After 50 games, catcher Hunter Goodman is the likeliest All-Star candidate for the Colorado Rockies. He is also emerging as the catcher of the future for the club. Goodman currently leads the Rockies in batting average (.282), RBI (31), OBP (.332), and hits (51). After playing 67 games in the outfield last season, the third-year player has taken his opportunity behind the plate and run with it.
Hunter Goodman Emerging as Catcher of the Future
Goodman stamped his spot as the starting catcher for the Rockies in Cactus League play. In 45 at-bats, he hit a scorching .444/.500/.822 with 10 RBI and three home runs in 19 games. Catcher Drew Romo, who was in the mix for the role, was drafted 35th overall as the top high school catcher in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft. He appeared late for Colorado last season. Romo struggled offensively in his 16 games with the Rockies. Over 51 at-bats, Romo hit .176/.208/.235 with 18 strikeouts to two walks. Romo again struggled offensively in Cactus League play and began the season at Triple-A Albuquerque.
Romo was placed on the seven-day injured list (finger) on March 12 and was just activated on Tuesday. Provided he can stay healthy, Romo will look to continue developing his offense in Triple-A. Besides Romo, there is no clear competition for the role in the future. Veteran Jacob Stallings has struggled, hitting a paltry .135 after a career year offensively last season.
Romo is described by MLB.com as a “very good receiver” who can handle premium stuff. Considering his draft stock, Romo will assuredly get his chance again as he works to stay healthy consistently. But Goodman has established a stronghold on the position and will make it an intriguing position battle to watch going forward.
Working To Improve Defensively
Hunter Goodman was drafted out of the University of Memphis as a catcher in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB draft. He focused exclusively on catching this offseason. In an interview with Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post in February, Goodman noted that 90% of his time this offseason was spent on defense, the next major step in his development. He has already shown serious potential offensively at the big-league level.
Per Statcast, Goodman is right around the MLB average with zero blocks above average. Additionally, he has dealt with a struggling Rockies’ pitching staff, resulting in a combined wild pitches/passed ball total of 13. That inconsistency has resulted in just a 41.2% strike rate with Goodman catching, per Statcast. He still has to work on framing, ranking in the 28th percentile. Goodman has caught three runners stealing out of 12 attempts. His 1.98 pop time is right below the league average.
Plenty of Room to Grow
While Goodman is not among the elite defensive catchers in the sport, he is serviceable for the Rockies. Additionally, a young player being the primary catcher for the first time on a historically bad team is encouraging for Goodman’s prospects. He is gaining consistent, crucial reps for his development at the position as he builds on his first full offseason working only as a catcher.
“Catching is my favorite, and it’s the position I’m best at, so it was a good offseason for me,” Goodman said in the offseason interview with Saunders.
Goodman the Likeliest All-Star Candidate for Colorado
At a league-worst 8-42, the Rockies will get only one All-Star by default. On the struggling ball club, Goodman is the leading candidate for that honor. While he has been average defensively, he is among the best at the position offensively in the National League. Each All-Star squad selects two catchers. But with each team required to have at least one participant, Goodman makes the most sense out of the Rockies available.
Hunter Goodman gives the @Rockies the lead! pic.twitter.com/PLzRM8kFMt
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Center fielder Brenton Doyle and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, the two stars on the Rockies, won’t be selected. Doyle is mired in a slump at the plate, hitting just .219/.282/.348 with just four home runs. Tovar has been limited to just 22 games due to a nagging hip injury. Third baseman Ryan McMahon represented the Rockies last season. However, he has not replicated the strong offensive first half he showed last year, hitting just .207. Reliever Jake Bird has been lights out, posting an unbelievable 1.80 ERA with a K:BB ratio of 37:14 over 30 innings pitched.
However, the Rockies have only had four All-Star appearances from relievers in the history of the franchise. Both were closers, Greg Holland (2017) and Brian Fuentes (2005-07). RHP Adam Ottavino showed it was virtually impossible for a Rockies reliever to make the All-Star Game. In the first half of the 2018 season, Ottavino went 4-2 over 41 games with an otherworldly 1.62 ERA and a K:BB ratio of 67:18. In arguably the biggest all-star snub in Rockies’ history, he was not selected to the Midsummer Classic. As a result, the baseball world clearly said that Rockies’ hitters are punished for playing at Coors Field, but pitchers are not rewarded.
Goodman Near the Top Offensively Among NL Catchers
The Rockies’ All-Star will likely be Goodman, an impressive feat for the third-year player. He ranks near the top of the NL in numerous hitting categories.
- 51 hits, first
- 11 doubles, tied-first
- seven home runs, third
- 31 RBI, first
- .282 avg., third
- .332 OBP, third
- .470 SLG, second
- .802 OPS, second
Goodman would be the first Rockies’ All-Star catcher since Elias Díaz in 2023, and second overall. Díaz won the All-Star Game MVP that season, hitting a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the 8th to give the National League a 3-2 lead. That sets the bar high for Goodman. He has a ways to go to catch Díaz defensively. But he is resembling the great offense Díaz provided at the plate during his time in Colorado.
There was no clear answer at the position last season after Díaz was let go. This season, the rebuilding Rockies may have found one in Hunter Goodman.
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