Tyler Paddor | @TyPaddor | January 27, 2024
Rumblings throughout the offseason have suggested the Rockies are looking to add a left-handed hitter, preferably one that plays all three outfield spots. With the Rangers recent signing of Travis Jankowski–one of the more logical fits for the Rockies–options are very slim.
The silver lining (or one of them) of the Rockies missing out on Jankowski is that it seems all but certain any bat they add before Opening Day will be on a minor league contract. Last year, the Rockies signed Harold Castro and Mike Moustakas to MiLB contracts and both made the Opening Day roster.
The value of adding players on MiLB deals comes from a non-guaranteed a 40-man spot, creating flexibility as the league waits to add injured players to the 60-day injured list. For a club with a full 40-man, not having to part ways with one of your current players is a nice bonus. Finally, with most of the money non-guaranteed, it also creates a smidgen of financial wiggle room, too.
Effectively, with where the club is at, they’ve been pushed into a position they should have (and hopefully have been) been holding all along. The Rockies shouldn’t be dishing out money or substantial playing time to a veteran player.
Some might say they shouldn’t dish out any playing time to a veteran free agent. This is a fair stance to take, however, the club is thin in the outfield and up the middle as a whole.
The club has–more or less–three true outfielders that are ready for MLB action in Nolan Jones, Brenton Doyle, and Sean Bouchard. Hunter Goodman will play some outfield, but he’s a work in progress defensively. Kris Bryant and Charlie Blackmon will likely log a handful of games in a corner but they’re destined to soak up most of the 1B and DH time, respectively.
The club also only has two (and a half) left-handed bats ready for MLB time. Ryan McMahon and Charlie Blackmon are the two no-brainers and Michael Toglia is effectively a left-handed hitter, after struggling immensely from the right side in his MLB experience. Bringing in a left-handed outfielder is not a bad idea, especially following a season where the Rockies dealt away five veteran players over the course of the season.
The Rockies shouldn’t press themselves to find a player that can play center-field. They have Brenton Doyle and, if necessary, Nolan Jones can play center. The focus should be on finding someone who can play the outfield period.
Tony Kemp
Kemp stands out most because his skillset is the safest. He’s not going to make waves but the former Athletics utility player has great plate discipline and contact skills, giving him a one up on Harold Castro because of the added patience.
In three of the last four seasons, Kemp has walked more than he’s struck out, though his slugging percentage of .335 over that span is bottom of the barrel. There’s balance in the overall offensive profile and the Rockies could use another player capable of getting on-base at an average or better rate to turn the lineup over more frequently.
Kemp lacks speed at this juncture, ranking in the 20th percentile among MLB players for average sprint speed. However, the 32-year-old is still a capable defender both in LF and at 2B–another position where more depth wouldn’t hurt.
Raimel Tapia
The first of two old friends to be mentioned, Tapia has stuck around in the big leagues, appearing for three different MLB teams this past season. That says he’s not the most desirable piece but also still valuable in some ways.
Tapia is largely the same player today as he was a couple of seasons ago, however, his plate discipline may have finally taken the next step last year. Tapia’s swing percentage dropped 5.9% to a new career low which coincided with a 10.1% walk rate.
If Tapia had drawn that many walks in Colorado, he’d likely still be with the club. Jumping around the league seemed to exhaust a toll on Tapia as he posted a career low batting average.
Tapia remains a similar defender; he’s not quite good, per se, but he’s definitely not bad either. It helps that Tapia can play center-field, too. A player of Tapia’s skillset could check some necessary boxes today, especially on a no-risk contract.
Austin Meadows
In 2019, Meadows was one of baseball’s best hitters. Injuries and a trade to Detroit halted the continuance of his performance but Meadows could be a sleeping giant on the offensive side.
The former Pirates top prospect has always been a disciplined hitter with above-average power and if those skills remain intact, he could be a great reclamation project for Colorado.
Meadows hasn’t exactly been known for his defense ever, but as a platoon-style player, his deficiencies could easily be masked.
Jesse Winker
Winker and Meadows are quite literally two peas in a pod. Former top prospect with an NL Central club? Check. Elite past offensive performance? Check. Defensive woes? Check. Unexpected downward career trajectory? Unfortunately, check.
An All-Star in 2021, Winker just flopped after a trade to Seattle in 2022 and managed to perform even worse in 2023. The plate discipline is still good from Winker and perhaps a fresh start with less pressure could help him rediscover his bat-to-ball skills and 20 homer power.
David Dahl
Our second old friend, Dahl’s career has been somewhat tragic to watch unfold. A special talent as a prospect and young big leaguer, Dahl’s development was stunted by serious injuries at multiple points throughout his career.
The former first rounder has latched on with a few clubs since being non-tendered by Colorado after the 2020 season but there’s been no success to speak of.
As a no-risk add, this move could give the Rockies a necessary feel good story if Dahl can put it back together.
What to Do?
Clearly, the picture here isn’t pretty. If the Rockies still feel a need to add a left-handed bat, these are probably their best options and finding a guy to play some center-field is not going to happen easily on the free agent market.
Kemp and Tapia could provide stable low-end production while Meadows and Winker could be hugely rewarding reclamation projects. Dahl’s hopes are a little slimmer but there’s an emotional appeal there.
Perhaps the Rockies are best off letting Julio Carerras develop into a backup middle infielder and waiting for Sterlin Thompson, Zac Veen, or Yanquiel Fernandez develop into that next left-handed bat.
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