It’s been a busy offseason for the Colorado Rockies.
Not only did they part ways with general manager Bill Schmidt, assistant general manager Zack Rosenthal, pitching coach Darryl Scott, and numerous other
coaches in their minor league system, but they also hired Paul “Moneyball” DePodesta as their new president of baseball operations, retained Warren Schaeffer as their full-time manager, and hired Josh Byrnes as the new general manager.
But in the midst of all the front office shakeups, they have also made a number of moves — both additions and subtractions — that have fallen under the radar.
With the Winter Meetings underway and the Rule 5 Draft taking place on Wednesday, the Rockies will likely make even more moves.
However, here’s where they stand as of Sunday evening:
Subtractions
Things kicked off early when the Rockies let three players go on Halloween. INF Aaron Schunk and LHP Lucas Gilbreath were both outrighted off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Albuquerque, while RHP Dugan Darnell was placed on waivers and claimed by the Pittsburgh Pirates (but then waived again, picked up by the Detroit Tigers, and then waived a third time).
A few days later, four players elected free agency: INF Orlando Arcia, RHP Germán Márquez, INF Kyle Farmer, and INF Thairo Estrada. None of these players were expected to be back in 2026, but it was still surprising to see the Rockies elect to let all three veteran infielders walk. It was especially surprising given that at this point, they hadn’t hired DePodesta yet and were making moves by committee.
Things began to take shape on November 7, when DePodesta was officially named PBO and started making moves of his own.
On November 12, RHP Roansy Contreras — an early-September waiver claim — was released and elected free agency. He didn’t do much in 2025 and wasn’t expected back in 2026.
The big surprises came in two waves in mid-November and early-December. On November 18, both 1B Michael Toglia and LHP Ryan Rolison were designated for assignment. Rolison was traded to the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations, while Toglia elected for free agency. Both were former first-round picks (Rolison in 2018 and Toglia in 2019).
Toglia made his MLB debut in 2022 and looked to be the first baseman of the future. However, he struggled mightily in 2025 while refusing to change his approach (including a refusal to give up on switch hitting despite the metrics), and ended up losing his job to Warming Bernabel and Blaine Crim.
Rolison had a long and winding road to the majors, but also struggled mightily when he finally got there. Perhaps a change of scenery will do both good.
Most recently, in the wake of Byrnes’ hiring on December 3, three surprising moves came down.
On December 5, RHP Anthony Molina and C Drew Romo were placed on waivers and claimed. Molina was claimed by the Braves, and Romo was claimed by the Baltimore Orioles. The Molina decisions wasn’t surprising, as he also struggled in 2025. Romo, though, was unexpected. When he was drafted 35th-overall in 2020 — the highest the Rockies had ever drafted a catcher — he was touted as the catcher of the future. However, a weird throwing motion that he did not immediately address (but eventually did), spelled doom for the former high pick.
On December 6, 2025’s surprise bright spot, INF Warming Bernabel, also cleared outright waivers and elected free agency.
Additions
While the Rockies made plenty of subtractions from their roster, they also made numerous additions.
Prior to DePodesta’s hiring
First, the Rockies claimed OF Troy Johnston and RHP Garrett Acton off waivers from the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively.
Johnston, 28, was drafted out of Gonzaga in the 17th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Marlins. He finally made his MLB debut in July, playing 44 games in 2025 and slashing .277/.331/.420 with seven extra-base hits (four homers). He is a career .281/.367/458 hitter in six minor-league seasons. (Here’s an interview with him from Fish on First, formerly Fish Stripes with SB Nation).
Acton, 27, was drafted out of the University of Illinois in the 35th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox but did not sign. He went on to sign with the then-Oakland Athletics in 2020 and made his MLB debut in 2023. Acton made six relief appearances for the A’s in 2023, tossing 5 2/3 innings and allowing eight runs on nine hits with three homers, five walks and five strikeouts. He posted a 12.71 ERA and 2.47 WHIP in his debut season, which led to him being released at the end of the season. He signed with the Rays in December, but missed the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. In 2025, he made just one appearance for the Rays, pitching one clean inning of relief against the Chicago Cubs on September 14.
