Colorado Rockies news and links for Thursday, November 7, 2024
On Wednesday, a report was posted that helpfully lays out every single minor leaguer that has elected to depart their franchise and test the tumultuous waters of free agency.
There are quite a few interesting names on this list, but I’d like to focus on those that have decided to find out if the grass is greener outside of Colorado. There are exactly 20 players in that group, but let’s talk at greater length about some of the more recognizable.
Riley Pint
Boy, how time flies. The former first round pick from 2016 has had, to put it lightly, an up-and-down affair with the game of baseball. After walking away from and then returning to the sport, Pint last appeared with the Rockies last season, taking part in four contests and allowing eight runs over his 3 1⁄3 innings.
The Rockies seem to have their rotation largely set for next season, so Pint’s only real avenue to playing time would have been in the bullpen. It appears that won’t happen now, though, and his future in baseball is unclear.
Colorado can try to bring him back into the fold, but it looks likely that his time in purple is over. Given his struggles at the MLB level (albeit in an incredibly small sample size), it will be interesting to see if the Rockies continue to unlock his latent potential or if another club will try to get the most out of the former highly-touted prospect.
Willie MacIver
Once considered a possible candidate to make an appearance with the big league team, MacIver has had to live in the shadow of heir-apparent Drew Romo for a few seasons now. With Romo fully entrenched as Colorado’s catcher of the future, a move to a new franchise could give MacIver an opportunity to step into the spotlight and make a name for himself.
The 27-year-old backstop recorded a productive season at Triple-A Albuquerque last year, slashing .297/.382/.530 to go along with 15 homers and five triples. This was in the hitter-friendly PCL, of course, but it’s still safe to assume that a team will take a flier on the swingin’ signal-caller.
Grant Lavigne
Another heralded prospect that was once considered a future major leaguer, Lavigne hasn’t been able to generate consistent results throughout his time in Colorado’s minor league systems. With Michael Toglia’s ascension to starting first baseman and the options available to them in the form of Kris Bryant and potentially even Hunter Goodman, Lavigne is a clear odd man out.
If he can find his swing, he could be a sneaky good pickup for another franchise willing to take the time to help develop him. As teams search for help at the corner infield positions, we’ll see if he ends up heading to new pastures or returning to the Rockies on a new deal.
Noah Davis
Davis got a good amount of work with Colorado in the months of July and August this past season. His nine total appearances amounted to a 5.75 ERA and 31 hits in 20 1⁄3 innings, which is actually an improvement on last season’s totals.
He’s made limited appearances in the bigs in each of the last three seasons and seemed like a prime candidate for a long relief role. Instead, he’ll have to see if his repertoire is enticing enough to convince another team to give him an opportunity.
His ability to pitch out of the bullpen (as he did with the Rockies) or as a starter (as was his role in the minors) will doubtless be of interest to other clubs. We’ll see what kind of magic they can work to draw out his latent potential, as has been done before.
Jameson Hannah
Hannah doesn’t have some of the name recognition others on this list do, but he’s someone that fans have had their eyes on for a minute. Acquired in the deal for Jeff Hoffman in 2020, Hannah is an interesting figure. Fresh off the heels of a solid season in Triple-A, the 27-year-old outfielder profiles as a talented defender and pretty-alright hitter that is still developing into his final form.
As we all know, the Rockies have had a persistent issue with finding room for everyone in their outfield logjam, so it’s not terribly surprising that Hannah may want to seek regular playing time elsewhere. A skillset like his plays at all parks, so it’ll be all about how he can progress offensively.
Brenton Doyle had a similar outlook before he broke out into the star we know him as today — might Hannah experience a similar metamorphosis?
Elehuris Montero
The highest-profile athlete on this list is undoubtedly Montero. His departure leaves Austin Gomber as the sole member of the Trade That Shall Not Be Named, and he’s been one of the most discussed examples of the “let the kids play” mentality that the Rockies have seemingly adopted with more veracity recently.
Many clamored for Montero to receive anything resembling consistent playing time. When given such opportunities, though, he was unable to capitalize and found himself spending the vast majority of 2024 with the Albuquerque Isotopes (with which, to be fair, he played quite well!).
If he truly does leave, that will close the book on a fairly frustrating period of development (or lack thereof) with Montero. Of course, he or any of these players could end up back with Colorado next season, but maybe it’s time to explore other avenues to further their careers.
Whether they stay or go, I of course wish each and every one of these athletes the best of luck in their future careers.
Do you think any of these players will return? Are there other names on this list you believe we should discuss more? Let me know in the comments below!
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Looking at offseason moves for the Colorado Rockies | Locked On Rockies
The Locked on Rockies podcast hosted by Paul Holden looks ahead to the winter season and breaks down some potential additions and subtractions that Colorado could conceivably make in preparation for 2025.
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