Noah Spirek | @NoahSpirek | January 28, 2026
On Wednesday morning, the Rockies made another move, acquiring 25-year-old T.J. Rumfield from the New York Yankees in exchange for young right-handed reliever Angel Chivilli.
Rumfield, the Yankees’ 22nd-ranked prospect in 2025 according to MLB.com, comes to Colorado to provide manager Warren Schaeffer with another option at first base. The left-handed hitter spent all of last season in Triple-A, where he slashed .285/.378/.447 with 16 home runs and 87 RBI across 138 games. Rumfield finished 2025 ranked third in hits and fourth in total bases among all International League players.
A 2023 Minor League Gold Glove award winner, Rumfield figures to be in open competition with rookie Blaine Crim to earn a starting spot at first base on Opening Day. It is also worth noting that Crim is a right-handed hitter, making it more than plausible for both players to be on the roster in a platoon split when the Rockies begin play on March 27 in Miami.
Rumfield stands out for his above average feel for contact and ability to pull the ball in the air. While he lacks big-time raw pop for a first baseman, making a lot of contact and pulling flyballs at Coors Field is a recipe for success.
In exchange for Rumfield, the Rockies sent Chivilli, 23, to New York, where he’ll look to earn a role in the bullpen. The flamethrowing righty showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately struggled during his short tenure in Colorado. Across two Major League seasons, Chivilli totaled 90.1 innings over 73 games, pitching to a 6.18 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP. He boasts a changeup with a 42.6% whiff rate in 2025, along with a ground-ball rate of 50%, according to Baseball Savant.
The move frees up a spot on the team’s 40-man roster and serves as a low-risk trade with the potential for a difference-maker at first base. Chivilli was already a candidate to be DFA’d and was likely low on the depth chart coming into Spring Training. Now, he heads to a data-driven organization that will look to maximize his strengths, while the Rockies pick up a player who will almost certainly slide into the team’s Top 30 prospects on MLB.com when announced.
In other news, the Rockies designated former top prospect Yanquiel Fernandez this morning, too. The Cuban-born outfielder appeared to be finding his stride at the very end of last season, but had not had an above average offensive season since 2023, likely putting him on the backburner for the new front office.
With two 40-man roster spots available, the Rockies are primed to make their final additions to the 2026 Opening Day roster. Even with Rumfield in the picture, the Rockies could still add a veteran first baseman with Luis Arraez, Nathaniel Lowe, and others connected to the club.
Further, it’s expected the club will add another pitcher, whether a lefty reliever or another veteran starting pitcher to complement new signee Michael Lorenzen.
Story by Noah Spirek.
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