Colorado Rockies news and links for Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Rejoice baseball fans, the time is upon us for pitchers and catchers to report to camp to kick off spring training!
Understandably, expectations are low for the Colorado Rockies entering the 2025 season, after all, they have lost 100 games in back-to-back seasons are are projected by some to be the worst team in baseball this season. The team is clearly on a rebuild trajectory after an uneventful offseason and spring training will bring about both questions and answers. This week, let’s dive into some storylines/questions for the pitchers.
Can the Youth Break Through?
The most intriguing question heading into spring training is how will the prospects fare. The Rockies’ pitching depth has been their most intriguing project over the last couple of seasons. The draft has focused on in pitching and the team is adamant that young pitching will be the key to their success much like it did in 2017 and 2018.
All eyes will be on 2023 first-round pick Chase Dollander who is considered the Rockies’ top pitching prospect. In his first pro season in 2024, Dollander dazzled during his time split between High-A Spokane and Double-A Hartford. The Rockies have indicated they will give him every chance to make the rotation but how seriously they are considering that option is still up in the air. There is no need to rush him, as he could still benefit from some Triple-A time, and if he’s pitching in the big leagues it will be as a member of the rotation which is kinda set at the moment. Still, he’ll be the most anticipated player to watch in big league camp.
Beyond Dollander, the team is interested in seeing how close players like Carson Palmquist, Sean Sullivan and Gabriel Hughes are to reaching the big leagues. Palmquist reached Triple-A last season and though the team may look at breaking him in as a long reliever, there is a lot to like about his pitching make-up. Sullivan showed a lot last season as well and could be closer to a debut this season. Hughes will have to show he is healthy and could also be a fast track to the big leagues if things go his way. There are interesting options in the starting department that are worth watching during spring training.
Can the rotation vets return to form?
The Rockies have spent many years touting how great their starting pitching was for their two playoff seasons. Seven years later three of those starters are still in the rotation. Kyle Freeland, Germán Márquez and Antonio Senzatela have ebbed and flowed over their careers with all three suffering injuries in the last couple of years. Tommy John surgery recovery limited Márquez and Senzatela to just four combined starts last season while Freeland missed a good chunk of time with a left elbow strain.
The team is banking on all three staying healthy and returning to form to bring back the magic they once had. Freeland turned in a good second half after returning from injury but there are still questions of consistency and effectiveness as he ages. Additionally, Márquez and Senzatela have barely pitched since 2023 which makes this spring training crucial for them to get back in throwing shape and prove they can still be effective big league starters. It’s worth remembering that Márquez is a free agent after this season.
Austin Gomber signed a $6.35 million deal in arbitration and had a solid and healthy 2024 season, but he is also going to a free agent after this season. Feltner is the most interesting to watch due to his dominant second half, something to hope he brings into spring training this season. The youth are knocking on the door and hopefully, the pressure is being felt for some of the veterans to perform, otherwise, the Rockies may have to move on.
Arm Barn Battles
Speaking of youth, the Rockies saw the bullpen become a haven of young power arms in the latter half of 2024. Victor Vodnik, Seth Halvorsen, Angel Chivilli and Luis Peralta turned heads upon their arrival and performance. Jaden Hill made a brief appearance and the club has Zach Agnos on the cusp of cracking through as well.
The veterans from the last few years are set to return, such as Jake Bird, Tyler Kinley and Justin Lawrence but there roles are set in stone, especially for Bird and Lawrence. They are all looking to prove to be consistent arms, but the added pressure of the hard-throwing young arms could make the bullpen one of the best in baseball if they can all live up to the hype.
Otherwise, there is veteran Diego Castillo who appears to have a solid chance of making the team as well as newcomer Jefry Yan who has had quite the journey and is hoping to make his big league debut finally. The bullpen is certainly the spot to watch in spring training.
The time is now
There are certainly plenty of other stories and questions to watch for in spring training, but hopefully, these few can be a starting point for you over the next month. I’d love to hear any other pitching-specific questions and storylines you’re looking for down in the comments below.
Pitchers and catchers report to camp on Thursday followed by a full team workout on the 18th. The Rockies’ first game of spring training will be on February 21st against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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Here’s how the Rockies’ Opening Day roster may shape up| MLB.com
Thomas Harding tries his hand at projecting the initial 2025 Opening Day roster. Not a lot of surprises here as we pretty much know the roster as currently constructed.
Affected by Altitude Episode 151: Spring is in the Air | Rocky Mountain Rooftop
This week Evan Lang and I prep for spring training by discussing some key positions and questions we have. We also break down projections for Nolan Jones.
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