The stove was piping hot at the Trade Deadline for the Rockies in 2023 as, for the first time in franchise history, the Rockies truly committed to their current position and short-term future as a ‘reconstructing’ team (never a rebuild). The club traded Mike Moustakas on June 25th to the Angels and proceeded to then trade Pierce Johnson to Atlanta, Randal Grichuk & CJ Cron to the Angels, and finally Brad Hand to the Braves near the deadline.
While the Rockies had made it clear they would be entertaining trades for veterans, the send off of 5 veterans throughout the season was certainly a pleasant surprise–compile as many prospects as you can before any potential window starts to open.
This isn’t to say Colorado will approach this year’s deadline exactly the same. Every player the Rockies dealt last year was truly an impending free agent, whereas, this year several of the club’s best trade chips are under team control next year. With that being said, let’s discuss who is most readily available to other teams and give a general value estimate, plus some teams that may be interested.
Have Your Bags Ready
Elias Diaz
Elias Diaz has had a rocky tenure in Colorado, going from legitimately good in 2021, to worringly bad in 2022, to hitting the decisive home run in last summer’s All-Star game. He’s followed up that feat with a terrific season thus far, displaying quality defensive ability (89th percentile framing, 87th percentile pop time) with slightly above league average production with the stick (107 wRC+).
Diaz is arguably the best available catcher on this summer’s trade market and is sure to generate interest from every catching-needy team a long list headed by the Cubs, Rays, Rangers, Pirates, Guardians, and Padres, among others. A trade of Diaz has been reported as inevitable.
Because of how necessary catching is to a playoff push and the abundance of teams in the market, the Rockies may find Diaz’s market inflated and be in a position to grab a team’s top 15 prospect or a pair of lower top 30 prospects.
Diaz’s current calf injury throws a wrench into the mix; can he find the same form he had before the injury? If so, it would be shocking to see the 33-year-old in a Rockies uniform after the deadline.
Jacob Stallings
Input much of what was said about Diaz here. Stallings, however, carries the sterling reputation of winning a Gold Glove in 2021 in the midst of a defensive peak that rivaled any recent backstop.
Following a brutal tenure with the Marlins (.576 OPS), Stallings signed with Colorado with hopes of providing a steady backup catcher and revitalizing his career in its final years. Both boxes have been emphatically checked as Stallings carries an .841 OPS and has continued to provide quality defense.
The lack of historical power in Stallings’s bat and his last two seasons with Miami will stay in the minds of deadline buyers but Stallings could net the Rockies a similar return as described with Diaz above.
It’s unlikely the Rockies trade both backstops as they look to provide consistent direction to their pitching staff, but the presence of two trade chips makes it extremely likely at least one is dealt.
Jalen Beeks
Beeks is known around the league as a 6-year veteran with a history for striking guys out as a power lefty. This year, Beeks hasn’t missed as many bats as he’s relying on his fastball far more.
Underneath the hood, Beeks’s changeup is operating as dangerously as ever, averaging 89 mph with a 44.4 whiff%, by far a career high. His fastball velocity (94.5 mph avg) remains solid and will be of interest to clubs.
Every contender picks up the phone to inquire about relievers and Beeks will certainly get interest because there are historically few lefties on the market with the velocity Beeks offer. The plethora of available relievers always makes it unpredictable, however, as to which teams will actually get to receive the package they seek for their bullpen pieces.
If Beeks does get traded, the Rockies could get themselves value comparable to what they received for Pierce Johnson (Victor Vodnik & Tanner Gordon).
Don’t Be Surprised
Cal Quantrill
Quantrill would be an easy sell-candidate if he wasn’t under team control next year (and even then). Quantrill is 9th in baseball by bWAR–2nd in the NL–among pitchers and has flashed even better stuff than when he was a reliable innings eater for Cleveland.
It’s no secret that Quantrill’s newly relied on splitter has been an excellent pitch–it’s the best splitter in baseball by Run Value and the 4th best overall pitch. Quantrill has also flashed an improved curveball along with his solid sinker.
He’s certain to be one of the best available starters on the trade market and could fill the backend of nearly any rotation in baseball. Like with the reliever market, almost every contender will kick the tires on trading for a starter. Of the most starter needy teams, the Guardians, Brewers, Astros, and Rays may be in need of Quantrill’s services.
