Second base will be a position to watch this spring for the Colorado Rockies. Ryan Ritter played primarily at the position after being called up in the middle of last season following a torrid offensive stretch with Triple-A Albuquerque. Ritter was serviceable offensively, hitting .241 with one home run and 18 RBI in 187 at-bats. Per Statcast, he ranked in the 93rd percentile league-wide in sprint speed, running at 29.2 ft/s. But most importantly, Ritter helped clog a defensive leak at the keystone that had plagued the Rockies all season.
Rockies Have a Black Hole at Second Base
Per FieldingBible.com, second base was tied with center field with -11 defensive runs saved, good for second-worst on the Rockies. Veteran Thairo Estrada was supposed to be the full-time starter at second but dealt with injuries and inconsistency all season. After Estrada suffered a right wrist fracture in spring training, 22-year-old Adael Amador was forced into early action. It was obvious he was not ready, as he struggled mightily on both sides of the ball.
Estrada did not make his Rockies’ debut until May 30. That left the position as a major liability for the first couple of months of the season. Estrada brought more consistency to the plate for a Rockies’ offense that sorely needed it. But it was still well below the expectation that Estrada and the Rockies envisioned when they signed him in the offseason. His stellar history at Coors Field did not produce results, finishing with just three home runs in 154 at-bats.
But most surprising was that the normally surefire and defensively sound Estrada struggled. Per Statcast, he finished with -1 OAA, and his 76.9 mph arm strength ranked in the 11th percentile league-wide. Definitely still a step-up from Amador, but well below the standard Estrada had established for himself defensively. He finished with a 0 fielding run value, after finishing with a combined 24 fielding run value in 2023-24 with the San Francisco Giants. Now, Estrada’s short Rockies career is likely already over as the Rockies declined the mutual option for 2026 and Estrada elected free agency.
Serious Depth Issue at Second
As of now, Ritter would presumably be the on-paper favorite to start at second. He showed promise last season on both sides of the ball and just turned 25 this November. But if Ritter suffers an injury again, the current depth behind him is very shallow. One option this past season was utility player Tyler Freeman after he was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians in the Nolan Jones trade. Freeman was excellent offensively for the Rockies, one of the few players in the lineup who excelled at making contact and avoiding strikeouts. According to Statcast, he ranked in the 97th and 94th percentile, respectively, in both whiff rate (12.5%) and K rate (11.9%).
However, he was also one of the worst players defensively on the Rockies. Between primarily right field and second, Freeman finished with a -10 fielding run value in 110 games. It was a significant drop-off for Freeman. His previous career low was -2 in 2022 with the Guardians. Right field for the Rockies was one of the worst positions defensively in baseball as Freeman and Mickey Moniak combined for -21 DRS, per FieldingBible.com. But they also were far and away the two most productive players offensively for the Rockies outside of Hunter Goodman.
MICKEY MONIAK!!! pic.twitter.com/zRgTqEkZkQ
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 17, 2025
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Tyler Freeman Could Be the Answer
Both offense and defense were serious issues for Colorado in a historically bad season. But the offensive drop-off without Moniak and Freeman is scary to think about. Both players are arbitration-eligible, and Freeman was listed by MLBTradeRumors.com on Wednesday as a candidate to be cut. The deadline is November 21, so the Rockies’ decision on Freeman and their other arbitration-eligible players will be made soon. It would be a mistake to let either player go.
They both are still in their twenties, fitting into the Rockies’ rebuild timeline. They had career years offensively last season and were well below their career averages defensively. Additionally, Freeman provides a much-needed safety net at second base for the Rockies in case Ritter struggles or deals with injuries. Take a bet on their strong offensive upside in Colorado and the likelihood that they will move closer to average defensively based on their respective careers to this point.
Tyler Freeman is batting .478 in the month of June
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— DNVR Rockies (@DNVR_Rockies) June 10, 2025
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Decision Time for Paul DePodesta Again
The Rockies hired Paul DePodesta to be their president of baseball operations shortly before the GM Meetings. That meant the important decisions for DePodesta were going to come fast and furious as the offseason gets going in full. He aced the first test when he acquired a quality reliever from the Boston Red Sox for a player heading for the Rule 5 Draft. He also decided to cut bait with first baseman Michael Toglia, following a disastrous season for the former Rockies’ first-round pick.
Now, it is time to decide on the six players who are arbitration-eligible for Colorado. There are some significant players on the list, including star center fielder Brenton Doyle, Moniak, Freeman, starting pitcher Ryan Feltner, and relievers Lucas Gilbreath and Jimmy Herget. Doyle is a given to return, considering his five-tool upside and age. There can be a reasonable case made for each of the remaining players on the list to return as well. But it is hard to predict what DePodesta will do as his tenure in Colorado gets underway.
He has already expressed to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post that he’s willing to use trades to make improvements to the Rockies’ roster. A stark contrast from the history of the usually insular Rockies. Will DePodesta want to clean house as he builds the Rockies in his image? The answer will arrive soon. But there are young players on this list who have shown significant upside for Colorado. If they are released, will DePodesta find better replacements in free agency and through trades? Unlikely. The Rockies require improvements all over the field. But releasing these players as part of that process is the wrong decision.
Main Photo Credit: © Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
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