The Day After: Drew Romo reflects on his MLB debut

The “catcher of the future” made his MLB Debut on Todd Helton Night

After the Colorado Rockies parted ways with veteran catcher and former All-Star Game MVP Elias Díaz on Wednesday, fans knew something was brewing. And that something was the long-awaited debut of Drew Romo (pre-season No. 7 PuRP).

Since Romo was drafted 35th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft — the highest pick the Rockies have ever used on a catcher — fans have been eagerly awaiting the “catcher of the future” to join the club and make an impact.

After rocketing through the Rockies’ system, Romo played 85 games in Albuquerque this year after a late promotion in 2023. In those 85 games, Romo has been slashing .297/.339/.499 with 19 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs and three stolen bases (in four attempts).

Romo went 0-for-4 at the plate in his Coors Field debut, but he didn’t let that take away the big moment.

“I feel really good,” he said after Sunday’s game. “I’m settling in more and more, and we got a good win today, so the vibes are good right now.”

Romo wasn’t in the lineup on Sunday, but he was grateful for the time to acclimate after being called up on Friday after a late game in Round Rock, TX. It also gave him some time to check in on the 100+ text messages he’d received from friends and family.

For Rockies fans, Romo’s debut was poetic in a way because it coincided with the day that the team honored 2024 MLB Hall of Famer (and Rockies lifer) Todd Helton.

It was a day to honor the past while also looking to the future.

“[Making my debut on Todd Helton Night] definitely multiplied it by 1000!” Romo chuckled. “It was sold out, like 50,000 people, so that was pretty cool.

“And having Todd Helton there as well for the celebration just multiplied it by thousands,” he continued. “It was insane, but the energy was really good last night.”

After his debut, Romo spoke with the Rockies coaching staff about what went well and what he can improve upon.

“We talked about my game behind the plate last night and how I looked catching,” he said. “They say I look good behind the plate, and I felt good, so I’m really happy about that.”

Turning this play certainly helped that cause:

Of course, there are still six weeks left of the baseball season. The Rockies’ season ends on September 29 and the Albuquerque Isotopes’ season ends a week earlier, should Romo be optioned back down at any point. Romo has a few hurdles he’ll need to clear, but he’s ready for the challenge.

“For the rest of the season, I’d say [my biggest hurdle] will be continuing to get acclimated to the big leagues and how stuff works here,” he said. “It’s not the same as Triple-A, so I’ll just continue to get more experience and get acclimated to how everything works.”

The catcher of the future is here, folks. It’s Romo time!