Ezequiel Tovar batting for the Colorado Rockies, CCed by Liscense 2.0
Not making the playoffs for a crew and a fanbase might be demoralizing. Enjoying 162 video games simply to go dwelling and have an early offseason is one thing no person desires, however some groups get kicked out; it’s simply the way it works. This text will spotlight what the worst of those groups has to sit up for.
Colorado Rockies (61-101)
AVG: .242 (18th out of 30)
SO: 1617 (twenty ninth out of 30)
OPS: .704 (fifteenth out of 30)
Runs Scored per Recreation: 4.21 (nineteenth out of 30)
ERA: 5.47 (thirtieth out of 30)
WHIP: 1.519 (thirtieth out of 30)
Runs Allowed per Recreation: 5.73 (thirtieth out of 30)
Strikeouts per 9: 7.05 (thirtieth out of 30)
At first look, the Colorado Rockies have rather a lot to work on. In the entire stats listed above, the Rockies didn’t eclipse fifteenth out of the 30 groups. That they had the second most strikeouts this season and that isn’t a method to win in Main League Baseball. On the hitting stats listed above, the Rockies by no means eclipsed fifteenth out of 30 groups. This means, they might not compete constantly with the highest half of groups within the league and definitely not make the playoffs. With groups just like the Dodger and Yankees stocking up star energy on either side of the ball, there isn’t any method to compete with them with the dearth of star energy on their roster.
Pitching was an entire totally different story. There was completely nothing good or redeemable. Of the pitching stats listed above, the Rockies ranked final in all of them. They common extra runs allowed per recreation than runs scored per recreation, and nonetheless discovered some method to win 61 video games. That does say one thing about this roster, that they’re able to profitable with out assist from the beginning pitching. If the pitching for the Rockies could make strides within the offseason, I’d count on the Rockies to be nearer to .500 of their win-loss report.
The Rockies have a number of gamers and issues to sit up for subsequent season:
Gamers like Ezequial Tovar, Drew Romo, Jordan Beck, Michael Toglia, Nolan Jones, and Adael Amador are all aged 26 and below. Drew Romo and Jordan Beck made their MLB debuts this 12 months and gained some expertise within the league.
Ezequiel Tovar had a terrific season for the Rockies and he appears like a star within the making. In 157 video games and 655 AB, he hit .269 with 26 HR and 78 RBI’s. These are actually good numbers for a crew who’s in search of as a lot offense as they will get with struggling pitching. Tovar’s numbers continued to go up as he constructed off of what he did within the 2023 season. This season, his batting common, slugging share, and on base share all went up in comparison with the 2023 season. I’d count on him to maintain enhancing and change into nearer to a .280 hitter. He’s one other individual on this roster with 30 HR potential. My largest critique like so many different younger gamers on this crew is his strikeout share. He struck out 200 instances this season at a 31% fee. If that will get down and he could make extra contact on pitches, Tovar can change into one other weapon the Rockies have on their offense.
Drew Romo was solely in a position to have 51 AB this season, and he hit .176 with 9 hits. Whereas it is a small pattern dimension, of these 9 hits, he had 6 RBI’s. If he can change into extra constant within the MLB, it will not shock me if he was a high 3 RBI chief on the Rockies inside the subsequent couple of seasons. With the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Rockies Triple-A squad, Romo hit .297 in 343 AB with 60 RBI’s on 102 hits. That’s nearly a 60% ratio of RBI’s to hits. If his Triple-Successful can translate to the MLB, he can be extraordinarily profitable.
Jordan Beck hit .188 in 170 AB this 12 months. Whereas he had an even bigger pattern dimension than Romo in his first 12 months, he solely appeared in 55 video games this 12 months. He was in a position to contribute 3 HR, 13 RBI’s, 14 runs, and did all of this on 32 hits. His major difficulty was strikeouts. He struck out at a couple of 38% fee in his 170 AB. That’s anticipated to go down as he will get extra AB and extra expertise on the plate. In Triple-A, his strikeout fee was 25%, and this was in 174 AB, nearly the identical variety of AB that he received within the MLB this 12 months. That is one other instance of if he can translate his expertise to the MLB, he ought to be extra profitable. I count on him to work on his method on the plate within the offseason, so he can see extra pitches per AB. In his 184 plate appearances he averaged 3.58 pitches per AB. This means that he was not getting extraordinarily deep into pitch counts. This may be attributed to having an aggressive method on the plate. This isn’t essentially a foul factor. There are numerous profitable aggressive hitters, with probably the most notable one being Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros, who swings at nearly each first pitch fastball he will get. Jordan Beck simply wants to have the ability to swing at high quality pitches. In his 184 PA, he solely made it to 12 3-1 counts. Whereas I’m mentioning numerous issues which might be unfavourable, and not using a full season of expertise below his belt, he nonetheless has numerous time to construct off of this. There’s a lot potential right here it’s all about if he can translate it to the MLB.
