Colorado Rockies news and links for Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Spring training is officially in full swing as the Colorado Rockies had their first full-squad workout on Tuesday. The team plays their first game on the 21st against Arizona and plenty of questions and storylines lie in wait for the position player side of things. Last week, I explored a few pitching storylines so it’s only natural that we shift gears and focus on the other side of things for the Rockies.
Can Kris Bryant actually contribute?
The foremost question on everyone’s mind is the most expensive one by far; what’s the status of Kris Bryant? It’s no secret that the Rockies’ $182 million investment has been a dud of a signing over his first three seasons in Colorado. Bryant has played in just 159 games to middling offensive results while struggling with various injuries stints. Frustrations are certainly mounting for both parties as the Rockies had hoped Bryant would be a key figure in the lineup as their “aircraft carrier.”
Knowing the challenges of the past and the uphill climb that lies ahead, the Rockies worked diligently with Bryant in the offseason to help manage his core strength in the hopes of alleviating his back issues and keeping him on the field. Bryant claims to be feeling good as he enters spring training and the team plans to have him be the designated hitter at home and play some outfield on the road. Fans are understandably pessimistic and frustrated about Bryant and he will have to do quite a bit to change his outlook in 2025 and a strong spring training would be a step in the right direction.
The outfield youth
When Bryant isn’t in the outfield, who will be? That’s the major positional question entering spring training. By all accounts, it looks like Jordan Beck will get every chance to make right field his own entering the season but it’s not a foregone conclusion. Beck impressed in camp last season and excelled in Triple-A Albuquerque before making his debut at the end of April. However, he injured his hand and missed 60 games before slashing .187/.282/.242 with one home run over his final 32 games upon returning in August.
The Rockies like his maturity and skillset and manager Bud Black indicated he will get most of the regular at-bats but there are still faces looking to compete in camp. Zac Veen is still looking to crack through to the big leagues as are other prospects like Yanquiel Fernandez and Benny Montgomery. Additionally, Cole Carrigg has surged up the prospect rankings while Sterlin Thompson has continued to steadily impress. Familiar faces Sam Hilliard and Sean Bouchard also factor into the mix with the former serving more as the fourth outfielder and backup center fielder. The Rockies have a surplus of outfield talent and need someone to break through in 2025 finally.
NoJo’s rebound
While the Rockies look for a breakout player in right field, they are hoping for a rebound year in left with Nolan Jones. After an incredible rookie season in 2023, Jones suffered a massive decline in 2024. Injuries and self-imposed pressure hindered him last season and with a perspective in his corner, Jones is hoping that 2025 can be the year he proves his rookie campaign was not a fluke.
Jones showed signs of his former self during the final weeks of the season, but spring training will be of the utmost importance. Is he is to be part of the future, the Rockies need him to find what made him successful, otherwise the team will have to look to one of the other rookies to take his place.
New faces
The Rockies weren’t particularly busy during the offseason. The only major league additions to the roster were Kyle Farmer and Thairo Estrada. Farmer aims to settle in as a versatile infielder, allowing the Rockies to provide more rest for Ryan McMahon and Ezequiel Tovar in the hopes of keeping them fresh. Estrada aims to fill in as the everyday second baseman while the team waits for prospects to rise up to take the spot themselves.
How either player settles in and attempts to show they are recovered from injury-ridden 2024 seasons will be something to watch in camp. Additionally, the team has veteran players like Austin Nola, Nick Martini, Owen Miller and Keston Hiura all vying to prove they deserve a shot on the major league roster this season. The fun of spring training is seeing some new faces in a Rockies uniform but at the end of the day most of the non-roster veteran invite should mostly be used in emergency cases only.
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Family moments fuel Bryant’s desire to recapture old magic | MLB.com
Thomas Harding caught up with Bryant about his offseason and what’s fueling him for 2025.
Affected by Altitude Episode 152: Life’s a Pitch and Then You Catch | Rocky Mountain Rooftop
Evan Lang and I discuss pitchers and catchers reporting and project the numbers of the bullpen and the catching unit in this new podcast episode of Affected by Altitude.
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