{"id":763664,"date":"2026-07-28T12:54:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T12:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/763664\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T12:54:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T12:54:27","slug":"colorado-rockies-news-what-is-the-rockies-core-going-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/763664\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado Rockies News: What is the Rockies \u201ccore\u201d going forward?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday in The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon<\/a> wrote about Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman\u2019s questionable defensive skills and how they might affect his trade value going forward.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve talked about that quite a bit already, but I just have to say to those executives who want to move Goodman out of the catcher role, \u201cHave you seen his positional splits?\u201d And to those who would consider moving him to another position, \u201cGood luck!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the piece struck me as part of front office bargaining. Here\u2019s a tell: \u201cThe Yankees have a coach who possibly could draw more out of Goodman \u2014 Tanner Swanson, their major-league field coordinator and director of catching. Within the industry, Swanson is regarded as a top catching instructor.\u201d<\/p>\n

What are we even doing here (besides trying to depress Goodman\u2019s trade value)?<\/p>\n

Actually, that\u2019s not what interested me about Rosenthal and Sammon\u2019s article. This did:<\/p>\n

As previously reported<\/a>, the Rockies are telling teams they spent the first part of the season trying to figure out which players can be part of their next 90-win team. Barring an extension for Goodman, they must decide whether they can get to 90 wins with him by 2029, his final year of club control, or whether a trade for multiple prospects might accelerate their timeline.<\/p>\n

The first sentence \u2014 \u201cwhich players can be part of their next 90-win team\u201d \u2014 caught my attention, and I began to wonder who might be on that next contending team. So today, I\u2019m going to try to begin teasing that out.<\/p>\n

A couple of prefatory notes are in order.<\/p>\n

First, I\u2019m limiting myself to the current 40-man roster and mostly prospects at Triple-A Albuquerque. Second, I\u2019m going to assume that in terms of hitters, Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes are mostly interested in players who can get on base because they see it as a way to mitigate the Coors Effect. Third, based on what we\u2019ve seen, I\u2019m going to assume that the Rockies are looking for pitchers with big arsenals and funky deliveries.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s simplifying things \u2014 I know \u2014 but look at this as a pre-writing exercise rather than the final product.<\/p>\n

Currently, the Rockies have three catchers on their 40-man roster:<\/p>\n

Hunter GoodmanBrett SullivanBraxton Fulford<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll start with the easy part: I do not believe Sullivan and Fulford are part of the Rockies core. However, I do think Sullivan, the archetypal backup catcher<\/a>, has a future in coaching. But those two players are not key pieces when considering the Rockies future.<\/p>\n

Goodman, though, I think is up for debate.<\/p>\n

\"Jun<\/a><\/p>\n

Jun 17, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) and Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) watch a replay to see if a Armstrong\u2019s home run was fair or foul against the during the fourth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images David Banks-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

If the Rockies can get a haul for him that accelerates the team\u2019s timeline to get back into contention, they\u2019ll make the deal \u2014 and that haul will have to include significant pitching. If they keep Goodman, that\u2019s fine, too, because the Rockies have a keen sense of his skill set (unlike some teams).<\/p>\n

Looking forward, I think probably the Rockies have just drafted their catcher of the future in either Daniel Jackson<\/a> or Jack Natili<\/a>. And \u2014 file this one away \u2014 Jack O\u2019Dowd<\/a>, in addition to pounding baseballs, is also a catcher.<\/p>\n

Now things get more challenging. Here\u2019s who\u2019s currently on the 40-man roster:<\/p>\n

Adael AmadorWilli Castro<\/a>Edouard JulienKyle KarrosRyan Ritter<\/a>TJ Rumfield<\/a>Chad StevensEzequiel Tovar<\/a><\/p>\n

I do not see Castro, Julien, and Stevens as part of the Rockies core. Castro, I think, will be traded while Julien and Stevens are released to continue the baseball journeys waiting for them.<\/p>\n

Ritter and Tovar, I would argue, are placeholders. Despite Tovar\u2019s struggles at the plate, he is the Rockies best option at shortstop in the near term. I suspect the Rockies hope to address his offensive issues and trade him. But Tyler Bell<\/a> looks to be the future here though he has expressed a willingness to move to second.<\/p>\n

Amador, I think, will get his second MLB audition in August. After the front office sees how he does, they\u2019ll will decide his place in the lineup going forward.<\/p>\n

Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP<\/a>) and Ethan Holliday (No. 2 PuRP<\/a>) fit in here somewhere. For Holliday, I am not sure where because I do not believe he\u2019ll stick at short, but given that his season was cut short, we know less about his progress. (Frankly, I expect him to be moved to the outfield.)<\/p>\n

