Colorado Rockies news and links for Thursday, June 5, 2025
When the Colorado Rockies signed Mickey Moniak in March, it seemed unclear exactly what his role with the team would be.
With Brenton Doyle and Jordan Beck penciled in as starters, Moniak would take part in the competition for playing time in right field, attempting to beat out familiar face Sean Bouchard and fellow newcomer Nick Martini.
As the season has continued, though, Martini has departed the organization and Bouchard, at least at the time of this writing, remains with Triple-A Albuquerque. Moniak has thusly taken the reins on the right field position, and in fact has played the second-most games of any Rockies player this season at 55, second only to Hunter Goodman’s and Ryan McMahon’s 59.
How’s that been going?
Like many in Colorado’s lineup, Moniak has seen inconsistent success in 2025. He’s had the occasional hot streak — such as the week of May 4-11, which saw him amass nine hits in seven games — but has also struggled, as evidenced by his current slash line of .212/.262/.385 for the year. The lack of sustained offensive results isn’t unique to him, as we know, but it’s still worth mentioning that taking at-bats in the spacious confines of Coors Field hasn’t led to a power surge in the way that the team was hoping for.
And be clear, they have been hoping — for a while, it seems.
It must be nice to know that a team has its eye on you and specifically wants you to be brought into the fold. That’s exactly the situation with Moniak and the Rockies, and though he hasn’t exactly broken out as of yet, there’s reason to believe that breakout is on the horizon.
Per Baseball Savant, Moniak’s hitting the ball harder than almost any other time in his career. He’s being more selective at the plate, striking out less and walking at a higher rate and generating more consistent solid contact. These improvements may not amount to much at first glance, but maybe that’s due to some bad luck — after all, while Moniak’s batting average sits at an aforementioned .212 clip, Savant shows his XBA at a more palatable .249.
Is that All-Star level production? No, of course not, but it does show that the sixth-year outfielder is still honing his craft and making adjustments to better his game. A struggling Rockies lineup would also deeply appreciate production like that — after all, that .249 average would be third-best among Rockies hitters with at least ten games played. It seems that, even with his early season scuffles, Moniak is proving that the potential he flashed in high school that led to his selection as the first overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft is still waiting to be unleashed.
If he can start to recognize breaking pitches at a greater rate (he’s hitting .136 off of breaking balls, compared to .247 on fastballs), these improvements at the plate and in the cage could start to pay dividends for the Rockies.
At the same time, while Moniak’s bat seems to be taking steps forward, his glove must do the same.
The native Californian’s defensive efforts thus far have led to a -0.7 dWAR per Baseball Reference, That’s the lowest mark of his career by a decent amount. His five errors are the second-most among MLB outfielders, and his defensive metrics are all in the negatives. Moniak hasn’t had a very cash-money 2025 in the outfield grass.
Part of his continued progression must include this aspect of his game. If Moniak is going to continue to serve as the starting right fielder and make his case for an extended stay in Colorado once his one-year deal ends, then overcoming these defensive deficiencies is absolutely paramount. At just 27 years old and with a Range Factor that typically stands above league average, Moniak has the physical skillset to turn this part of his toolkit into an effective weapon. The work must simply continue, especially if Tyler Freeman and Sam Hilliard continue to stand out as they have done recently.
I’m not saying Moniak is the hidden key to a treasure trove of postseason success, but I am saying that he’s starting to show what he’s capable of. With Colorado’s outfield collective currently having trouble finding offensive rhythm, the time is ripe for Moniak to break out and cement his status as the right fielder of today, and maybe even tomorrow. Whether or not he will be able to do so remains to be seen, but he’s off to a decent start.
On the farm
Triple-A: El Paso Chihuahuas 14, Albuquerque Isotopes 4
A nine-run fifth inning was the difference-maker in a lopsided loss for the Isotopes.
Bradley Blalock was dinged up by the home Chihuahuas for eight runs on ten hits in just four innings, which proved to be too much for the Topes to overcome. Jeffrey Yan had a tough night as well, surrendering five runs *two earned) in 2⁄3 of an inning.
Yanquiel Fernández did his best to cut into the deficit with a three-hit, three-RBI performance, including his ninth home run of the season. Michael Toglia went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 4, Portland Sea Dogs 2
Austin Gomber’s first rehab start went well as his four inning, one-run outing helped elevate the Yard Goats over the Sea Dogs.
Gomber was the first of four solid pitching performances as he, Victor Juarez, Collin Baumgartner, and Brayan Castillo allowed just five total hits to the Sea Dogs. That allowed Hartford’s offense to take the lead, led by two-hit efforts by Cole Carrigg and Braiden Ward.
High-A: Hilsboro Hops 8, Spokane Indians 5
The Indians surged late, but couldn’t quite close the deficit as they fell to the Hops on Wednesday.
That late surge came with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, in which Charlie Condon’s RBI single and Braylen Wimmer’s three-run homer plated four runs to bring Spokane within three. Unfortunately, that would be as close as they got.
Lebarron Johnston Jr. worked around three hits and five walks to allow just two runs after 4 2⁄3 innings, but Davison Palermo and Alan Perdomo combined to surrender six runs in just 2 1⁄3. That proved too much for the Indians to overcome.
Single-A: Stockton Ports 4, Fresno Grizzlies 3
Oof, this one hurt.
The Grizzlies and Ports, locked at two runs apiece after nine innings, would need extra frames to determine a winner in Wednesday’s late game. That was despite the Grizzlies having 11 hits to the Ports’ 3. Alas.
In the tenth, Fresno took back the lead when Tommy Hopfe scored on an error by Stockton shortstop Gunner Gouldsmith. The Ports struck right back when they tied the game on a double play ball, but three straight two-out hits were enough to deliver the win.
The winning hit? An RBI single by German Ortiz to plate – you guessed it – Gunner Gouldsmith. Fresno left 11 men on base and went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
For more on the Rockies farm system, check out this week’s Pebble Report.
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On the internet
Making the Rockies Look Good | FanGraphs
What would it take to put a positive spin on a season such as this? FanGraphs did their best as they attempted to put together a split metric that casts the Rockies in a positive light.
Rockies keep pace with history: When’s the last time Colorado swept a series? | FanSided
In more positive news, Colorado’s baseball club has got to be feeling good after their first series win – and sweep – of the season. How good? Well, the John Buhler looks at what “magic” may be helping the Rockies turn the tide.
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