Building an opening-day roster involves unequal parts science, statistics, experience, minor-league options, maturity, and gut instincts.
Those factors, plus multiple intangibles, are running through the baseball brains of Rockies head honchos Paul DePodesta, Josh Byrnes, and Warren Schaeffer as they look toward the season opener on March 27 at Miami.
Who will be the fifth starter? Chase Dollander or Ryan Feltner? Or perhaps a retooled Antonio Senzatela. It’s doubtful, but perhaps righty Tanner Gordon works his way into the mix.
Is slick-fielding third baseman Kyle Karros ready for a full season against major league pitching? Or would a stint at Triple-A Albuquerque do him good? Schaffer and the front office are debating that.
Will the Rockies, who have a surplus of young outfielders, make a spring training trade? It’s very possible.
Will the Rockies stock their bullpen with long relievers, enabling them to “piggyback” some of their starters? And what other pitching experiments are in store for 2026? That’s a mystery that’s still unsolved.
So many questions in need of solid answers as the Rockies attempt to rise from the rubble of their 119-loss season in 2025. They have 13 exhibition games left to go before they decide on their 26-man roster.
Here is my — qualified — projected roster:
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Starting rotation
Veteran left-handers Kyle Freeland and Jose Quintana, and veteran right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano form the core four. If the Rockies go with a traditional five-man rotation, that leaves that one spot open.
I’ll go with Dollander, who’s had a nice spring. He’s their top pitcher, in terms of talent, and I don’t think he’s going to learn much more pitching at Triple-A.
Feltner, who still has options, could begin the season with the Isotopes or even become a long reliever for Colorado. Senzatela likely pitches out of the bullpen, where he finished last season. Reports are that he’s become more than a predictable and highly hittable fastball pitcher. I’m not sold yet.
Bullpen
This is a tough call because there are so many moving parts right now. Schaeffer has said he’s not going to open the season with a specific closer, so that adds more intrigue as camp begins to wind down.
Plus, the Rockies could use options — and even the injured list — to shuttle multiple relievers between Triple-A and the big-league team, a la the Dodgers.
The locks: Right-handers Seth Halvorsen, Jimmy Herget, Zach Agnos, Victor Vodnik, Juan Mejia, and Senzatela, and lefty Brennan Bernardino.
In the mix: Right-handers Keegan Thompson, Jaden Hill, and 35-year-old John Brebbia.
Catcher
All-Star Hunter Goodman will get the bulk of the games, but speedy Braxton Fulford is not a lock as the No. 2 backstop. Left-handed-hitting Brett Sullivan has had a solid camp, plus, he’s got more experience as a game-caller than Fulford does. Tough call here, but I’ll go with Fulford and his athleticism.
Ezequiel Tovar (14) of the Colorado Rockies fields a ball hit by Teoscar Hernández (37) of the Los Angeles Dodgers before turning two during the first inning at Coors Field in Denver on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Infield
This is tricky, and it could come down to the final week of camp.
Rookie TJ Rumsfield has the edge at first base right now, though veteran utility infielder Edouard Julien has much-needed experience. Still, I’m anointing Rumsfeld as the starter.
Blaine Crim has missed most of camp with an oblique strain, so he’s unlikely to make the team out of camp.
Willi Castro is Colorado’s best second baseman, but he could also man third if the Rockies decide to send Karros down. Ezequiel Tovar, of course, is a lock at shortstop. Ryan Ritter, Tyler Freeman, and Julien can all move around the infield, so they’ll battle for a utility role. Ritter, I believe, has made a huge impression on Schaeffer, and I can’t imagine that he doesn’t make the team.
Colorado Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle catches a line drive by Houston Astros’ Victor Caratini during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Outfield
The Rockies will begin the season with newcomer Jake McCarthy in left, Brenton Doyle in center, and Jordan Beck in right. Mickey Moniak will be the primary designated hitter and will also fill a backup role in center and right.
The fifth outfield/utility spot could feature Freeman, Castro, Ritter, and possibly Troy Johnston.
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