As the Rockies stare down another last-place finish and a possible fourth straight 100-loss season, a couple of rookies are giving the club something it has badly needed: a reason to keep watching.
Hunter Goodman and Ezequiel Tovar have already become familiar names in Colorado, and there’s more help on the way with prospects like outfielder Roldy Brito and Charlie Condon. But the most immediate spark has come from two young outfielders who are already forcing their way into the conversation at the big-league level.
Cole Carrigg and Zac Veen have both made early impressions in their rookie stretches, bringing energy and production to a lineup that has been searching for both. Their rise has started to catch the attention of fans and media alike, and it’s easy to see why.
Veen’s latest moment came in the seventh inning of the series finale in San Francisco last weekend, when the Rockies were down a run and the baseball was sitting right beside the plate. He broke for home on the play, another example of the aggressive, instinctive style that has helped define his early run.
The 2020 first-round pick has been a bright spot for Colorado, hitting .263 with two home runs and seven RBIs in just eight games. He’s delivered clutch swings and made things happen on the bases, but Veen said he’s just settling into what comes naturally.
“I’d say I’m always trying to anticipate anything happening," Veen said, according to the Denver Post. "I’d also say I’m playing with a lot of faith right now - just going out there and doing what feels natural, and letting (the game) take care of itself.”
Carrigg, taken by the Rockies in the second round in 2023, has put together a strong rookie start of his own. Through 58 big-league games, he’s hitting .284 with five homers and 34 RBIs, showing the kind of all-around production that can stick in a lineup.
He may not be the loudest power bat, but Carrigg keeps finding ways to help. He reaches base, drives in runs and brings a competitive edge that fits with what Colorado needs right now.
“I’ll always have that competitive nature, that competitive edge,” Carrigg said. “(That comes from) being the best player that I can be to help my team win ballgames, and if I’m not doing that at any point in time, I’m going to be rather upset about it.
“But that’s something I’m definitely still working on to not let it (simmer in my mind) - whether it’s traveling (with that emotion) into the dugout or whatnot, I just try to keep it to myself as much as I can. But I’ve always been a super competitive-edge type of player, and I’ll always be like that.”
In Other News...
Rockies Suddenly Face Another Kyle Karros Concern
Kyle Karros return from the injured list turned short-lived after he left the Rockies game against the Guardians because of a recurrence of concussion symptoms. The move was precautionary, but it was another unwelcome reminder of how fragile the situation remains for a young player who had only just worked his way back after the collision on Aug. 11.
For Colorado, the concern is less about the immediate box score than Karros availability and overall well-being in the days ahead. The Rockies will monitor his condition from here, and given the nature of concussion symptoms, there is little room to rush anything. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Rotation Suddenly Has Two Lefty Questions To Answer
The Rockies rotation is in a holding pattern, and the left-handed side of it is suddenly worth watching closely. Kyle Freeland is working back from a pinched nerve in his neck, a stinger that has kept him on the sideline, while Jose Quintana has been out since May 24 with a left elbow sprain. Both are at different points in the comeback process, but each carries real weight for a staff that could use stability wherever it can find it.
Freeland is tentatively lined up to start a game soon if his bullpen session goes well, which makes that workout a key checkpoint. Quintana, meanwhile, has already taken a step forward by facing batters in a rehab session and is expected to pitch next at the teams complex in Scottsdale, putting his return on a separate track as the Rockies wait to see how quickly their rotation picture can clear up. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Just Turned Larry Walker Into A Permanent Coors Field Legacy
Larry Walkers place in Rockies history has taken on a new form outside Coors Field, where the franchise unveiled a 15-foot bronze statue honoring the first Hall of Famer in team history. The sculpture captures Walker in his memorable 1999 Turn Ahead the Clock uniform, frozen in the moment of a walk-off home run, a fitting nod to one of the defining figures of Colorado baseball and the standard he set for the organization.
The unveiling drew Walker himself along with Rockies president Walker Monfort, while Todd Helton and Ferguson Jenkins were among the notable figures on hand to mark the occasion. For a franchise that has spent years trying to build a deeper identity, the statue gives fans a permanent reminder of the player whose career still looms large over the ballpark and the teams history. [Read more 🡒]