Hope springs eternal at spring training. But in the case of the Rockies in recent years, that’s just been infernal noise. Yada, yada, yada.
But now, with a new front office and coaches in place, the players insist there is a new direction and a new energy at Salt River Fields. For Rockies fans, hope might finally be a worthy investment.
But now comes the hard part. All of the talk, strategy, meetings, and optimism must transfer to the baseball field. Work begins in earnest on Tuesday with the Rockies’ first full-squad workout.
Here are 10 questions that need to be answered:
1. Will the latest approach to solving the Rockies’ pitching pay off? After a torturous 2025 season that featured one of the worst team pitching performances in major league history, the pitching think tank was overhauled. The revamped staff features pitching coach Alon Leichman, assistant Gabe Ribas, bullpen coach Matt Buschmann, and Matt Daniels as the director of pitching.
They will be working on pitch sequencing, pitch shaping and expanded repertoires — all being steered by analytics. The emphasis will be on pounding the strike zone.
Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen (24), center, speaks during a pitchers question and answer session during Rockies Fest on Saturday, Jan. 24, at Coors Field in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
2. Do the three veteran, free-agent starters acquired during the offseason — 34-year-old right-hander Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano (35), and lefty Jose Quintana (37) — have enough left in the tank to stabilize Colorado’s wobbly rotation? At least in the short term, to buy some time? If they can, it will give the Rockies’ young pitchers more time to develop.
3. Was prized right-hander Chase Dollander able to shake off his sometimes nightmarish rookie season? Spring training will provide some hints.
Dollander made several mechanical tweaks during the offseason, hoping to make his sizzling fastball more effective and his slider more dependable in the zone. It’s a huge spring training for Dollander, but, of course, the true test will come at Coors Field. Last season, he had a 3.40 ERA in 10 road starts compared to a 9.98 ERA in 11 starts at Coors Field.
4. Right-handers Seth Halvorsen and Victor Vodnik figure to compete for the closer’s job during camp, but will Halvorsen’s elbow pass the stress test?
He finished last season on the injured list after pitching his final game on Aug. 2. Initially, there were fears that Halvorsen would have to undergo Tommy John surgery. However, tests showed there was no damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. Halvorsen, who turns 26 on Feb. 18, had Tommy John surgery as a freshman at the University of Missouri in 2019, so his health will be a question mark until it isn’t.
Zac Veen (13) of the Colorado Rockies takes in the moemnt before his first Major League at-bat against Freddy Peralta (51) of the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
5. Can outfielder Zac Veen overcome his personal demons and become the player Colorado envisioned when they drafted him ninth overall in 2020 out of Florida’s Spruce Creek High School? Veen recently told MLB.com that he’s struggled with marijuana and alcohol abuse and that it affected his performance. Colorado’s outfield is filled with candidates battling to make the roster. Veen has the most to overcome and the most to prove.
6. The Rockies have a plethora of outfielders, and Colorado is eager to see what it has in newcomer Jake McCarthy, the former Diamondback. They want to see Brenton Doyle rebound. But could a spring training trade be in the works? Don’t rule it out.
7. With strikeout king Michael Toglia now in camp with the Reds, who plays first base for the Rockies? Free-agent acquisition and utility player Edouard Julien could have the inside track, in part because he’s out of options.
The most intriguing first base candidate is prospect T.J. Rumfield, acquired from the Yankees in a trade for right-hander reliever Angel Chivilli. Rumfield was blocked in the Bronx by the likes of Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt. Rumfield slashed .285/.378/.447 with 16 home runs, 31 doubles in 2025 at Triple-A last season.
Troy Johnston, claimed off waivers from the Marlins, will also be in the mix.
Don’t be shocked if the Rockies platoon a number of players at first base.
Rockies player Charlie Condon, left, daps up rookie Ethan Holliday during a Family Feud style game played during Rockies Fest on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Coors Field in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
8. Will Charlie Condon, the third overall pick of the 2024 draft out of Georgia, and the projected first baseman of the future, prove he belongs? The Rockies are sure the answer will be a unqualified yes, but there will be plenty of scrutiny on Condon during his first big-league camp.
Chances are that Condon, just 22, will begin the season at Double-A Hartford, advance to Triple-A Albuquerque, and debut with the Rockies late this season. But could be on the fast track to the majors?
“I’d say never say never on our players,” Paul DePodesta, president of baseball operations, said in December. “He did have a chance through the second half of last year to stay healthy, and then had a really nice Fall League. He’s obviously a very talented player.
“At the same time, we want to create a discussion where he has to go out there and make it happen. But certainly he’ll have some opportunities to do so.”
Condon played through a right-hand injury that marred his first professional season and sustained a fractured left wrist during last spring training. Once healthy, however, Condon made strides in the minors, finished the season at Double-A Hartford, and played well in the Arizona Fall League.
9. What surprises are in store at Salt River Fields? Manager Warren Schaeffer has only hinted at how he’ll run camp, but said it will be unlike the Rockies’ recent spring trainings. Expect plenty of experimentation. At Rockies Fan Fest, DePodesta said fans should expect to see players at spring training playing positions that might be unexpected.
10. Who will be the breakout star of camp? Don’t be surprised if it’s third baseman Kyle Karros. He’s an under-the-radar player, but he’s mature and knows himself. Karros played 43 games with the Rockies last season, starting 41. He slashed .226/.308/.277 with just one home run, but he’s capable of much more. As a defender, he has Gold Glove potential.
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