Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag.
Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
This is the first time in a long time that I feel good about the future of our team. What do you think is the most optimistic yet realistic expectation we should have? I feel like 70 wins is the ceiling, and a couple of our prospects emerge with solid seasons, like Zac Veen and Chase Dollander. What do you think?
— Marshall, Parker
Marshall, your optimism is refreshing. I do feel like there was a new energy at spring training, and the players have bought into the Rockies’ new direction under Paul Depodesta, the president of baseball operations, and manager Warren Schaeffer.
To reach 70 wins, the Rockies would have to improve by 27 games from their 43-119 record. That would be a quantum leap, and I don’t see it happening. You have to remember that Colorado was outscored by 424 runs last season.
The infamous Chicago White Sox went from 41-214 in 2024 to 60-102 in ’25. If the Rockies lose only 102 games this season, that would be progress.
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I think Dollander will improve markedly this season, though he’s not a lock to break camp as a member of the starting rotation. I don’t believe that Zac Veen will make the 26-man roster out of camp, and I don’t know if he’ll make a big-league impact this season.
The three young players I’m most intrigued by are third baseman Kyle Karros, first baseman TJ Rumfield, and utility player Ryan Ritter.
And, of course, the Rockies need comeback seasons from shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle, whom I wrote about on Sunday.
Rockies’ rebuild in 2026 depends on Gold Glove performances by Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle
Great spring training reports and insight into 2026. I was looking over the Rockies’ players who made the World Baseball Classic rosters. The only one of note was Ezequiel Tovar playing for Venezuela. Tovar is one of the best-performing Rockies so far. I am not sure who to come to the ballpark to really get a glimpse of stardom (from the home team, of course), who do you see being worthy to pay to see, and who might emerge at this year’s Troy Tulowitzki or Nolan Arenado?
— Robert Emmerling, Limon
Thanks for the compliment, Robert; it’s appreciated.
I don’t see anyone bursting on the scene as Arenado did in 2013 when he won a Gold Glove as a rookie, or as Story did in 2016 when he mashed 27 home runs and hit .273 in 97 games. Story likely would have been the rookie of the year if he hadn’t torn ligaments in his left thumb and missed the rest of the season.
But, to answer your question, I’ll go with third baseman Kyle Karros. He’s capable of Arenado-like plays, and I think he’s going to become a force at the plate, too.
I’m kind of blown away that the oldest hitter on the Rockies’ roster is 28. That has to be a record for the youngest offense. They know Kris Bryant is not going to be there. It appears to be a poor decision by the GM and the manager not to have a veteran professional hitter mentoring these kids. No team does this. Why didn’t they pick up a Randal Grichuk or Justin Turner, Tommy Pham, or Rhys Hoskins, all still available? The Rockies just keep doing things nobody else in MLB does. Why?
— Harvey, Denver
I totally disagree with you, Harvey. The Rockies brought in Willi Castro, 28, to be a veteran catalyst on the team. Given the team’s payroll constraints right now (they owe Bryant $27 million this season) and with a labor war looming, it wouldn’t have made sense to spend money on an over-the-hill veteran hitter. The Rockies need their young players to play.
I think you’re going to see growth from players such as Jordan Beck, Kyle Karros, and TJ Rumfield. Where the Rockies desperately needed some veteran stability was in their starting rotation. They addressed that issue by signing Tomoyuki Sugano, Jose Quintana, and Michael Lorenzen.
Can Rockies fix swing-and-whiff offense from disastrous 2025? New hitting coach keeps it simple
Has covering the Rockies gone from one of the worst beat jobs to one of the most interesting? They’ve gone from unwilling to change (and change from being horrible) to willing to try anything new with a cutting-edge coaching staff and upper management that went from never doing or saying anything to Moneyball 2.0 at altitude, where moves are frequently made and always explained in depth by Paul Depodesta. It also seems like a much more interesting mix of players this spring than in the past five years. Are you enjoying the switch as a reporter as much as I’m enjoying it as a fan?
— Isaac Bowen, Fort Collins
Holy cow, Isaac! Hold your horses!  I love your enthusiasm and optimism, but I’ve become much too cynical to jump on your bandwagon (wow, I used three cliches in three sentences).
I will say this: things will be more interesting. I’m thankful for that, and it should be fun to watch this team improve. But it’s not one of the most interesting beats in baseball. Covering a team in the thick of the race in August and September is what I hope for before I retire.
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