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Lessons learned in 2025<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the biggest lesson that I learned [in 2025] is that I\u2019ll always be able to make adjustments,\u201d Halvorsen said. \u201cI think that I\u2019m always wanting to make adjustments and improve, whether it\u2019s game to game, year to year, pitch to pitch \u2013 I just want to be able to consistently make adjustments going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mejia echoed that, while also leaning on his faith.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery mistake that I had, I can learn from that,\u201d Mejia said through interpreter Edwin Perez. \u201cWithout any mistakes or errors, you can\u2019t really grow as a player or you can\u2019t learn. So I think I just grew overall learning through all the things that I went through last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
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For Agnos, the lesson was different.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust being in the strike zone, honestly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was throwing really well, I was throwing a ton of strikes. And then when I wasn\u2019t throwing so well, I didn\u2019t throw a ton of strikes. And that\u2019s been kind of the emphasis this camp and my bullpens and my live [BP\u2019s] and from Alon [Leichman] and Gabe [Ribas] and Matt [Daniels] and [Matt Buschmann] and [Warren] Schaeffer and Paul [DePodesta] \u2013 everybody top to bottom, \u2018Just throw strikes!\u2019 I believe in my stuff. I believe I have the stuff to be an everyday guy, so now it\u2019s just putting it over the plate and making hitters earn it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Throwing strikes and getting ahead in counts early has been an emphasis of the newly revamped coaching staff, and something Schaeffer has preached throughout camp.<\/p>\n
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Something else that has permeated Rockies camp since the new coaches were hired is an increased arsenal. Ryan Feltner added a cutter; Chase Dollander added a sweeper; and Kyle Freeland has been tweaking his changeup.<\/p>\n
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New pitches incoming<\/p>\n
And just like the starters, the relievers are adding to their arsenals, too.<\/p>\n
For Halvorsen, the work started in the offseason with his fastball and slider.<\/p>\n
\u201cI switched the grip [on my fastball] a little bit to maybe make it a little more true,\u201d he said,\u201d and then I switched the grip of my slider for it to maybe have a little more depth, or at least have the ability to do that. And then maybe I\u2019ll manipulate that pitch a little bit, so I\u2019m excited with those two for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Mejia, like Freeland, is working on his changeup and slider.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t have the biggest confidence in it last year, and that\u2019s why I didn\u2019t throw it,\u201d he said. \u201cSo that\u2019s my pitch that I\u2019ve held back, but I think I\u2019m truly growing into it and getting better at it. And the slider \u2013 I think the slider\u2019s still the same, but in a sense, it\u2019s getting better. I\u2019m just improving that.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Agnos, on the other hand, is adding a plethora of new pitches.<\/p>\n
\u201cSinker and curveball, and then we\u2019re tweaking with my cutter, sweeper and slider,\u201d he said during the first weekend of spring training. \u201cI was actually with my brother (Jake) in the offseason. He gave me a lot of helpful little tips and showed me some grips that I talked to Alon and Gabe about, and the sweeper has been good. So it\u2019s kind of nice to have these guys as pitching coaches and my brother as a pitching coach. You get two sets of eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, as of Saturday, Agnos has added yet another pitch at the suggestion of Michael Lorenzen.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s called a death ball,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s an interesting pitch. I threw it against Team USA, so it\u2019s pretty good, but I\u2019ve still got a lot of room to grow with it. But it\u2019s been fun!\u201d<\/p>\n
The new coaching staff is really helping<\/p>\n
And, of course, they\u2019re learning a lot from the new pitching coaches overall.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve all been super fantastic. They\u2019ve been awesome,\u201d said Agnos.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey communicate a plan, whether I\u2019ve wanted to hear it or not. They\u2019ll tell you how it is and it\u2019s awesome. There\u2019s a clear plan, and they\u2019re definitely trying to develop us, which is awesome.<\/p>\n
\u201c[It\u2019s] the most fun I\u2019ve had playing catch,\u201d he continued. \u201cAs stupid as that sounds, I\u2019ve never had so much fun playing catch. Like today (Feb. 15), I threw with Alon because he wanted to work on my sweeper and cutter. So it was good, and he got to see it firsthand. We had a good talk, and he\u2019s kind of building up some confidence in us, which is good, too. He just kept being like, \u2018You\u2019re nasty, bro, you\u2019re nasty. Trust [yourself].\u2019 He\u2019s like, \u2018You\u2019re nasty.\u2019 So it\u2019s cool to hear. It\u2019s always nice to hear \u2013 I believe it \u2013 but it never hurts to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n
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For Halvorsen, it was an immediate change in his slider.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve done the same pitch there for a couple years now,\u201d he said, \u201cand then right away they came in and they had me make that adjustment. And I saw results \u2013 beneficial results \u2013 right away. So it was pretty exciting to see that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mejia is noticing the difference in the clubhouse.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been very positive overall,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019ve helped me so much already. From the start, you can feel that there\u2019s a different energy, a different atmosphere in here, and I think that\u2019s going to help us a lot this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think we can have a better record this year,\u201d he continued. \u201cI think we can play better as a team and hopefully these changes bring us to the championship one day. Hopefully this year, and hopefully we\u2019re able to celebrate this year, but more than anything, I think it\u2019s been overall a great adjustment for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Schaeffer had nothing but glowing things to say about the trio.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll three of those guys are dudes. There\u2019s no doubt about it\u201d he said. \u201cThe one that has been the most impressive in camp, for me, has been Agnos with the way he\u2019s attacked the zone and pounded it, doing what we\u2019ve been asking 100%. It\u2019s been impressive.<\/p>\n
\u201cMejia, also, is one of our top guys. He\u2019s so nasty. So it\u2019s been a good progression for him,\u201d he continued. \u201cAnd it\u2019s been a good progression for Seth. Seth\u2019s working on new things, and so is Juan. So it\u2019s about striking that balance, about executing the fundamentals in game, pounding the strike zone, and working on stuff, which is difficult early in camp. So I don\u2019t foresee any problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
Closing thoughts<\/p>\n
Agnos has been lighting it up in spring training, making a very strong case for the Opening Day roster. Halvorsen has been tinkering with things, but his fastball command has been improving. And Mejia has been outstanding for Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.<\/p>\n
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2026 is still up in the air for a lot of Rockies, but at least the bullpen appears to be a strength heading into it.<\/p>\n
To Read (Rockpiles)<\/p>\n
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To Read (PuRPs)<\/p>\n
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