The Rockies’ outfield has turned into one of the strangest strengths on the roster, and that’s forcing a conversation Colorado didn’t exactly plan on having.
With five outfielders landing on the IL at the same time earlier this month, the door opened for backups and prospects - and they’ve taken advantage. Eight different players have already logged at least 15 games in the outfield for Colorado this season, and the group as a whole has been a surprise.
The offense has been one of the most productive in baseball, but the bigger need is still pitching. That crowded outfield could be the clearest path to getting it.
Cole Carrigg has made the loudest early impression. In his first month in the majors, he’s already flashed the kind of tools that don’t need much explanation: clutch home runs, outfield assists, speed on the bases and a strong .900 OPS at the plate. He’s also been taking reps at second base, and he’s been seen taking grounders at Coors on multiple occasions, so it’s clear Warren Schaefer and the front office view him as part of the future somewhere on the diamond.
At AAA, Charlie Condon is pushing hard for a call-up. The former Georgia star has 17 home runs and 55 RBI in just 70 games, and he looks far more polished than he did a year ago. He also brings first base and DH flexibility, which means he may not need an outfield spot when he gets to the majors.
Jordan Beck is a different case. At 25, he still has age on his side, but the production hasn’t matched the upside.
He’s hitting just .183, and after returning from injury he was optioned to AAA. He’s on the 10-Day IL right now, and with the rest of Colorado’s outfield producing, there may not be much room for him when he’s healthy again.
If it were up to me, I’d move Beck now.
Then there’s the trade pile, and that’s where the Rockies can really start talking to other teams. Mickey Moniak has had an excellent offensive season, but that success has also pushed his value up. He’s on a one-year, $4 million contract and will be a free agent after the season, so Colorado may be better off dealing him before the deadline rather than risking losing him for nothing.
The same logic applies to Jake McCarthy. After a rough stretch last season with the Diamondbacks, Colorado traded minor league pitcher Josh Grosz to get him, and the move has paid off.
McCarthy has caught fire, is hitting .304, and is on pace for career highs in average, RBI, home runs, steals, extra-base hits and OPS. He’s 28, on a one-year deal and playing his best ball, which makes him exactly the kind of player another club might overpay for.
Sam Hilliard fits into that same conversation. He leads the Rockies with a .315 batting average and is in the middle of a career year. He doesn’t bring the same power as Moniak, but batting average like that is valuable, and if the price is right, Colorado could decide he doesn’t fit the rebuilding window.
Brenton Doyle is the toughest name to sort through. He remains an elite defender, a great athlete and a player with real power in the bat, but his trade value is down because of how cold he’s been offensively.
He’s hitting .207 with one home run in 111 at-bats, which may make it hard to find a strong return. Still, if the Rockies can turn him into pitching before the deadline, they should consider it.
Doyle is on a one-year deal with arbitration eligibility in the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons.
Tyler Freeman gives Colorado another possible move, though he also has value as a keeper. The 27-year-old can handle most positions, and his contact hitting makes him a useful piece. He isn’t going to block the top prospects coming up, but his defensive flexibility and offensive reliability make him worth keeping around if the Rockies decide not to use him as part of a bigger shuffle.
And the pipeline behind all of this is still loaded with outfielders. Eight of Colorado’s top 15 prospects, according to MLB, are outfielders. That group includes Roldy Brito, Jared Thomas, Robert Calaz and Max Belyeu, along with Sterlin Thompson, who has already been up this season because of injuries and has hit .232 with a .688 OPS in 27 games.
The Rockies don’t have a shortage of outfielders. They have a surplus, and that gives them options. The challenge now is deciding which ones are part of the next wave in Denver and which ones can be turned into pitching.
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