\"DENVER,<\/a><\/p>\n

DENVER, CO – JUNE 22: TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies flips the ball to first base in a game against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field on June 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Kyle Cooper\/Colorado Rockies\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s my infield core: Rumfield and Karros with Charlie Condon (No 1 PuRP<\/a>) providing a RH platoon for first base. Tyler Bell is the future shortstop with second base being up for grabs, and Amador having the first shot \u2014 but maybe that\u2019s where they\u2019re hoping for Landyn Vidourek<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the current 40-man selection:<\/p>\n

Drew AvansConnor Capel<\/a>Charlie Condon<\/a><\/p>\n

For me, there are two for-sure names on this list: Cole Carrigg and Charlie Condon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Veen and Thompson will be given an opportunity to show what they can do after the trade deadline.<\/p>\n

\"SCOTTSDALE,<\/a><\/p>\n

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA – MARCH 21: Charlie Condon #24 of the Colorado Rockies in the field during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 21, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi\/Diamond Images via Getty Images) Diamond Images\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

And the other players will be used to fill out a roster, as trade chips, or DFA\u2019d when the season ends.<\/p>\n

One note on McCarthy. Yes, he\u2019s a model of what the Rockies want to do, but I see him more as an experiment than as part of the future. DePodesta and Byrnes had an idea of what they wanted to see work at Coors Field, and McCarthy showed it can. (Plus, check out his even- and 0dd-year splits.) At this point, McCarthy becomes more valuable as a trade piece.<\/p>\n

This one is fairly straightforward. Here\u2019s the current 40-man:<\/p>\n

Of this list, only two are players to build around: Chase Dollander and Gabriel Hughes.<\/p>\n

\"Jul<\/a><\/p>\n

Jul 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Gabriel Hughes (43) pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Other starters I expect to be traded or used to finish the season. This is a part of the roster that DePodesta and Byrnes will focus on improving during the trade deadline and offseason.<\/p>\n

Feltner, I would argue, is not consistent enough, and Sullivan seems better as a bullpen fit.<\/p>\n

Here, things get weird, and I\u2019m hesitant to say much of anything given the volatility of bullpen arms. And there are so many that I\u2019m not going to list them all.<\/p>\n

There is one that stands out: Nick Frasso<\/a>. He may illustrate what the Rockies have in mind going forward. The other bullpen arms I think will either be traded or used as needed. (Hey, you can never have too many arms.) But Frasso and perhaps Juan Mejia strike me as the only two with staying power.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing about Seth Halvorsen: Whatever his talents, the Rockies front office did not see him as part of their core going forward.<\/p>\n

We should see more of those kinds of moves before the trade deadline.<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s where I am in terms of looking to the future. I think DePodesta and Byrnes are eager to get this team in contention, and they will take whatever steps are needed to make that happen.<\/p>\n

But with that, I turn the discussion over to the Purple Rowers, who, I\u2019m sure, will have their own strong opinions.<\/p>\n

Who do you see the Rockies building around going forward?<\/p>\n

What I\u2019m hearing about the Yankees\u2019 trade deadline pursuit of a catcher | The Athletic ($ \u2014 gift link)<\/a><\/p>\n

Of course, Hunter Goodman receives attention in this one with Chris Kirschner questioning Goodman\u2019s defense skills. Then there\u2019s this line: \u201cDuring daily meetings between the Yankees\u2019 starting pitcher and catcher, the catcher delivers comprehensive scouting reports detailing the strategy for attacking the opponent\u2019s lineup.\u201d Apparently the conclusion is that the Rockies don\u2019t do game prep on the opposing team? At any rate, the Hunter Goodman articles increasingly seem less an analysis of his skills and more about decreasing his trade value.<\/p>\n

The inevitable Kyle Karros | Blake Street Banter<\/a><\/p>\n

Eli Whitney examines what Karros brings to the Rockies.<\/p>\n

This rising Rockies prospect just hit over .400 for the second straight season | MLB.com<\/a><\/p>\n

In case you\u2019re just starting to learn about Cristian Arguelles, the 19-year-old outfielder dominating the ACL, here you go.<\/p>\n

Fewer adsCreate community posts<\/a>Comment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!<\/p>\n

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines<\/a> when you\u2019re commenting. Thanks!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Yesterday in The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon wrote about Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman\u2019s questionable defensive…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":763665,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2405],"tags":[5,167,52,38706,4316,4,168,38579],"class_list":["post-763664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-colorado-rockies","tag-baseball","tag-colorado","tag-colorado-rockies","tag-colorado-rockies-news","tag-coloradorockies","tag-mlb","tag-rockies","tag-rockpile"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116997709507827582","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/763664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=763664"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/763664\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/763665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=763664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=763664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=763664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}