It’s hard to find much joy in a Rockies season after three straight 100-loss years and a 2025 finish that came within inches of the worst record in MLB history. But Colorado did manage to drag a few positives out of 2026, and one of them could turn into a real weapon next season: the outfield.
That wasn’t obvious early. Jordan Beck and Brenton Doyle were both well short of the mark at the plate, and the lack of production out there helped open the door for Cole Carrigg to get his shot when June arrived. Once he did, he didn’t just fill in - he flashed enough to become one of the bright spots of the year.
Carrigg’s debut also fit into a larger bounce-back for the club, which finished with 15 more wins than it had in 2025. Hunter Goodman joined franchise history, TJ Rumfield entered the NL Rookie of the Year picture, and Carrigg’s arrival gave Colorado another name to build around.
Looking ahead, manager Warren Schaeffer suddenly has more legitimate options than this franchise is used to carrying in one spot. Charlie Condon is lined up to make his debut, while Zac Veen and Troy Johnston are also in the mix. The message is straightforward: if a player can hit, he’s going to play.
Barring injury, the Rockies’ Opening Day outfield next season should feature Carrigg in center, Mickey Moniak in right, and Jake McCarthy in left. There’s also a strong case for using Condon at designated hitter on the days he isn’t working defensively. His debut was delayed because Rumfield has first base locked down, so Condon spent half of his 2026 reps in the outfield.
That arrangement may not last forever, but it gives Colorado real flexibility. Condon has already shown there isn’t much left for him to prove in the minors, and the Rockies can keep rotating him as a fourth outfielder until big league pitching tells them otherwise.
For a team that’s spent years searching for any reliable part of the roster, the outfield now looks settled. And maybe surprisingly, it looks like the strongest area Colorado has going into next season.
In Other News...
Rockies Fans May Hate What This Hunter Goodman Trade Idea Suggests
The Rangers offseason is already pointing toward change behind the plate, with Elias Daz and Kyle Higashioka both headed for free agency after Texas fell short of the postseason and watched Houston take the AL West again. That has opened the door to outside speculation about how the Rangers might reset their catching situation, and one proposed solution has them looking to Denver for an answer in Hunter Goodman.
For Rockies fans, the idea lands with a familiar sting, since Goodman has become the kind of player a rebuilding club would rather build around than shop. Bleacher Reports proposal sends him to Texas in exchange for pitching and catching prospects, a reminder that Colorados lineup pieces can quickly become the subject of deal chatter once another team starts shopping for certainty at a premium position. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Cannot Afford Another Costly Pitching Mistake This Winter
The Rockies head into another winter with a familiar problem: too many questions on the mound and not enough reliable answers. After past offseasons leaned on older arms, Colorado is again at a point where the pitching staff has to be reworked with more care, especially in the rotation and bullpen, even as the offense has enough talent to keep the club from starting from scratch.
This time, the margin for error feels thinner because the organization needs help that can actually move the needle without clogging the path for younger players. Michael King, Freddy Peralta and Sonny Gray are the kinds of names that fit the conversation, but the bigger lesson is clear enough already: the Rockies cannot keep spending winter after winter on veteran pitching in the wrong age range and expect the same problems to disappear. [Read more 🡒]