SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — An undrafted free agent when he came into the organization, Rockies prospect Jack O’Dowd is capping an incredible year with an eye-popping tear through the Arizona Fall League.
A product of the University of Texas, O’Dowd went undrafted and then played independent ball for a season in Montana in 2025 before grabbing an opportunity with the Rockies. Once given the chance, he has shown there is plenty to like about his ability at the plate and behind it as well.
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O’Dowd started the 2026 season at Low-A Fresno and looked like “a guy on the varsity playing down to the JV” when he was there, according to Chris Forbes, Colorado’s senior director of player development. At Fresno, O’Dowd posted a .345 average with seven homers and 25 RBIs in 22 games before being promoted to High-A Spokane. During his time in the Northwest, he batted .359 with nine homers and 25 RBI in 34 games.
Rockies catching and first base prospect Jack O’Dowd has been on a tear in the Arizona Fall League, winning Week 3 honors last week. (Photo courtesy of Hartford Yard Goats)
Wanting to see how he handled the higher competition in the Eastern League, the Rockies moved O’Dowd to his third level to start July. He quickly showed he could succeed there as well, homering in his first game in Hartford on his way to logging a .254 average with seven homers and 28 RBI in 51 games with the Yard Goats.
“For him to go up there and adjust like that, it was easy to pull his name into the Fall League,” Forbes said.
Forbes refers to the Fall League as a sort of “finishing school” for Rockies prospects who established themselves in 2026 — players like O’Dowd and pitcher Stu Flesland III.
“Do I need them to do anything other than just stay in the process? Absolutely not,” Forbes said. “They both had phenomenal years and got on the radar in different ways.”
O’Dowd’s numbers in Arizona have shown he is sticking to the process. He won AFL Week 3 hitter of the week honors after blasting three homers and logging 17 total bases on his way to a 1.308 slugging percentage and a 1.770 OPS. Two of those three homers came in one game.
However, it’s not just about power with O’Dowd. Last week, he roped a 1-0 pitch to right field for an RBI single to open the scoring for the Salt River Rafters. He finished the day 3-for-5 with a double and two singles, pushing his batting average to .378 through his first 45 AFL at-bats.
“I think I have a good routine down right now,” O’Dowd told The Denver Gazette after that performance. “I think that my cage work has been good. I think that that’s given me some confidence out on the field that my swing is in a good place and that I can handle multiple pitches in multiple zones right now. I’m seeing the ball well, and I feel like my routine is pretty locked in.”
He is also taking advantage of the time in Arizona to work on his catching skills. Last season, O’Dowd saw significantly more time at first base (47 games) than catching (23). Most of his AFL time, however, is expected to be behind the plate. That’s just fine with O’Dowd.
“Personally, I like catching more,” O’Dowd said. “It’s a whole different perspective of the game. It’s really like artwork trying to call pitches and get your pitchers through the game, but first base is definitely easier on the body. It’s a give and take for sure.”
Rockies catching and first base prospect Jack O’Dowd has been on a tear in the Arizona Fall League, winning Week 3 honors last week. (Photo courtesy of Hartford Yard Goats)
With pitchers from five franchises on the Salt River roster, O’Dowd has had to learn pitching styles and preferences quickly. He’s hoping that learning curve will benefit him once the 2027 season begins.
“It’s really good experience,” O’Dowd said. “I feel like if you can catch guys that you don’t know well, it’s a lot easier to catch the guys once you do know them well.”
Whether you call it a learning experience or another proving ground for O’Dowd, the 25-year-old son of former Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd is soaking it all in while also remembering how far he’s come in the span of a year.
“There’s a little bit of a chip in there. I feel like there were a lot of people who counted me out for sure,” O’Dowd said about not being drafted. “That’s just part of it. I don’t think too much about that, and I don’t hold that against anybody, either. But I also know that I have to continue to show up and play well. I don’t have the longest leash in the world, so it’s motivating to keep me locked in day in and day out.”