Monday Rockpile and Weekly Pebble Report: Hunter Goodman and Michael Toglia are making strides as big league sluggers

Colorado Rockies news and links for Monday, June 24th, 2024

Back at the beginning of May I took to the page pleading for the Colorado Rockies to stop mishandling young first baseman, outfielder, and catcher Hunter Goodman. The Rockies were struggling immensely with an 8-26 start and the 24-year-old Goodman wasn’t getting much playing time despite being called up from Triple-A to shake things up prior to the Mexico City Series.

Goodman was recalled to replace scuffling first baseman and outfielder Michael Toglia, who had started the season hitting just .106/.143/.362 with 20 strikeouts and just one walk in limited playing time—just 49 plate appearances—after making the Opening Day roster out of spring training. When he was optioned on April 24th, he had appeared in just 15 of the Rockies’ 25 games played and started in just 12 of them. Toglia had just five hits—granted, four of them were home runs—and had struck out 20 times while drawing only one walk in his first 15 games of the season.

Although general manager Bill Schmidt promised that “good things [were] going to happen” when it came to the Rockies’ young talent, it was hard to believe him when guys like Toglia and then Goodman were losing significant playing time to 31-year-old veteran Jake Cave.

Cave has now earned a great deal of respect from the Rockies fanbase thanks to his emotional display during a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the fact remains he was getting more regular starts than younger players. As of June 6th—prior to Toglia’s most recent recall from Triple-A Albuquerque—Cave had appeared in 44 games with 20 starts compared to Toglia’s 15 games and 12 starts; and Goodman’s 19 games and 16 starts.

However, over the last month the gap has started to close between the three in terms of playing time. Although it may largely be due to manager Bud Black’s hand being forced due to a rash of injuries to veterans and older starters—such as Charlie Blackmon, Elias Díaz, Kris Bryant, and Sean Bouchard—Michal Toglia and Hunter Goodman have gotten significantly more playing time in the last month.

As of today, Toglia has appeared and started in all 17 Rockies games since he was recalled from the minors on June 6th. largely playing first base with a smattering of right and left field. Goodman hasn’t played quite as much as Toglia, but in that same time frame he has appeared in 12 games and started in nine. Meanwhile, Jake Cave has appeared in 14 games and started 13.

Both Toglia and Goodman have little to prove in the minor leagues. Goodman hit .298/.352/.690 with seven home runs in 20 games with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes this season. His career OPS at Triple-A is 1.161 and he boasts a career minor league OPS of .983 since the Rockies drafted him in the fourth round from the University of Memphis back in 2021.

When Toglia was optioned to Triple-A after struggling in April, he immediately went back to hitting well with consistent at-bats. In 30 games with the Isotopes this season he hit .277/.363/.571 with nine home runs.

Now that the pair are getting regular playing time, they are doing everything they can to keep their spots on the roster and avoid being optioned again.

For Goodman, his rise has largely coincided with a return to his native position of catcher. Goodman was the primary catcher for Memphis when he was drafted in 2021 but had gradually played less at the position as he rose through the Rockies’ farm system.

Goodman made his first career start behind the plate on May 18th, and since then he has hit .224/.244/.487 with five doubles and five home runs.

His next start at catcher came on June 15th after primary catcher Elias Díaz went on the injured list with a calf strain and Jacob Stallings assumed the starting role. That night he had his coming out party, going 4-for-5 with a double and two home runs and tallying 11 total bases.

Starting pitcher Ty Blach also praised Goodman for his performance behind the plate as well as at it.

“Hunter worked really hard to be on the game plan and know what he was trying to do,” said Blach, who threw only 29 pitches in the first three innings. “Obviously what he did with the bat tonight was really incredible.”

Goodman has now appeared in nine straight games starting on the 15th and started in eight of them. During that stretch he’s hitting .273/.294/.758 with five home runs and has drawn even more praise from his teammates.

“He’s been awesome, man. Getting a little more playing time I think he’s definitely starting to find his groove,” said Ryan McMahon after a Rockies win on June 22nd where Goodman went 2-for-4 with another home run. “The kid is special, he’s going to do some great things in this league.”

On Sunday, left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland returned to the rotation after spending most of the season on the injured list. He spun a one-hit shutout gem over six innings and praised Goodman for his work behind the plate.

“With ‘Goody’ behind the plate, our first time being battery-mates, he was absolutely incredible back there.”

For Toglia, his success has come from what our own Skyler Timmins discussed just a day before he was called back up to the MLB squad: getting back to what made him successful in the farm system.

Toglia does his best work when he makes contact and avoids whiffing too much. He will always profile as a high-strikeout batter, but if he’s able to dial it back a bit and make consistent contact, he is capable of crushing baseballs with regularity.

