Coming in at number 28 is the Colorado Rockies. A playoff team 2 years ago but is now in a big rebuild. It’s a sad time for Rockies fans.
Notable Additions: CJ Cron
Notable Losses: Nolan Arenado, Kevin Pillar, David Dahl
Current Top 5 Prospects: Zac Veen, Ryan Rolison, Michael Toglia, Ryan Vilade, Drew Romo
It’s been an unfortunate downhill run for the Rockies as they have already seen a franchise cornerstone leave with another star on his way out in the near future. Arenado was traded to the Cardinals this offseason and Trevor Story is set to hit free agency after the 2021 season.
Charlie Blackmon is aging and the pitching has never been friendly to Colorado. The whole lineup is nowhere close to the 2018 playoff team. It’s a sad time for my cousins out in Colorado.
That being said, let’s take a look at some of the positives Colorado has right now going into the season.
Sock’s 2 X-Factors
1. Trevor Story
Yes I know I said Story might be leaving the Rockies via trade or free agency but, that doesn’t mean he can’t contribute to the team right now. Story is a career .277 batter and has a .877 OPS as well. The pop is there as well having 20+ home runs every season of his career except the shortened 2020 season. His defensive presence is another part of his game that seems to be undervalued. He has yet to win a gold glove but he had an impressive 15 FRAA in 2019. In 2020, he only had a 2 FRAA but given his past success on defense, he will have no problem providing elite defense at shortstop for the Rockies this season. For Rockies fans’ sake, hopefully, it is for much longer than just the 2021 season. Projected 2021 Stats. .281 33HR 108RBIs
2. Charlie Blackmon
Chuck Nasty has been a pleasure to watch throughout his 10-year career. He has a career .304 average and a career .865 OPS. At one point he was hitting over .500 last season! He is a 4 time all-star with two silver sluggers to his name. Even with his average defense, he still is a must start for the Rockies. Unfortunately, he is 34 years old and the Rockies’ future will most likely not involve him. He has a player option for 21 million dollars in 2022 and 2023 which he may or may not accept depending on his performance. However, just like fine wine, Charlie Blackmon is still producing and will continue until further notice. Projected 2021 Stats .310 27HR 88RBIs.
Prospects to look forward to
1. Zac Veen
Taken in the 2020 draft, Veen was one of the hottest prospects to come out of high school. Standing 6 foot 4 and only 19 years old, Veen has some of the best tools at his age. Many scouts praised his left-hand bat and his ability to hit with power. Could we see the next Charlie Blackmon? He most likely won’t be ready until 2023 at the earliest.
2. Michael Toglia
Toglia has impressive power for his age. The Rockies selected him in the first round in the 2019 MLB draft. In his last year at UCLA, he had 19 home runs and batted an impressive .314. Toglia has the potential to be a feared power hitter a 6 foot 5. He had a rough start in the minors but that should not faze him going forward. I expect him to be an Opening Day starter by 2022.
My prediction for the Rockies this upcoming season is that they will finish last in the division with a 60-102 record. Rockies fans have a long rebuild ahead of them. They don’t have many other notable prospects outside of the ones I mentioned. It also doesn’t help that they didn’t get a top 100 prospect in the Arenado deal. They can still build up their farm system but, I don’t see them making the playoffs until at least 2025 at this rate.
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