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Rockies' Zac Veen: Flashes power Saturday
Veen went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's Cactus League win over the Diamondbacks.
Veen's stock has fallen in recent years, in large part due to injuries. He reminded everyone of his ability in the spring opener with a long, loud homer that was estimated at 433 feet, per Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com. It still doesn't seem like he's a realistic candidate for the Opening Day roster given that he has just 21 games' worth of experience at the Triple-A level, but the speedy outfielder is now on the Rockies' 40-man roster and figures to debut in the majors at some point in 2025, health permitting.
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Rockies' Aaron Schunk: Remains in organization
Schunk cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday.
The 27-year-old was designated for assignment by the Rockies earlier in the week but will stick in the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. Schunk will remain in big-league camp as a non-roster invitee but is likely to begin the campaign at Albuquerque.
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Rockies' Victor Vodnik: Chance for ninth-inning role
Vodnik is a candidate for saves in the Rockies' bullpen to begin the season, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.
Vodnik tied for second on the team with nine saves in 2024, though both his surface and peripheral stats left plenty to be desired. He had a 1.48 WHIP primarily due to an 11.6 percent walk rate and paired that with a modest 20.3 percent strikeout rate. Seth Halvorsen and Tyler Kinley are the other primary candidates for save chances.
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Rockies' Seth Halvorsen: In mix for saves
Halvorsen is among the candidates to open the season as the Rockies' closer, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.
Halvorsen made his big-league debut in 2024 after striking out 56 batters across 44.1 innings combined between Double and Triple-A. He converted two saves and two holds across 12 appearances with the Rockies, while also maintaining an impressive 13:2 K:BB. Tyler Kinley could get the first save chances due to his veteran status, but his inconsistent track record should keep the door open for Halvorsen and/or others.
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Rockies' Michael Toglia: Preparing for full-time job in 2025
Toglia is on track to open the upcoming season as the Rockies' everyday first baseman, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. "'I'm an everyday player, I want to play every day'...there's a mindset. He has the mindset," manager Bud Black said of Toglia. "The defensive side is real. He's a really good defender. In time he's going to get his due, both inside the game and outside the game. But that takes time."
After winning a spot on the Opening Day roster coming out of camp last spring, Toglia served as a part-time player for the Rockies to begin the season. He split time between first base and right field before he was sent down to the minors April 24 after batting just .106 with 20 strikeouts over his first 15 games. Upon returning to the majors June 6, however, Toglia proceeded to start the Rockies' final 101 games, with the last 90 coming at first base. He hit just .233 following the call-up, but he showcased power (21 home runs) and made a surprising impact on the basepaths with 10 steals. Toglia's high strikeout rate (32.2 percent in 2024) will likely continue to make him a batting-average risk during the upcoming campaign, but after building up his job security with his strong finish to last season, the 26-year-old should be able to pile up plenty of useful counting stats.
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Rockies' Tyler Kinley: Good to go for spring
Kinley (elbow) isn't expected to be operating with any restrictions in spring training after having a normal offseason, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
Kinley finished last season on the injured list after developing right elbow inflammation in September, but he needed only a brief period of down time before he was able to resume throwing. With Colorado making no major additions to its bullpen during the offseason, Kinley should factor into the team's unsettled closer picture in 2025, just as he had last season before getting shut down due to the minor elbow issue. Over his 64 innings, Kinley turned in poor ratios (6.19 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 13.7 K-BB%), but the 34-year-old got the job done when called upon in save situations, converting 12 of his 13 opportunities.
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Rockies' Gabriel Hughes: Making Cactus League start Saturday
Hughes (elbow) is scheduled to make a two-inning start in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Hughes didn't make any minor-league appearances in the 2024 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery during the summer of 2023, but he returned to action in the Arizona Fall League, where he turned in an 8.31 ERA over 17.1 innings across six starts. Despite his poor results, the 23-year-old Hughes seemingly came out of the AFL without any issue, and he'll be facing no restrictions while he takes part in big-league camp as a non-roster invitee. Hughes isn't a serious candidate to break camp with the Rockies and will likely head to Double-A Hartford to begin the season.
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Rockies' Aaron Schunk: Booted off 40-man roster
The Rockies designated Schunk for assignment Wednesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Scott Alexander, who was signed Wednesday. Schunk managed just a .595 OPS in 39 games with the Rockies in 2024, but he can play all over the infield and has minor-league options, so he could draw interest via trade or waivers.
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Rockies' Scott Alexander: Gets MLB deal from Colorado
The Rockies signed Alexander to a one-year, $2 million contract Wednesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Alexander, 35, collected a 2.56 ERA and 31:15 K:BB over 38.2 innings while inducing groundballs at a 58.9 percent clip with the Athletics in 2024. The sinkerballer will give manager Bud Black another left-handed option in the bullpen.
