What do you do with a former top-tier prospect when opportunities are limited but there is also realistic, untapped potential?
That is the question Colorado Rockies President of Baseball Operations, Paul DePodesta, is likely trying to figure out with Adael Amador.
Signed as one of the top international free agents in the 2019-20 circuit for $1.5 million, Amador has displayed many skills that made him a consensus Top-100 talent in the last few years. In 2024, he was ranked as the Rockies’ No.1 prospect
by MLB Pipeline, and as recently as 2025 was ranked the No. 3 PuRP for Purple Row. However, it’s unclear what his path forward is with the club after two brief stints at the big league level over the last two seasons.
It’s a classic conundrum. Amador is clearly too good for Triple-A Albuquerque, but his major league track record so far suggests he isn’t quite ready for everyday duty in Denver. With a brutal .492 big-league OPS but a brilliant track record of minor-league plate discipline, Amador represents a puzzle the front office has to solve sooner rather than later.
DePodesta recently spoke to the media over the weekend and talked about the philosophy of promotions and prospects.
To paraphrase, DePodesta is all about making sure prospects have a firm foundation at one level before moving them to the next level in the hopes of mitigating struggles following a promotion. He wants players to be able to hit the ground running and thrive after a promotion rather than struggle through lessons they should have learned prior.
Batting Performance
The first place to look is always the basic counting stats. They don’t tell the whole story, but they help give you an idea of what type of player someone like Amador is.
Offensively, Amador is doing well in Albuquerque this season. In 53 games, he is batting .266/.377/.404 with five home runs and 37 RBI. Additionally, his outstanding plate discipline continues to be his calling card as he currently has 37 walks to 27 strikeouts in 245 plate appearances. They are modest numbers and a productive part of the Isotopes’ lineup. The numbers are certainly down from his .303/.405/.478 slash and 11 home runs in 80 games last season, but his offensive profile falls in line with the organizational theme of making contact and getting on base.
He’s off to a slow start in June, but Amador enjoyed a great month of May, where he reflected those 2025 numbers by batting .306/.439/.494 with three home runs and 20 walks.
A further look at his splits shows that he is putting together productive at-bats at the top of the lineup, and there aren’t huge discrepancies in his platoon splits as a switch-hitter. However, it’s easy to see why his stock as a top prospect has fallen as newer, high-profile prospects entered the system and others simply outperformed him.
The glimpse of big-league time, specifically the extended look in 2025, severely hurt his case. In just 51 games in the big leagues, Amador has slashed .176/.242/.250, going 8-for-148 with eight doubles, a home run, and 10 RBI. What’s been missing is that trademark plate discipline, as he struck out 33 times against just 12 walks in 164 plate appearances. He simply failed to live up to the hype.
Yet, Amador looks to be settling into a more consistent rhythm that promotes development as opposed to the fast track to the big leagues out of desperation that he faced the last two years. 2026 is a new year, and compared to the current big league options this season, Amador is doing as well or better at the plate. Is it worthwhile to keep him in Triple-A limbo, or will he get his moment to shine in the big leagues sooner rather than later?
Defensive versatility opportunities
The Rockies have always been about versatility, and the new front office is no different.
DePodesta’s philosophy about foundational growth applies to every player from Low-A Fresno to the players in Triple-A looking for a big league chance. The higher you ascend the ladder, the greater the need to look for opportunities to promote.
That’s where the Rockies appear to be with Amador.
Signed as a shortstop, Amador has always had a decent glove and a strong arm, making him a perfect middle infield candidate. The presence of Ezequiel Tovar made it necessary to explore other options for Amador defensively, so he flipped over to second base to get more reps in the last few seasons.
There were obvious growing pains as the position looked like the moon to him at times, but he embraced the challenged as has continued to show growth. Yet, DePodesta doesn’t want just a screwdriver in his pocket; he wants a multi-function tool capable of doing multiple things.
Following in the footsteps of Ryan Ritter in the outfield, the Rockies have begun looking at different ways Amador could contribute defensively, such as the outfield or perhaps swing him around the diamond a little bit more. There is merit in trying to see what else sticks defensively, so that should there be an opportunity, the Rockies have more choices to select from.
