The Rockies may have finished 2026 with another 100-loss season, but the offense showed enough life to point toward something better. Colorado ranked fourth in the majors in batting average at .254, a sharp contrast to a pitching staff that posted a 5.59 team ERA, dead last in baseball.
The run prevention issues are still glaring. The bat pipeline, though, has a name the organization can’t really keep waiting on much longer: Charlie Condon.
Condon, the Rockies’ third-best prospect and the former third overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, made a convincing case in Triple-A last season that he’s ready for the next step. Over 130 games, he hit .273 with 27 home runs, 98 RBIs, a .904 OPS, 25 doubles, seven triples and 78 walks. That’s the kind of production that forces a team to stop thinking about “eventual” and start thinking about now.
The challenge is finding him a landing spot. First base is currently occupied by TJ Rumfield, who came through his rookie year with a .300 average, 16 home runs and an .843 OPS, which ranked 18th in MLB.
But Rumfield also struggled on defense, committing seven errors and finishing with a -0.2 WAR. Condon, by comparison, posted a .993 fielding percentage at first base and a .990 mark in right field in 76 games with the Isotopes.
That flexibility matters for a Rockies club still trying to sort out its alignment. Mickey Moniak isn’t the best in the outfield, which could push Warren Schaeffer to use him at designated hitter more often. That would open the door for Condon to play right field alongside Cole Carrigg or Zac Veen, while Rumfield stays at first and keeps working on the glove.
Condon should also get time at first once he reaches the majors, giving Colorado a chance to see what the fit looks like all over the diamond. The bigger point is simple: 2026 looked like proof that Condon can hit at the next level, and the Rockies need to find him a place on the 2027 Opening Day roster.
In Other News...
Rockies Pitching Problems Just Forced Another Big Change
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President of baseball operations Paul DePodesta said the organization has been concerned about how the pitching has fared early in games, especially in the first two innings. Colorado will now begin searching for a new pitching coach, another important decision for a franchise trying to stabilize a unit that has struggled to set the tone from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Finally Have A Young Outfielder Worth Building Around
Colorados 2026 season still came with plenty of rough edges, but it also offered something the Rockies have been searching for: a young outfielder who looks like he belongs in the middle of the long-term picture. Carrigg arrived after moving over from shortstop and made his major league debut in June, then settled in quickly enough to give the club real reason for optimism as the year wore on.
In 93 games, Carrigg showed a mix of production and adaptability that stood out on a roster still trying to sort out its next core. Rockies president Paul DePodesta and manager Warren Schaeffer both see him, along with other young players, as part of the foundation for whatever comes next, which matters for a team that has spent too much time looking for a breakthrough. The open question now is how much more there is to unlock as the Rockies try to turn one encouraging season into something sturdier. [Read more 🡒]