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Rockies' Jacob Stallings: Will be primary catcher
Stallings will receive the bulk of the starts at catcher for the Rockies this season, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
Stallings put together the best offensive season of his career in 2024 in his first season in Colorado, slashing .263/.357/.453 with nine homers over 82 games. He then re-signed with the Rockies over the offseason and will enter 2025 atop the catching depth chart, with Drew Romo, Hunter Goodman and Austin Nola competing for the backup job.
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Rockies' Jordan Beck: Top candidate in right field
Beck is being considered the lead candidate to begin the 2025 season as the team's starting right fielder, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Saunders notes that the Rockies enter spring camp excited about Beck and the opportunity he has in front of him to take a step forward in 2025 after struggling to a .188 average with three home runs, 13 RBI, seven stolen bases and 14 runs during his rookie campaign (55 games). "We have some good, exciting talent coming up," said manager Bud Black. "Now it's a matter of when they pop." Beck is feeling confident in his ability to land the starting job, stating "I just need to go out there and play because I know what I can do. I can hit singles, I can hit doubles and I can hit homers. I can steal bases and I can play good defense. I don't think it has to be more complicated than that."
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Rockies' Justin Lawrence: Adjusting grip on sweeper
Lawrence changed the grip on his sweeper this offseason, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Lawrence entered 2024 as one of Colorado's better relievers, but he struggled to a 6.49 ERA and 1.78 WHIP across 59.2 innings and quickly lost his role as closer. He consulted with pitching experts at Rapsodo Baseball this offseason, who determined that Lawrence was releasing the ball off of his index finger rather than his middle finger when throwing a sweeper. With the adjustment, Lawrence is hoping to regain his 2023 form that resulted in 11 saves and 11 holds.
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Rockies' Sean Bouchard: Fully healthy for spring training
Bouchard underwent surgery on his hamate bone in early November but enters spring training fully healthy, MLB.com reports.
There weren't many details provided about the injury, and it's unclear if the issue contributed to Bouchard's disappointing 2024 season. He was limited to only 108 plate appearances in the majors, during which he posted just a 56 wRC+. He's likely entering spring training as a long shot to start in right field, but he has a chance to earn a roster spot as a reserve outfielder.
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Rockies' Sam Hilliard: Likely for Opening Day roster
Hilliard is likely to compete for a starting corner outfield spot during spring training, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.
Hilliard is very likely to have a roster spot as the primary backup to Brenton Doyle in center field. He'll also compete for a corner outfield spot -- presumably right field -- with the likes of Jordan Beck and Sean Bouchard. Beck could be in the best position to earn the job out of spring training, though both he and Hilliard ended the 2024 campaign in the majors.
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Rockies' Zach Agnos: Competing for roster spot
Agnos has an outside shot of winning a spot in the big-league bullpen this spring, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
The Rockies have no shortage of high-end relief pitching prospects, with Seth Halvorsen and Jaden Hill impressing in the big leagues late last season, but Agnos is right up there with them from a stuff standpoint. He boasts a four-seam fastball that can reach the upper-90s, a low-90s cutter, a slider and a splitter, and he saved 44 games in the minors over the past two seasons. The 24-year-old righty logged a 1.95 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 27.2 innings at Double-A Hartford last year. Halvorsen is the Rockies reliever drawing the most attention in early fantasy drafts, but there is a path for Agnos to be the team's closer by the end of 2025.
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Rockies' Sean Sullivan: Rebounding from hip surgery
Manager Bud Black said Thursday that Sullivan will be behind the Rockies' other pitchers to begin spring training while the left-hander continues to recover from hip surgery, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
It's unclear when Sullivan had surgery, but it was presumably at some point over the winter, as he finished last season on Double-A Hartford's active roster. Sullivan was excellent over his seven starts with Hartford (1.97 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 24:7 K:BB in 32 innings), and his efforts earned him his first invitation to big-league camp as a non-roster invitee. Once he's fully ramped up, Sullivan will likely open the 2025 season with either Hartford or Triple-A Albuquerque.
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Rockies' Lucas Gilbreath: Ready for spring training
Rockies manager Bud Black said Thursday that Gilbreath (shoulder) has been fully cleared for spring training, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
Gilbreath didn't make his 2024 debut for the Rockies until mid-August after he completed his recovery from his March 2023 Tommy John surgery, and he made just three appearances before going back on the injured list Aug. 26 due to left shoulder inflammation. The southpaw seems to have moved past the injury over the offseason and will now work to solidify his spot in the Rockies' Opening Day bullpen during spring training. Gilbreath is likely to serve in a middle-relief role if he makes the club.
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