Welcome to the 2025 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2025. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 52, Orlando Arcia (-1.0 rWAR)
I had just finished interviewing Ezequiel Tovar with the help of Rockies Spanish Communications Coordinator Edwin Perez when I noticed Orlando Arcia was available, reading on his phone.
”Would Orlando have a few minutes?” I asked Edwin, who went to check, speaking quietly to Arcia in Spanish.
Arcia frowned, still looking at his phone before bursting into a smile and laughing as he gestured to me that he was happy to answer questions — and he did.
It was that kind of positive vibes that were Aracia’s hallmark, defining his Rockies tenure.
Although Arcia may not have made many significant on-field contributions, he provided that kind of presence in the Colorado Rockies clubhouse — a space that needed all the positive vibes it could muster while slogging through a season of baseball infamy.
He was a surprising late-May pickup for the Rockies given that, by that time, the Rockies had seemingly survived their infield implosion of early May. It devastated the Rockies’ infield, involving injuries to Ezequiel Tovar, Tyler Freeman, and Aaron Schunk. The Rockies had promoted Ryan Ritter, recalled Adael Amador, and traded for old friend Alan Trejo in an attempt to field a complete team. Meanwhile, the infield starters and depth options worked to get healthy.
The front office saw signing Arcia as improving their depth options.
“We are trying to get better,” general manager Bill Schmidt told Patrick Saunders. “Arcia gives us some versatility and he’ll be our utility infielder.”
As a refresher, Arcia was traded to Atlanta by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021. During his time there, Arcia slashed .238/.296/.449. In 1349 at-bats, he had 321 hits, including 62 doubles and 48 home runs. He was also an All-Star in 2023 after a playing a hot first half. However, he cooled off later in the season and failed to post comparable numbers.
The trend did not change in 2025. Over 25 at-bats, he slashed .194/.219/.226, hence the eventual DFA to make space on the 40-man roster for Ronald Acuña Jr.
Prior to becoming a Rockie, he had played 22 games at Coors Field. In 78 at-bats, Arcia had 22 hits, including three doubles, one triple, two home runs in addition to four stolen bases for a .764 OPS.
He came to the Rockies as an average-to-slightly-below-average utility infield defender.
Arcia finished his time as a Rockie with numbers similar to those he had posted in Atlanta.
He appeared in 62 games for the Rockies with 182 plate appearances. Arcia slashed .203/.242/.302 with three home runs. He hit three home runs and accumulated an OPS+ of 42.
Most of what Arcia brought in addition to versatility, however, was leadership for a young team.
“Obviously, we’re not super happy with the results and per se,” Arcia said in late August, “but I as a whole, we’re continuing to celebrate our successes and continuing to grow as a team. And I think that’s the biggest thing that I am proud of.”
Interim manager Warren Schaeffer acknowledged Arcia’s clubhouse contributions, referring to him as “one of our best leaders.”
However, that’s not how Arcia sees himself.
“I don’t consider myself a leader per se,” he said.
”I’m here as a guide for these young guys — anything that I can help with them with as a professional, I’m going definitely to do.”
That he provided leadership was certainly Ritter’s experience. “He teaches me a lot,” the young second baseman said in September.
But Arica also sees potential in a young Rockies team.
”I think this is a team that’s very young, but it’s very talented. I think it’s a team that’s going to continue to grow.”
And while it appears unlikely that Arcia will be with the Rockies in 2026, he’s appreciated his time in Colorado.
“I’m excited to be part of that right now and just help them out again.”
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