruce Creek High School? that he’s struggled with marijuana and alcohol abuse and that it affected his performance. Colorado’s outfield is filled with candidates battling to make the roster. Veen has the most to overcome and the most to prove.

6. The Rockies have a plethora of outfielders, and Colorado is eager to see what it has in newcomer Jake McCarthy, the former Diamondback. They want to see Brenton Doyle rebound. But could a spring training trade be in the works? Don’t rule it out.

7. With strikeout king Michael Toglia now in camp with the Reds, who plays first base for the Rockies? Free-agent acquisition and utility player Edouard Julien could have the inside track, in part because he’s out of options.

The most intriguing first base candidate is prospect T.J. Rumfield, acquired from the Yankees in a trade for right-hander reliever Angel Chivilli. Rumfield was blocked in the Bronx by the likes of Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt. Rumfield slashed .285/.378/.447 with 16 home runs, 31 doubles in 2025 at Triple-A last season.

Troy Johnston, claimed off waivers from the Marlins, will also be in the mix.

Don’t be shocked if the Rockies platoon a number of players at first base.

8. Will Charlie Condon, the third overall pick of the 2024 draft out of Georgia, and the projected first baseman of the future, prove he belongs? The Rockies are sure the answer will be a unqualified yes, but there will be plenty of scrutiny on Condon during his first big-league camp.

Chances are that Condon, just 22, will begin the season at Double-A Hartford, advance to Triple-A Albuquerque, and debut with the Rockies late this season. But could be on the fast track to the majors?

“I’d say never say never on our players,” Paul DePodesta, president of baseball operations, said in December. “He did have a chance through the second half of last year to stay healthy, and then had a really nice Fall League. He’s obviously a very talented player.

“At the same time, we want to create a discussion where he has to go out there and make it happen. But certainly he’ll have some opportunities to do so.”

Condon played through a right-hand injury that marred his first professional season and sustained a fractured left wrist during last spring training. Once healthy, however, Condon made strides in the minors, finished the season at Double-A Hartford, and played well in the Arizona Fall League.

9. What surprises are in store at Salt River Fields? Manager Warren Schaeffer has only hinted at how he’ll run camp, but said it will be unlike the Rockies’ recent spring trainings. Expect plenty of experimentation. At Rockies Fan Fest, DePodesta said fans should expect to see players at spring training playing positions that might be unexpected.

10. Who will be the breakout star of camp? Don’t be surprised if it’s third baseman Kyle Karros. He’s an under-the-radar player, but he’s mature and knows himself. Karros played 43 games with the Rockies last season, starting 41. He slashed .226/.308/.277 with just one home run, but he’s capable of much more. As a defender, he has Gold Glove potential.