The Colorado Rockies have work to do this offseason, but the real push for improvement also has to come from inside the clubhouse. Trades and free-agent additions matter, sure, yet the players already in the organization still have to sharpen their games if the team is going to move forward.
Two names stand out as breakout candidates for 2027: third baseman Karros and Veen.
Karros, 24, looks like the kind of player who could take a real step if he tightens up his plate discipline and stays healthier. In his second season with the Rockies, and his first full year with the club, he dealt with trips to the injury list.
Even so, he appeared in 131 games and finished with 101 hits. His line - .253/.347/.761 OPS - leaves room for more, and that’s exactly the point.
The Rockies expect more from him, and he expects more from himself.
That confidence matters. Karros has the tools to grow into one of the team’s better players, but the next jump has to come with more power and better overall production.
The hope is that he keeps pushing until he puts himself in the All-Star conversation. Colorado wants him to develop into a complete third baseman, the kind of player who can be mentioned alongside names like Vinny Castilla and Nolan Arenado.
Veen is the other player with a chance to make noise in 2027. There’s a strong belief he could explode if he carries over what he showed in the minors and adds more muscle to his frame. He was the Rockies’ comeback player this season, even if he doesn’t get formal recognition for it, and he rebounded after a rollercoaster 2025 season.
The ninth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Veen has the kind of size, speed and power that can change a lineup. The expectation is that 2027 will be the year he gets plenty of run and starts doing damage against opponents.
For the Rockies, he’s one of the players worth watching closely. The ceiling is there, and the best may still be ahead.
In Other News...
Rockies 40-Man Cuts Hint At A Telling Offseason Depth Decision
The Rockies kept trimming the edges of their roster this week, removing four players from the 40-man in a move that underscores how much churn still sits at the margins of the organization. Infielder Chad Stevens and pitchers Blake Adams, Eiberson Castellano and TJ Shook all came off the roster after clearing outright waivers, a routine but revealing step as clubs sort out who fits into their winter plans and who is headed for a fresh start elsewhere.
Blake Adams was the lone holdover in the group, staying in the system after being assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque, while Stevens, Castellano and Shook moved on by electing free agency. Adams could still surface as a non-roster invite to Spring Training, which leaves him in the mix as Colorado continues to sift through depth options heading into the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Make A Pitching Change They Desperately Need
The Rockies are making a long-needed change on the mound after finishing last in the majors in team ERA and several other pitching categories this past season. Colorado has turned to Ethan Katz as its new pitching coach, a move that signals the organization is looking for a different voice and a different approach after a brutal year for its staff.
Katz arrives with a resume that stretches beyond the big leagues, including time with the White Sox and Astros and coaching experience at multiple levels, plus a previous stint in the Rockies' minor league system. For a club that has spent too much time trying to patch over pitching problems, the hope is that familiarity with the organization and a broader track record can help start changing the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Ezequiel Tovar's Bat Is Becoming A Real Rockies Concern
Ezequiel Tovar has still given the Rockies plenty to like with his glove, and that matters for a club that has leaned on his defense since he broke through as one of the more important young pieces on the roster. He also remains under contract through 2030, which only adds to the significance of what happens next at the plate. After a strong 2024 season and a Gold Glove award, the expectation was that his bat would keep moving forward alongside everything else.
Instead, the offensive side has become a real concern. Tovars power has backed up, his strikeout rate has climbed, and his overall production has slipped enough to raise questions about how steady he can be as an everyday run producer. The Rockies still value what he brings in the field, but when a player with this much long-term commitment starts trending the wrong way offensively, it becomes impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]