Toglia has started every game at first base since his return, and during that period of 17 games he is hitting .262/.324/.492 in 68 plate appearances. He’s struck out just 23 times while drawing six walks and slugging a double, two triples, and three home runs, all the while hitting the ball with authority.

Both Goodman and Toglia will need to continue to develop and take advantage of their big league playing time. While there is a concern that they might lose starts once veterans begin tricking back from injury, their goal is clear. They must use the big strides taken over the last month to give this team no choice but to consider these burgeoning sluggers a key part of the team’s future.

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Weekly Pebble Report: Playoffs!?!? (June 17th-June 23rd)

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes (4-2, 29-49 Overall)

Though far out of first half playoff contention, the Albuquerque Isotopes earned their second series win of the year and it came against their dreaded foes in the Oklahoma City Baseball Club (Los Angeles Dodgers). Both the bats and surprisingly the pitching came to play to round out the first half for the ‘Topes.

Stock Up: Right-handed reliever and former first round draft pick Riley Pint has been dealing since he returned from the injured list. He made two scoreless outings against the Baseball Club and struck out five batters over two innings while issuing just one walk.

Stock Up: OF/SS Greg Jones was sent back to Triple-A after earning his first big league hit and first big league home run at the same time. In two games back with the Isotopes Jones went 4-for-9 with a home run.

Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats (4-2, 38-30 Overall)

For the first time ever as the Hartford Yard Goats, the Rockies’ Double-A affiliate clinched a playoff berth as first half champions with a series win against the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals).

Stock Up: Right-handed reliever Alec Barger pitched three shutout innings over two appearances against the Senators. His first outing was a two inning gem where he struck out five batters and allowed just one hit. Later on in the week he struck out another two in an inning of work. Barger—obtained from the Atlanta Braves last year at the deadline—is carrying a 2.74 ERA through 23 innings with 30 total strikeouts.

Stock Up: Connor Van Scoyoc continues to turn his season around with yet another strong start. In 6 ²⁄₃ innings against the Senators he gave up just one earned run on three hits while striking out six batters on the way to a Yard Goats victory… The one that clinched the playoff berth.

High-A: Spokane Indians (5-2, 41-26)

Before the week started the Spokane Indians had already won the crown of Kings in the North(west League). They took a seven-game victory lap against the Eugene Emeralds (San Francisco Giants), winning five games of the set in commanding fashion and capping things off with back-to-back shutouts.

Rehab Update: Rockies right-handed starter Germán Márquez made his third rehab start as he battles his way back to the big league roster following his Tommy John surgery. Márquez gave up just one hit in four shutout innings with Spokane, striking out three batters and walking two. His next rehab start will likely come in Double-A Hartford this week.

Stock Up: Closer Zach Agnos made three scoreless appearances for the Indians over four total innings. He struck out six batters without giving up any walks or hits and notched his 10th save of the season while lowering his ERA to a fantastic 0.73 over 24 ²⁄₃ total innings of work.

Stock Up: Glenallen Hill Jr. greatly enjoyed his first week with the High-A squad after being promoted on the 19th. Hill Jr. went 9-for-29 with two home runs and two doubles over his first five games with the Indians.

Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (4-2, 40-28 Overall)

Despite an incredibly strong season the Grizzlies fell just short of a first half playoff berth, just 3.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners affiliated Modesto Nuts. The Grizzlies took it out on the Stockton Ports (Oakland Athletics) by taking four games of six.

Stock Up: Right-handed starter Jack Mahoney (no. 28 PuRP) just continues to impress. The 22-year-old has an ERA of 3.20 over 12 starts and 70 ¹⁄₃ innings. This week he turned in a truly impressive complete game shutout against the Ports where he struck out four batters and allowed just two hits. Mahoney’s accomplishment is the first complete game shutout in all of minor league baseball this season.

Stock Up: Braylen Wimmer was one of the Grizzlies’ most valuable hitters this week with multi-hit performances in four of the five games he appeared in. Wimmer went 10-for-20 against the Ports with three stolen bases and capped off the week with two home runs in the Sunday series finale.

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The Curious Case of Elehuris Montero | Purple Row

Similar to his piece on Michael Toglia, Skyler Timmins took a look a few weeks ago at what might be ailing Elehuris Montero. The slugger and former prospect has seen his playing time diminish as Goodman and Toglia’s have grown.

How did Jake Cave become a man of the people? | Just Baseball

Patrick Lyons over at Just Baseball explores the season’s journey of one Mr. Jake Cave, who has gone from frustrating thief of playing time to a man of the people after his emotional outburts at umpire Lance Barksdale.

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