Michael Toglia confirmed some promise this 12 months hitting 25 HR in 399 AB. This was his first full season of motion with out being despatched all the way down to the Minor Leagues. Whereas he did hit .218 this season, his energy is simple. Out of his 87 hits this 12 months 42 of them went for further bases. That’s simply above 48%. If he can change into extra constant on the plate and work on his strikeouts of which he had 147, I’d count on him to simply eclipse 30 HR subsequent season. As well as, he did this whereas solely showing in 116 video games, so if he can get that quantity nearer to 140 video games, he may get nearer to 35 HR subsequent season if he continues enhancing. He was one of many few vivid spots this 12 months and had a 2.2 WAR, indicating that he ought to be beginning constantly once more subsequent season. He’s a swap hitter, and from the left facet hit .210 and from the correct facet he hit .236. If he could make the leap and get nearer to .242, the league common from this previous season, he may change into one of many Rockies higher gamers.
Nolan Jones struggled this 12 months, which was a shock after he broke out in his 2023 season. In 2023, he hit .297 with 20 HR, 20 SB, and 62 RBI’s. He did all of this 106 video games and 367 AB. That was his first actual season up within the main leagues. This 12 months, he hit .227 with 3 HR, 5 SB, and 28 RBI’s. He did this in 79 video games and 256 AB. His struggles this season are more than likely what is named the “Sophomore slumps”. Notable gamers like Julio Rodriguez, Michael Harris II, and Jeremy Pena, all went by the “Sophomore slumps”, and are both now All-Stars, or they make massive contributions to their respective groups. I’d be careful for Nolan Jones to look extra like his rookie self within the 2025 season.
The Rockies have drafted very properly lately and now have superb prospects which might be projected to make a huge effect within the coming years. Charlie Condon, Chase Dollander, and Zac Veen are all projected to be excellent contributors. Veen and Dollander ought to make their debuts subsequent season for the Rockies and we will see if their prospect prowess will switch to the Main Leagues.
Charlie Condon is coming off a Golden Spikes award-winning season with the Georgia Bulldogs and was drafted third total over the summer season. He was solely in a position to compete in 25 video games and began off in Excessive-A. In these 25 video games he struggled, however most gamers proper out of school must get adjusted to the Minor Leagues. Condon brings immense energy into the Rockies farm system and the flexibility to be a 30 HR man if issues exercise. His skill to play each third base and outfield ought to assist him transfer up within the minor leagues shortly so long as his bat can keep the identical because it was in school. I’d count on him to begin the 2025 season again in Excessive-A, so the Rockies can see if he can enhance off of his .180 common in 2024. I’d count on if the enhancements in his offense happen like everybody expects, he ought to be in Double-A by the All-Star break.
Chase Dollander was drafted ninth total in 2023 out of Tennessee. This 12 months was his first full season {of professional} ball and he had a 2.59 ERA by 23 video games in each Excessive-A and Double-A. He makes use of a excessive 90’s fastball, a slider, a curve, and changeup to get the job accomplished. He solely allowed hitters to common .215 in opposition to him this season and went 6-2 on the 12 months. So long as he can keep constant along with his off velocity pitches and get swing and misses with them, it will be no shock to see him make his MLB debut within the 2025 season. The Rockies want as a lot pitching assist as they will get, so his continued improvement is essential to their future success. So long as the outcomes he received in his first full season don’t taper off as he strikes by the Rockies farm system, he has nice MLB beginning pitcher written throughout him. His largest critique is his consistency to pound the strike zone. If he can pound the strike zone extra, it will permit him to get deeper into begins and make it to the sixth inning extra constantly. Total, the Rockies have rather a lot to sit up for with Dollander, however this season can be essential in seeing if he makes his debut or not.
Zac Veen had arguably his finest skilled season but, hitting .258 throughout 4 ranges of the Rockies farm system. The one crew he didn’t go well with up for was the Single-A crew. He hit 11 HR and had 35 RBIs this season. He’s slowly making his manner again to what we noticed in his first skilled season in Single-A the place he hit .301. This season he was additionally in a position to accumulate 21 SB on 25 makes an attempt. Except he breaks out in spring coaching, I count on to see him again in Triple-A to begin the season and get the decision as much as the majors subsequent summer season. As a consequence of damage, he solely performed in 65 video games this 12 months, which was a part of the problem along with his stats being low. Within the video games he did play in, he made an affect each offensively and defensively. This season, he had an ideal fielding share, which is nice for a crew that wants constant outfielders. There’s a lot to be enthusiastic about with Veen; between his bat and his glove, I’d search for him to have a huge impact on this roster and for him to compete for a spot on the massive league squad proper out of Spring Coaching.
The Rockies have rather a lot to sit up for between their younger core on their roster already and who they’ve of their farm system. This crew ought to be on the come up sooner or later and able to compete within the subsequent couple of years. The massive distinction on after they can compete is who they may sign up free company. Search for them to have some below the radar signings for each their beginning pitching and the bullpen within the offseason.
