That was Low-A Fresno bench coach Dave Keller’s assessment of Ethan Holliday, who made his pro debut there on Aug. 12 after the Rockies drafted him fourth overall in last year’s draft.

Holliday’s plus makeup is hardly surprising. Father Matt was a longtime major leaguer, and brother Jackson, taken first in the 2022 draft, is the Orioles’ second baseman.

In 18 games at Fresno, Holliday hit .239/.357/.380 with two home runs, a 39.3 %strikeout rate and a 14.3% walk rate. 

Keller traced Holliday’s high strikeouts to fouling off pitches because he was late, a situation that will be rectified by improved timing. The many foul balls resulted in Holliday’s notable average of 4.36 pitches per plate appearance.

Rectified timing will result from Holliday “getting comfortable to where his eyes understand how to get ready so he can catch up with pitches out front instead of getting caught a little bit too deep,” Keller said.

“When his timing was right, he would foul the ball straight back. And then you know he’s getting ready the way he’s supposed to. The timing part of it comes with experience and for him to understand how it feels to make those adjustments.”

Keller said by this season’s end, Holliday “won’t be fouling very many of those off like he did this past season. And two years from now, I think it’ll get even better.” 

Holliday was solid at shortstop. But at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, he’ll likely outgrow the position. Many say that it will be third base or right field. Keller suggests otherwise.

“He really reminds me of (Gold Glove second baseman) DJ LeMahieu,” said Keller, who was in the Cubs’ organization when the 6-foot-3, 220-pound LeMahieu, began his career there before being traded to the Rockies.

“I think that he can play second base, and I think he’s going to be a really good second baseman and going to be an offensive second baseman.”

ROCKY ROADS

— Dan Meyer was promoted to pitching coordinator from Double-A Hartford pitching coach, his role the past two seasons. Dallas McPherson will be the outfield and baserunning coordinator. Craig Bjornson returns to the organization as Triple-A Albuquerque pitching coach. He was the Rookie-level Casper pitching coach from 2009 to 2011 before vaulting to the majors as Houston’s bullpen coach. Matt Snyder will be the Albuquerque hitting coach. Bobby Meacham will move from Hartford manager to a coordinator role. He’ll essentially be the field coordinator, albeit without that title. He’ll be the camps and infield coordinator. Robinson Cancel will manage Hartford after managing High-A Spokane the past three seasons. Tom Sutaris will manage Spokane after being the hitting coach and then the bench coach there, the previous two seasons. Geoff Brown will be the pitching coach at Low-A Fresno, and Owen Cuffe will have that role with the Arizona Complex League team.

— Family reasons caused Tony Wolters to leave the organization and Scott Oberg to go to a part-time role. Wolters spent two seasons as the bench coach in the Arizona Complex League. Oberg worked part-time for the organization in 2023 and 2024 in scouting and player development, and last year he was a minor league pitching coordinator. Both Wolters and Oberg played for the Rockies.

— Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer filled out his coaching staff with the addition of first base coach Doug Bernier, who will also oversee outfield defense and baserunning. Bernier, 45, has plenty of history in the Rockies’ organization, having spent 2024-2025 as their minor league field coordinator after two seasons in 2022-23 as the defensive coordinator overseeing infield and outfield instruction. He was the Rockies’ major league data and game-planning coordinator in 2020 and a professional scout for the organization in 2019-20. Bernier, a former infielder, signed with Colorado as a non-drafted free agent in 2002 and made his major league debut and played two games with the Rockies in 2008.