With the extra year of team control next year and a shallow starting pitching market, Quantrill could net the Rockies an impressive package. A deal likely starts with a team’s top 10 prospect with another notable piece added on.
Brendan Rodgers
Rodgers is in a peculiar spot. He’s been rundown by injuries in recent years but has been rock solid–though unspectacular–when healthy. He’s a good-to-great glove at second base and will likely hit in the realm of league average. Looming in the background is Rodgers’s unrealized potential as a former #3 overall pick and top 10 prospect in baseball.
Like with Quantrill, the Rockies might want to utilize Rodgers’s final year of team control to further evaluate whether they want to try extending him beyond 2025 and/or to maximize his trade value.
Still, teams will at least explore a trade here with a chance to get a huge surplus value if they can adjust something with Rodgers’s swing. Keep an eye on the Red Sox, the Guardians (lacking right-handed bats), Mariners, and Twins as potentially interested clubs. The return here wouldn’t be huge, but Rodgers is certainly worth a pair of top 30 prospects or more.
Jake Cave
Man of the people Jake Cave has earned the respect of Rockies faithful and actually put together a quality season as a reserve outfielder turned near everyday player. While his bat has been subpar (62 wRC+), Cave has shown he can be an above average defender in a corner and hang in there versus right-handed pitching (.270 AVG, 78 wRC+).
As a veteran with a defined bench role, Cave would be easy to move and cheap to acquire. A team looking for outfield defense, some speed, and a serviceable bat against righties may throw a fringe reliever prospect at the Rockies similarly to last year’s Brad Hand trade.
Possible But Not Likely
Austin Gomber
Gomber’s disappointing trend lately places him in this range. First, teams will be less interested now and Gomber’s value is much lower than it looked like a few weeks ago. Second, as with Quantrill and Rodgers, the Rockies aren’t going to be eager to move players that will otherwise be sharpied onto their 2025 roster.
Gomber’s control–both contractually and on the mound–will make him a player teams inquire on but it seems like a meeting of the minds between MLB clubs will be hard to come by.
The Rockies would likely demand a team’s top 15 prospect or better while other clubs may be hesitant to part with such value for an arm they may not see as a viable postseason starter.
Ty Blach
Much like Jake Cave, Blach is a veteran with very defined strengths and weaknesses. He throws a ton of strikes and throws a decent pair of breaking balls. On the contrary his primary pitches (sinker & changeup) have been crushed this year and his bottom tier velocity will not be appealing.
If a squad wants an innings sponge out of the bullpen, Blach could be of interest. If a trade manifests, it would be for a fringe prospect like in the case of Cave.
Dakota Hudson
Hudson has just hung on all year–he’s not thriving nor exactly struggling–and plenty of teams around the league are familiar with the now veteran starter. Hudson’s slider is a bonafide above average pitch and may be of interest to teams out of the pen, much like with Blach above.
A possible trade return remains the same as above.
Tyler Kinley
A final unlikely trade candidate, Kinley has had a season to forget with an 8.40 ERA across 30 innings. He hasn’t found consistency post-elbow surgery and his struggles are well documented. However, Kinley is throwing as hard as he did during his dominant 2022 season and his slider is still a deadly upper-80s offering, when located.
Pierce Johnson was an unexpected trade piece last year and Kinley could repeat that this year, though a $3M salary on the books for next year in combination with the poor performance makes a deal unlikely.
Not Impossible But Not Worth Discussing
- Justin Lawrence
- Jake Bird
- Ryan McMahon
- Nick Mears
- Elehuris Montero
- Charlie Blackmon
The names above aren’t worth analyzing for a variety of reasons though it would make sense for them to be brought up on a call with another team.
How Hot Does the Stove Get?
In sum, the Rockies have movable players, though fewer no brainers like last year. It’s unlikely they’ll make 4 trades between now and the trade deadline.
Expect at least one trade for certain but a second is very likely, a third is also quite likely, though a fourth would be hard to come by. One of the Rockies catchers is practically certain to be dealt and an arm should be moved whether it’s Beeks, Quantrill, Gomber, or one of the minor names mentioned.
With the MLB Draft on the horizon, the Rockies once again have a chance to really beef up their farm system with a busy July. As always, we’ll have you covered on news and notes of all things Rockies!
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