Cooper Hearne | March 23, 2026

The 2026 Colorado Rockies season starts in less than a week! With that, it is time for the next installment of our Rockies Prospect Breakout Picks series. In the first two editions, we looked at players who are ready to make a name for themselves and those who are ready to establish their bright trajectory. In this round, we are selecting players who are prepared to knock on the door of the big leagues. These are players who are primed to shine in Double-A or Triple-A and should finish the year right on the cusp of the majors. 

Edition 1 | Edition 2

Knocking on the Door

OF Cole Carrigg 

Starting off this tier is Cole Carrigg, a 2^nd round pick in 2023 out of San Diego State. The 6-foot-2, 220lb. Carrigg is a physically gifted athlete with lots of tools. He possesses truly elite speed and posted outstanding stolen base totals of 51 and 46 the last two seasons, respectively. He also has a cannon for an arm, and led the Eastern League with 18 outfield assists last year. With these traits, you can see why Carrigg has drawn comparisons to current Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle. 

Like Doyle, Carrigg also has the hit tool in his arsenal, but similarly, struggles with strikeouts at times. In his first full minor league season at High-A Spokane, Carrigg logged an impressive .833 OPS and 124 wRC+ with 16 home runs and a Northwest League-leading 11 triples. Last year, making the important jump to Double-A Hartford, Carrigg’s number regressed some, but he still clubbed for a solid .711 OPS, 106 wRC+, and 15 home runs. Somewhat concerningly though, his K-rate increased from 19% to 27%, and he will need to make more contact going forward to utilize his speed and reach his offensive potential.

Carrigg has been considered one of the Rockies’ top prospects since being drafted, and it is not hard to see why. While he has played some shortstop in his career, his skillset of high-end speed and a rocket arm is perfect for center field, particularly in the expansive outfield of Coors Field. Carrigg will presumably start this year in Triple-A and should be competing for a call-up with a strong year.

2B Roc Riggio

Roc Riggio certainly has a fitting name to be a Rockie, and he likely has the necessary talent as well. Acquired by the club in a trade for relief pitcher Jake Bird last summer, Riggio immediately bolstered the Rockies’ farm system. Despite standing a mere 5-foot-9, Riggio’s left-handed bat packs a hearty punch. The second baseman was a 4^th round pick by the Yankees in the 2023 draft after slugging 18 HR in his final year at Oklahoma State and finishing 2^nd in the Big 12 Conference with a 1.139 OPS.

After a solid 2024 in High-A ball, Riggio really emerged in the first half of 2025. Starting again in High-A, he dominated the competition to the tune of a 1.033 OPS and 198 wRC+. He was then promoted to Double-A, and continued to rake with a .878 OPS and 155 wRC+, smashing a combined 17 HR between the two levels. Although Riggio struggled to find his home run swing after joining the Rockies organization (only 2 long balls in 90 at bats), his on-base percentage actually ticked up a bit (from .335 to .346), and he logged a respectable .735 OPS and 119 wRC+. 

With a full off-season to adjust to his new organization, Riggio should be primed for a breakout year. The offensive firepower that Riggio can bring out of the second base position could deliver great value to the Rockies lineup some day. Whether he begins 2026 in Double-A or Triple-A, a hot start would have him knocking on the door of the majors sooner than later.

1B Aidan Longwell

Our next breakout pick is Aiden Longwell, the 24-year-old first baseman out of Kent State. Longwell was a big-time steal in the 2023 draft, sliding all the way to the 17^th round. This was despite posting impressive stats in his final collegiate year with a slash line of .404/478/.652, to go with 10 HR. He also pitched throughout his college career, appearing in 5 games during his final season and logging a 1.45 ERA with 25 K’s. Although he has not been used as a pitcher in the minor leagues, here at BSB we respect a versatile two-way background. 

Playing almost exclusively at first base (with a smattering of outfield starts), Longwell has shown great consistency at the minor league level so far. In his first full season with Low-A Fresno he posted a .828 OPS and 128 wRC+, and followed that up at High-A Spokane last year with a .810 OPS and a 110 wRC+. He was also able to tap more into his power potential, increasing his home run total from 4 to 15, year-over-year. While his K-rate did increase from 13% to 19%, that is a manageable number and shows he is still making solid swing decisions alongside his power uptick. 

Longwell may have dropped in the draft due to playing in a lower-level conference, standing only 6’0, and posting modest home run totals. However, the Rockies appear to have found a diamond in the rough, as all Longwell has done the last several years is hit. If he can continue his steady success while jumping up to Double-A this year, he could very well earn a call-up to Triple-A, and should be knocking on the door of the big leagues before too long.

OF Jared Thomas 

Capping off this tier is Jared Thomas, the Rockies’ 2^nd round draft pick in 2024 out of the University of Texas. Thomas produced a top-notch final season with the Longhorns, finishing with a 1.069 OPS, 16HR, and going 18/18 in stolen bases. The 6-foot-1, 190lb. Thomas is an appealing prospect, with a smooth lefty swing, a professional hitting approach, and excellent speed. His lean frame also suggests room to develop and continue adding strength. 

Encouragingly, Thomas moved through the Rockies system alongside top prospect Charlie Condon last year, and the two produced comparable success at each level. Starting in High-A Spokane, Thomas jumped out of the gate with a .330/.427/.495 slash line and a 147 wRC+ to go with 11 HR and 22 SB. Moving up to Double-A Hartford, his production dipped, but remained proficient with a 113 wRC+, .722 OPS, and 11 steals. His K-rate did rise from 23% to an alarming 35% in Double-A, and that is probably the biggest concern for Thomas going forward. However, he was a relatively young prospect (2.5 years younger than the league average) and he should adjust to the higher-level pitching over time. 

Thomas also underwent surgery after the season for a right hamate bone injury, and has been held out of Spring Training so far while he manages inflammation. While we don’t have an exact timetable on his return, if all goes well, he should be back in the near future. Thomas truly had a breakout season last year, but a strong 2026 will have him catching the attention of more casual Rockies fans and knocking on the door of the majors very soon. 

Written by Cooper Hearne.

Next Edition: Reach the Big Show