Wednesday Rockpile: What should the Colorado Rockies look like in three years?

Colorado Rockies news and links for Wednesday, June 11, 2025

A person who knows a lot more about baseball than I do said something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: Teams should always be planning for what they’ll look like in three years.

We know that the 2025 season is a wash. Save for giving prospects experience and trying to fix a broken organization, this year is done.

So let’s look to 2028.

Congratulations! Effective today, you are the Colorado Rockies general manager.

What do you think the Rockies should look like in three years, operating within the parameters of who the Rockies are? That means Dick Monfort remains the primary owner though perhaps he brings on someone to infuse some cash into the organization. Additionally, there’s no wishing away the bad stuff: Kris Bryant’s and Antonio Senzatela’s contracts remain underwater.

Your first trade deadline is on July 31, so you need to get moving.

What trades will you attempt at this deadline? What kinds of players do you hope to accumulate? Which players will you promote? Which ones will you DFA? Do you have free agents you’d like to target? What will your Rockies team look like in 2028?

Here’s the current 40-man roster and a link to their Spotrac contract details as well as our most-recent PuRPs rankings. I’ve also indicated free-agent status for players who will meet that threshold prior to 2029.

Starting pitchers

• Bradley Blalock
• Chase Dollander
• Ryan Feltner (UFA 2029)
• Kyle Freeland (UFA 2028)
• Austin Gomber (UFA 2026)
• Tanner Gordon
• Germán Márquez (UFA 2026)
• Carson Palmquist
• Antonio Senzatela (Club option 2027; UFA 2028)

What I’m doing: This season, I would attempt to trade Márquez and Gomber. In addition, I would move Antonio Senzatela into long relief, accepting that the Rockies will have to pay his contract through its duration.

In 2026-2027, I’m looking to fine-tune the rotation and would attempt to trade Freeland in 2027, assuming there is a market.

In 2028, I’m hoping for a rotation that looks something like this: Dollander, Feltner, Hughes (No. 11 PuRP), Palmquist, and Sullivan with other pitchers providing depth.

Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Relief pitchers

• Zach Agnos
• Jake Bird (UFA 2029)
• Angel Chivilli
• Jeff Criswell
• Seth Halvorsen
• Jimmy Herget (UFA 2028)
• Jaden Hill
• Tyler Kinley (UFA 2027)
• Juan Mejia
• Anthony Molina
• Luis Peralta
• Ryan Rolison
• Victor Vodnik

What I’m doing: First, this year, I would attempt to trade Bird, Herget, and Kinley. (Bird is, I think, the most valuable of the three.)

The wildcard in all this is Brody Brecht (No. 6 PuRP): Will he stick as a starter or get moved to the bullpen? Either way, I’ll find a place for him should he continue to develop.

I would build the bullpen around Agnos, Halvorsen, Mejia, Peralta, and Vodnik. Because bullpens are weird, I would work knowing that this could change at any time and acquiring depth would always be a priority.

Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Catchers

• Braxton Fulford
• Hunter Goodman
• Drew Romo

What I’m doing: This year, I’m focused on developing all three catchers and deciding which one is the catcher of the future, keeping in mind that Cole Messina is on the way.

Next year, I’m hoping to develop and potentially trade Goodman or move him into a permanent DH role with Romo and Messina assuming primary catching duties.

Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Infielders

• Adael Amador
• Orlando Arcia (UFA 2026)
• Thairo Estrada (UFA 2028)
• Kyle Farmer (UFA 2027)
• Keston Hiura (UFA 2028)
• Ryan McMahon (UFA 2028)
• Ryan Ritter
• Michael Toglia
• Ezequiel Tovar

What I’m doing: Although I do not believe there’s a market for Arcia, Farmer, or Hiura, I would see if there were any interest at the trade deadline. If not, they would not finish the season with the Rockies to make way for younger players. In addition, I would start playing Ritter at third base to see how he handles that position.

I would also attempt to move McMahon at this trade deadline. Like Bird, he is probably valuable in a trade.

Next year would be the prove it year for Michael Toglia. If he cannot improve, I would look to move him with an eye on Charlie Condon (No. 2 PuRP) as the first baseman of the future. I would keep Freeman in a utility role until 2027.

As for third base, I would hope that by the end of next season, Kyle Karros (No. 12 PuRP) would be in that position while Tovar remains at shortstop and Adael Amador (No. 3 PuRP) and Ryan Ritter sort out who will be the starting second baseman.

So my 2028 infield is Condon, Ritter/Amador, Tovar, and Karros with Goodman or Romo/Messina catching.

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images

Outfielders

• Jordan Beck
• Sean Bouchard
• Brenton Doyle
• Yanquiel Fernández
• Tyler Freeman (UFA 2028)
• Sam Hilliard (UFA 2027)
• Mickey Moniak (UFA 2028)
• Zac Veen

What I’m doing: This year, I’m not making any big changes though DFAing Bouchard to make room for Fernández is on the table.

Next year, however, I would attempt to trade Doyle and Moniak at the deadline while looking to Cole Carrigg (No. 10 PuRP) as the Brenton Doyle of the future. I would also be sure that Veen (No. 4 PuRP), Fernández (No. 7 PuRP), Robert Calaz (No. 5 PuRP), and Jared Thomas (No. 14 PuRP) have sufficient playing time to show what they can do.

Assuming he continues to develop, I move Beck in 2027.

My 2028 outfield is Calaz, Carrigg, Veen, Fernández, Thomas, and Sterlin Thompson.

Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Designated hitter

• Kris Bryant (UFA 2029)

What I’m doing: Nothing. This is a contract you’re stuck with unless Bryant decides to retire.

However, I would work to move Goodman into a full-time DH role rather than using him as a catcher. In addition, this is the place where I would look to sign a serious bat, say someone like Kyle Schwarber. The focus needs to be on finding someone who can hit, not a player whose best days are behind him. Until the Rockies show they have changed into a contender, signing serious free agents will not be possible, but that would be a focus going forward.

So that’s what I’m thinking. I’m sure I’ve missed obvious stuff, and I’m confident you will let me know what that is! Let us know what you’d do in the comments — and if you’d like to select your manager or analytics folks or discuss how you’ll draft, feel free to add that, too.

★ ★ ★

This week on the internet

Mrs. Met has answered Dinger:

★ ★ ★

These trade candidates have seen their stock start to soar | MLB.com

Yes, Jake Bird is on the list. (And this is a different article than the one I linked to yesterday.)

Strike 1: The Colorado Rockies core needs to learn how to win in Triple-A | Mile High Sports

Mark Knudson has an idea for improving the Rockies:

How good could the Albuquerque Isotopes/future Colorado Rockies be with a lineup that included Beck, Zac Veen and Yanquiel Fernández in the outfield, Ritter, Adael Amador and Michael Toglia in the infield, Goodman behind the plate and pitchers like Dollander, Carson Palmquist, Seth Halvorsen, Bradley Blalock, Tanner Gordon, Victor Vodnick and Zach Agnos?

That team could win the Pacific Coast League title, and in the process learn what it means to consistently outperform the competition when it matters the most.

He argues that this strategy aligns with the “Generation R” team development.

If your name is Ryan, you’re in the right place | RyanMeetUp.com

Attention, all Ryans: Be at Coors Field on June 21 for an attempt to bring together the most Ryans ever assembled at a baseball game. Ryan Sheepwash is leading the effort, and if you’re an interested Ryan, please consider attending. (Hopefully, Ryans Feltner, McMahon, Ritter, and Rolison will be able to make an appearance as well.)

★ ★ ★

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!