TODAY: The Rockies officially announced Bernabel’s selection.
JULY 25: The Rockies are expected to select Warming Bernabel before tomorrow’s game in Baltimore, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Mike Rodriguez first reported that the 23-year-old infielder was being called up. Colorado has an opening on the 40-man roster after the Ryan McMahon trade.
This is Bernabel’s first major league call. He was on Colorado’s 40-man roster during the 2023 season so the Rox could keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. He hit .236/.282/.367 in the minors that year. The Rockies felt comfortable exposing him to waivers and outrighted him off the roster at the end of Spring Training 2024. He spent last season at Double-A Hartford and has played this year with Triple-A Albuquerque.
Bernabel is hitting .301/.356/.450 in his first 75 Triple-A contests. That looks strong on the surface but is below average after accounting for the Pacific Coast League environment. Bernabel has plus bat-to-ball skills but frequently expands the strike zone. That keeps him from making much hard contact. He’s averaging just 84 MPH off the bat in the minors. It’d be tough to make that approach work against big league pitching unless he finds a way to become a lot more selective.
There’s nevertheless little harm for the Rockies in giving a look to a young player who was once a prospect of some note. Bernabel is a primary third baseman and could step into everyday playing time vacated by McMahon’s departure. He also has experience at first base, where Michael Toglia is hitting .197/.266/.359.