Sometimes it’s just about getting your foot in the door, and Amador being able to run down flyballs competently would raise his stock in how the team could use him. A switch-hitting player with excellent plate discipline and speed, while being capable of playing multiple positions, is at the top of the wish list for Colorado. So why not give it a try?
What about a trade?
Now, second base isn’t much of a competition in the organization. Willi Castro and Edouard Julien haven’t exactly set the world on fire, and the prospect depth doesn’t stand out much. The reason the Rockies went out ot get experienced players like that was because of the struggles and failings of players like Amador.
We have seen the new front office cut bait on quite a few prospects that the previous regime favored highly, but weren’t able to amount to much in Colorado. There have been a few cash trades, but could Amador be a player who actually nets a return piece?
The trade market is going to be interesting for the Rockies, and they are likely to sell a few pieces from the big league roster that could open up opportunities for someone like Amador. But Amador could also be a useful piece to help supply the club with depth in other areas.
The Rockies desperately need more pitching, particularly in the rotation, and perhaps a deal could be swung for a big-league capable arm in a one-for-one trade. Or he could get thrown in with Antonio Senzatela to sweeten a return. Of course, there is also the reality that an offseason trade could occur that would feel a little more realistic, given the circumstances of the team.
Either way, he’s young and still has one option remaining, which could be attractive to other teams in need of middle infield depth that are willing to part with pitching of some kind.
Decisions Decisions
The mistakes of the team in the past were the tendency to latch onto players for far too long, failing to trade them or simply waiting for them to fulfil the perceived potential. The Rockies can no longer afford to play that game. It’s been played out time and time again, and it hurts the team more often than not.
Amador is a good player with some good skills, and a decision needs to be made at some point. He is currently on the seven-day injured list with a leg injury of some kind, but if he gets healthy, he needs to be given that opportunity to try to make an impact with the big league club. 2026 is all about assessing the organization, and in order to do that, questions surrounding the use of Amador need to be answered.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Tacoma Rainiers 15, Albuquerque Isotopes 3
The offenses of both teams were defined mainly by home runs, with the difference being that the Rainiers did way more damage. The Isotopes got a two-run home run from Charlie Condon in the fourth inning and a Mike Antico solo home run in the ninth to account for their three runs. Tacoma had 18 hits, including two home runs from a rehabbing Cal Raleigh. Erasmo Ramirez made the start for the Isotopes and allowed nine runs on 10 hits over four innings of work. Victor Juarez and Carson Skipper both gave up three runs apiece out of the bullpen, while a rehabbing Victor Vodnik tossed a scoreless inning, and veteran Jordan Romano had a scoreless inning in his team debut.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 4, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3 (F/10)
Shut out for the first 8.2 innings, the Hartford Yard Goats tied the game up with a three-run home run by Bryant Betancourt and ended up winning the game on a walk-off wild pitch to win 4-3. Connor Staine started on the mound and was solid for five innings, giving up just two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Both runs came via solo home runs. Griffin Herring followed with three scoreless innings, although he did allow three walks. Sam Weatherly then allowed a run in the top of the ninth, but then in extra innings, Andrew Baker tossed a scoreless 10th. Hartford had just three hits, two of which came in the ninth inning, while striking out 10 times.
High-A: Eugene Emeralds 6, Spokane Indians 5
After Eugene controlled the first half of the game, Spokane controlled the second half but fell just short in the loss. The Emeralds put up all of their runs in the first three innings, including five in the third. Everett Catlett started on teh mound and went just 2.2 innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits. Justin Loer ended up just allowing one hit the rest of the way as he tossed 5.1 scoreless innings. Roynier Hernandez and Ethan Hedges led the offense with three hits apiece as Spokane collected 10 hits. They scored their fifth run in the top of the ninth, but could not get the equalizer across and dropped the opener.
Low-A: Visalia Rawhide 7, Fresno Grizzlies 3
Kyle Fossum and Yeiker Reyes each had multi-hit nights for Fresno, but an overabundance of strikeouts hurt the Grizzlies. Fresno scored a run in the second on a Luis Mendez sacrifice bunt, and then Fossum added a two-run home run in the fourth inning. The team ended up with seven total hits but struck out 13 times while drawing four walks, going 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Ethan Cole made the start on the mound and allowed five runs on 10 hits over five innings. Brady Parker then picked up the final three innings giving up two runs, one earned.
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