Cameron Maclennan | March 8, 2024
With Spring Training in full swing, the Rockies are still in a rebuilding process. However, there are plenty of things to look forward to on a team filled with youth & potential. There are such things as good problems, and the Rockies might have one on their hands with the state of their outfield.
A logjam is occurring out in the grass on 20th and Blake with a lot of young current big league players and prospects hitting MLB simultaneously. We’re gonna explore who those players are and what you can expect the Rockies outfield to look like this year and in the near future.
The Colorado Rockies Outfield
Who do they have now?
Perhaps the biggest wildcard and X-factor for the Rockies this coming year is the performance of their outfield, particularly in the corners. Obviously, the Rockies are entering a new era of not having one of the best outfielders in Rockies’ history with Charlie Blackmon now retired. The silver lining is they should be prepared for it. He played very little in the field in his last year, totaling just 26 games in the field, primarily DH’ing. The Rockies are ready for life without Blackmon with loads of talent already arrived.
Center Field
The one place there are zero questions about in the Rockies’ outfield is in center field. Brenton Doyle, coming off a terrific season in 2024, is set to be the staple of the Rockies in center for the foreseeable future.
Doyle, who is arguably the best outfielder defensively in the game, has already collected two Gold Gloves in his first two seasons. However, the defense was never a concern with him but rather his bat. After a tough rookie year where Doyle barely hit above .200 with an OPS+ of just 53 (OPS+ is park and league adjusted so 100 is average).
That being said, Doyle figured something out in 2024. He increased his OBP from .250 to .317 and just about doubled his OPS+ to 104. The next step for the 26-year-old is to continue building on his development and remain consistent. If he does that, the sky’s the limit and Doyle will rule (even more).
Corner Outfield
The corners of the outfield are more complicated than the Rockies would like right now. We’ll start in left field, the projected home of Nolan Jones. After being acquired from Cleveland in 2022, Jones had a stellar first year in Colorado in 2023. Over 106 games, he slashed .297 with an OBP of .389 and an OPS+ of 140. After a fantastic rookie campaign, Jones was labeled as a potential breakout star for 2024 and a darkhorse for the NL Batting Title.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go his way. Jones battled injuries all year, with two IL stints of over a month; Jones only managed to play in 79 games in 2024 and struggled when he was on the field. After hitting almost .300 as a rookie, Jones’s average dropped to .227 and his WAR cratered to -0.7 (Wins Above Replacement measures how much a player contributes to their team with an MLB starter average of 2).
Jones could be labeled as the Rockies biggest X-factor for the coming year. If they get the 2023 version of NoJo, a lot of ground would be made on turning the Rockies into a competitive ballclub. It was a disappointing sophomore season for the Rockies left fielder, which makes 2025 so important for him and the Rockies.
Right field is where things get really complicated. Kris Bryant will see limited action out there but we don’t expect to see him much in the field. Guys like Sam Hilliard, Greg Jones, and Sean Bouchard will get some innings, but they most likely won’t play a large role in the future. In reality, two guys are vying for the Opening Day spot with more right behind them.
Jordan Beck is angled for the first regular opportunities out in right. The situation for Beck is a unique one as far as timing. He had a scorching Spring Training in 2024, hitting .370 and turning a ton of heads. He then made his debut in late April last season, which came with a lot of optimism. He didn’t get off to the hottest start, hitting just .190 with a wRC+ of 20 and any remaining optimism surrounding Beck was quickly dimmed when the Tennessee product broke his hand in May, causing him to miss 60 games.
He returned mid-August, where he still hit just .187, however improved his wRC+ to 40 in that span. Beck recognizes that he didn’t have his best stuff in 2024 amid injuries and the big league adjustment, but has kept a positive outlook.
“Obviously I didn’t play as well as I wanted to, but at the same time, it’s just another learning experience to grow.”(MLB.com). Beck has a ton of talent and absolutely deserves to get a fair chance this season, however, there are guys right on his heels.
Next in line
While questions linger in the present, the Rockies have no shortage of talent in the outfield on the way. Guys like Charlie Condon, Cole Carrigg, Jared Thomas, and Robert Calaz all have extremely high ceilings and will be key for the Rockies in the future. However, they all have some time left in the minors.
The one prospect with the best chance of swiping a starting spot first is Zac Veen. The Rockies’ 2020 first round pick, Veen has been a top prospect for some time now. Unfortunately, injuries have slowed that process down a little bit. After appearing in just 111 games over the past two years, Veen is poised for a bounce back in 2025 after re-demonstrating his high octane performance in an injury-shortened 2024.
Following left wrist surgery in 2023, Veen then dealt with back and thumb injuries in 2024. Not being able to play at his top level stalled Veen for a bit, however, he is someone Rockies fans should absolutely remain excited about. Veen hit .258/.346/.459 over 65 games with four different stops in the minors throughout 2024, good for an impressive 118 wRC+, when adjusting for the offensive desert that is the Eastern League (Double-A). While those stats don’t jump off the page, Veen possesses one of the highest ceilings of any Rockies prospect right now.
Already in spring, Veen is turning heads thus far and has produced one of the most epic bat flips you will ever see. The challenge for the immensely talented 23-year-old is staying on the field. If Veen can stay healthy and keep producing this spring, he might be calling Coors Field home sooner rather than later.
The other prospect that could enter the big league conversation this year is 22-year-old, Yanqiuel Fernandez. An international signing in 2019, Fernandez ranks well within the top 10 of the system according to any outlet and may possess the best raw power in the entire system.
In 2024, Fernandez split time between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting .262 with 12 home runs. Don’t let the 12 home runs fool you though, Fernandez has crazy power. What’s holding him back is his plate discipline. In 2024, he owned a 38% chase rate (MLB average is 27-30%), which is somewhat alarming.
Fernandez has the ability to add significant power to a Rockies lineup that desperately needs a true power hitter to pair with Michael Toglia. The Cuban product will start 2025 in Albuquerque, where his task will be getting the chase rate under control as he pursues pitches primed for his A-swing. If Fernandez can accomplish that, there’s a good chance we could see Fernandez in Colorado in 2025.
The Rockies have all the talent they need in the outfield to succeed. It’s a question of if three of these youngsters can put it together at the same time and make Colorado’s outfield a real weapon of the likes we have not seen in years. Along with the progression of the young, up and coming arms for the Rockies, the outfield will be one of the most fun and important parts to watch this year on Blake Street.
Check out the most recent BSB Top 40 Prospects installment here, featuring prospects 16-20.
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