The Colorado Rockies made a move that’s both expected and a bit disheartening for fans: Charlie Condon, their top hitting prospect, won’t be starting the season in the big leagues. Instead, he’s headed to minor league camp along with Cole Carrigg and Vimael Machín.
Despite Condon’s impressive spring performance, where he posted a .389/.452/.722 slash line with three home runs and nine RBIs in Cactus League action, the Rockies decided to hold off on bringing him up. Reports from Arizona had him looking every bit the major leaguer, showcasing readiness and skill that caught many eyes.
Condon, who can handle duties in the outfield and at third base, was eyeing the first base position. However, it seems that role will be shared among Troy Johnston, TJ Rumfield, and Blaine Crim for now.
This decision highlights a familiar strategy for the Rockies, a smaller market team: manipulating service time. By keeping Condon in the minors for just a couple of weeks at the start of the season, they can delay his free agency by a year, moving it from 2031 to 2032. It’s a tactic that’s drawn criticism from players and fans across the league.
The MLB’s recent collective bargaining agreement tried to tackle this issue by allowing players to regain service time if they win major awards like Rookie of the Year in their debut season. Condon, had he made the opening day roster and snagged some hardware, could have bypassed the manipulation entirely. He was even touted as the most likely Rookie of the Year contender from the NL West earlier this month.
But the Rockies opted not to gamble on that possibility.
Drafted third overall in 2024 out of Georgia, Condon is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 70 overall prospect and the Rockies’ No. 2 prospect, just behind Ethan Holliday. After a challenging first year in pro ball, Condon rebounded last year across three levels, finishing in Double-A. His elite bat-to-ball skills and power, which earned him SEC Player of the Year honors, were on full display as he posted a .820 OPS over 99 games, mostly in Hartford.
Now, he’s likely to start 2026 at Triple-A Albuquerque, waiting for the Rockies to start his service time clock. This approach contrasts with last year’s decision to start Chase Dollander on opening weekend, but with new management under Paul DePodesta, the Rockies seem to be reverting to more traditional strategies.