Cooper Hearne | April 9, 2026
The 2026 season has now begun for the Rockies’ A-ball affiliates, and we’ve gotten a first glimpse at how the prospects are looking this year. With that, it’s time to unveil our fourth and final installment of the Rockies Prospect Breakout Picks Series. After highlighting exciting players in lower levels of the minors, in this edition we are choosing players in Triple-A who are set to elevate all the way to the Big Show in 2026. Whether they earn an early season call-up, or get a cup of coffee toward the end of the year, we predict these players will eventually arrive at their ultimate destination and join the team at 20thand Blake.
Edition 1 | Edition 2 | Edition 3
Reaching the Big Show
Veen was one of the biggest storylines in Spring Training, after showing up with a Jason Giambi-esque muscular physique and a new clean-shaven look. This stark physical transformation was part of an off-season makeover that saw the 24-year-old lean into his faith and away from recreational substances that had been holding him back. This rededicated version of Veen is a welcome development for the Rockies, renewing the high hopes the franchise had for him as the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Veen had not necessarily been a slouch for the organization up until this point, but there were significant questions about his maturity and whether his swing could translate to the big-league level. In his brief 12 game stint with the Rockies in 2025, the lefty hitter slashed an anemic .118/.189/.235 with a 38% K-rate, as he struggled to catch up to major league fastballs. After being sent down to Triple-A Albuquerque though, Veen found his footing, slashing a respectable .289/.354/.468 with 11 HR and 15 SB, along with a solid 20% K-rate. Although in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League (PCL), this production only equated to a slightly below average 94 wRC+.
Just when it seemed that the once highly touted Veen may fall victim to immaturity and never reach his potential, the talented prospect seems to have found the motivation and dedication needed to pave the way to his best baseball yet. While it remains to be seen exactly how Veen’s new physique and mental approach translate on the field, this revamped version of the 6-foot-3 outfielder should pay dividends sooner or later.
At the very least, the added strength should help Veen tap more into his power potential at the plate, and the improved maturity should make him a better teammate in the clubhouse. If he can steadily build his performance throughout the first half of the year, Veen should be in line for a late season call-up and a second chance to prove himself in the big leagues.
Next, we turn our attention to starting pitcher Sean Sullivan, who has absolutely dominated his competition over the last three years. Sullivan was the Rockies’ second round pick in the 2023 draft, after posting stellar stats in his final season at Wake Forest, with a 2.45 ERA, 0.919 WHIP, and 5.29 K/BB. The 6-foot-4 lefty has done nothing but continue to dice up hitters since. In his first year in High-A Spokane, Sullivan posted a 2.16 ERA, 0.840 WHIP, and an insane 12.63 K/BB (101 K and 8 BB). He followed that up last year in Double-A Hartford with a less astronomical, but still very impressive 3.14 ERA, 1.089 WHIP, and 3.96 K/BB.
Despite his continued dominance, Sullivan has never garnered recognition as a top tier prospect. He wasn’t a first-round pick, isn’t in the MLB top 100, and sometimes doesn’t even make the top 10 lists in the Rockies organization (although he is #6 in our BSB Top 50). This is probably due to Sullivan not being a flamethrower, with his fastball only sitting around 90 mph.
While that could be a significant obstacle for many pitchers, Sullivan has an incredible extension of 7.5 feet on his delivery to home plate. This effectively makes his velocity play up a couple ticks, as hitters have less time to track the ball out of his hand. He also has an unorthodox delivery with a low arm slot that makes his pitches difficult to pick up. While his style may be unusual, the results speak for themselves.
Sullivan is beginning this year in Triple-A Albuquerque, and the tough pitching environment of the PCL will be a great test for the young lefty. We expect that he will meet this challenge, and he has already gotten off to a good start, with an early stat line of 8.2 innings pitched, two earned runs, and 11 strikeouts. Sullivan is looking to prove that his success can translate to the highest levels, and with a strong start in Triple-A, he will likely get the opportunity in the Big Show before season’s end.
Next, we have starting pitcher Gabriel Hughes, who has endured a tumultuous journey through the minors after being drafted by the Rockies in the first round in the 2022 draft. After an up-and-down 2023 season, Hughes underwent Tommy John surgery and had to miss the 2024 campaign. Returning last year at the Double-A level, the athletic right-hander finally hit his stride, posting a 3.07 ERA, 0.854 WHIP, and 4.38 K/BB in 41 innings. His strong performance reassured the Rockies faithful that he still has the ability that earned him his high draft pick.
After a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque, Hughes’ initial performances were shaky. However, after taking a month off to recover from right shoulder fatigue, he rebounded with an increasingly strong final 10 starts in which he posted a 3.72 ERA in the difficult PCL. He finished his Triple-A stretch with an overall ERA of 5.11 to go with a 1.557 WHIP and 1.66 K/BB. While the overall numbers weren’t outstanding, after battling high expectations and injury early in his career, it was a promising season to build on for the 24-year-old.
Although Hughes’ prospect status has dipped some in recent years, he still has the potential to be a stalwart in the Rockies rotation. One subtle advantage Hughes may have is his background growing up in Idaho and playing at high elevation. As with Colorado local Kyle Freeland, that experience could prove helpful as Hughes continues his journey through the thin air of Albuquerque and Denver. After a strong first two outings of the year, with 10.1 innings pitched, three earned runs, and 14 strikeouts, Rockies fans can rightly start to envision Hughes breaking through to the big leagues in 2026.
Our final breakout pick for the 2026 season is none other than the Rockies’ first round pick in the 2024 draft, Charlie Condon. While he fell to the Rockies at #3 overall, the 6-foot-6 prospect was considered by some to be the top player in that year’s draft, after putting up meteoric numbers at the University of Georgia. In his final season, the first baseman and outfielder posted an other-worldly slash line of .433/.556/1.009 for an OPS of 1.565. He also smashed 37 HR, the most by any DI player since 2011. Given this proven production, it is easy to see why he is considered one of the Rockies’ top two prospects, alongside Ethan Holliday.
Condon’s 2025 season was hampered by a wrist injury suffered during spring training, and after missing more than a month, it always felt like he was slightly behind the curve in finding his groove. Despite that adversity, he still posted very solid results. Starting at High-A Spokane, he slashed .312/.431/.420, good for an .831 OPS which was third on the team.
After a promotion to Double-A Hartford, Condon continued to produce, with a slash line of .235/.342/.465 and an OPS of .807. While his contact numbers dropped after the promotion, he found his power stroke, hitting 11 of his 14 home runs at the higher level. Condon did have a K-rate of 28% in Double-A, and he will need to bring that down going forward as he adjusts to the better pitching.
Coming into 2026 fully healthy, Condon is looking to soar to the heights he is capable of and earn his way onto the major league roster. He got off to a hot start last week with Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting two home runs in one game and posting an early 1.278 OPS. A lot is resting on Condon’s shoulders, as the Rockies are depending on high draft picks like him to provide needed star power and elite production going forward. We believe that Condon is poised to meet these lofty expectations, reach the Big Show this year, and launch the start of a great career with the Rockies.
Previous Edition: Who’s Ready to Knock on the Door?
Written by Cooper Hearne
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