More than six years ago, the Colorado Rockies made a long-term bet on Adael Amador, signing the switch-hitting infielder as an international free agent with hopes he’d one day anchor the middle of their infield. Fast forward to the doorstep of the 2026 season, and that vision is at a crossroads. The talent is still there, but now the stakes are higher - and the patience thinner.
With a new front office regime in place - Paul DePodesta stepping in as president of baseball operations and Josh Byrnes taking over as general manager - there’s a fresh set of eyes evaluating every player in the organization. That includes Amador, who’s no longer just a promising prospect. He’s a player who needs to prove he belongs.
There may be a familiar face in his corner. Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer knows Amador well from his days managing in the minors.
But even that connection can only go so far. At this point, Amador’s future in Colorado hinges less on potential and more on production - something that hasn’t followed him to the Major League level yet.
To be fair, Amador has done just about everything you could ask of a prospect in the minors. He spent most of last season at Triple-A Albuquerque, where he slashed a strong .303/.405/.478 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI across 80 games. That performance earned him Pacific Coast League All-Star honors and a spot in Isotopes history as just the 13th player to post at least 10 homers and 20 stolen bases in a single season.
Over his minor league career, the numbers back up the hype: a .279/.388/.444 slash line, 56 home runs, and 238 RBI across 411 games. That’s a solid body of work - the kind of track record that usually earns a player a real shot in the bigs.
But so far, the Major Leagues have been a different story.
Amador got his first taste of the show in 2024, and like many rookies, he struggled out of the gate. In his first 10 games, he managed just a .171/.194/.200 slash line.
Understandable for a debut. But the struggles didn’t stop there.
He saw action in 41 more games last season and still couldn’t find his footing, posting a .177/.256/.265 line with just one home run and 10 RBI.
That’s a more than 100-point drop in batting average from Triple-A to the Majors - a glaring gap that suggests Amador hasn’t yet adjusted to Major League pitching.
Now, he’s trying to bridge that gap in the Dominican Winter League, suiting up for Águilas Cibaeñas. It’s a league known for its mix of top Caribbean prospects and seasoned Major Leaguers looking to stay sharp or make up for lost at-bats.
But even there, Amador’s struggles have followed him. Through 25 games, he’s slashing .182/.323/.273 with two home runs and 12 RBI - numbers that mirror his big league output more than his minor league dominance.
The Rockies’ new leadership group will be watching closely. They didn’t draft or sign Amador, which means he’ll have to earn their confidence the hard way - by producing.
Spring training will be pivotal. If he can show signs of closing the gap between his minor league success and his Major League struggles, there’s still a path forward.
If not, the fresh start brought by the front office shake-up could quickly turn into a reset that doesn’t include him.
For Amador, the talent has never been in question. But entering 2026, the question is whether that talent can translate - and soon.