After Depodesta’s hiring
Then, the new PBO began making more moves.
On November 14, DePodesta signed his first free agent — LF Drew Avans. Avans, 29, was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and made his MLB debut for the Athletics in May 2025. He was DFA’d by the A’s in June and was picked up by the Milwaukee Brewers. In eight total MLB games, Avans has a .118/.111/.229 slash with just two total bases and six strikeouts. However, over the course of seven minor league seasons, he has a career slash of .275/.367/.415, so maybe there’s something there.
On November 18, DePodesta executed his first trade, sending CF Braiden Ward to the Boston Red Sox for LHP Brennan Bernardino. Bernardino, 33, was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 26th round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Cal State Dominguez Hills. He made his MLB debut in July 2022 for the Seattle Mariners, but was DFA’d by them in April 2023 and then claimed by the Red Sox. In 2025, he made 55 appearances for the Red Sox, including three starts. He posted a 4-3 record and 3.14 ERA. He is primarily a late-inning reliever, posting 20 holds and one save (in three opportunities) in his career.
Ahead of Thanksgiving, they made two more signings: LHP Parker Mushinski and LHP Adam Laskey.
Mushinski, 30, was drafted in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Texas Tech by the Houston Astros. He made his MLB debut in April 2022 and pitched the next three seasons with the Astros. In his career, he has made 31 appearances (all in relief) and has posted three holds in 33 total innings. In 2024, he posted a 0-0 record and 6.55 ERA in 10 appearances (11 IP), which led to him being DFA’d and electing free agency. He was signed by the Cleveland Guardians, but spent 2025 in Triple-A with the Columbus Clippers. In 46 appearances, Mushinski posted a 6-5 record and 3.87 ERA before electing free agency again at the end of the season and being picked up by the Rockies.
Laskey, 27, was drafted out of Duke in the 19th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs. He was then drafted by the Marlins in the 2023 Minor League Rule 5 Draft, but has yet to make his MLB debut. In 2025, Laskey split his time between starting and relieving. Combined between Double- and Triple-A, he made 26 appearances and started 19 of them. He posted a 3.76 in 52 2/3 innings in Double-A, and a 4.68 ERA in 32 2/3 innings in Triple-A. He looks like one who could start or relieve, depending on what the Rockies need in 2026.
Finally, the Rockies signed RHP John Brebbia, and potentially INF Nicky Lopez, to minor league contracts on December 1.
Brebbia, 35, is a veteran reliever who was drafted in the 30th round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees out of Elon University. He made his MLB debut in 2017 for the St. Louis Cardinals and pitched three seasons for them. Brebbia underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020, and then signed with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent that winter. He made his Giants debut in June 2021 and pitched three seasons for them as well. Over the last two seasons, Brebbia has spent time with the Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox (though he never made the MLB roster with the Red Sox). In total, Brebbia has a career 16-22 record with a 4.04 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over eight MLB seasons, and could provide a veteran presence in the young bullpen.
Lopez, 30, was drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals out of Creighton University. He made his MLB debut in May 2019. After 4.5 seasons with the Royals, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves at the 2023 trade deadline for LHP Taylor Hearn. He was then traded to the White Sox after the 2023 season and played there in 2024. At the end of 2024, Lopez (understandably) elected free agency and signed with the cross-town Cubs. He was never called to the MLB roster, though, and was released in March 2025. He spent 2025 in the farm systems of the Angels, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Yankees and Cubs again, playing on the MLB rosters for the Angels and Cubs. He is a career .245/.310/.311 hitter with just seven career home runs.
Note: The Lopez deal was not made official as of Sunday evening.
Looking Ahead
The Winter Meetings are in full swing, which means we might see some more moves made — both via addition and/or subtraction. The Rule 5 Draft specifically is Wednesday, and the Rockies have room on their 40-man roster for additions.
What are your thoughts on the Rockies’ offseason so far? Do you agree with the moves they’ve made? What are some moves you’d like to see them make next? Let us know!
How Harvard shaped Paul DePodesta, the Rockies’ new front-office boss | Denver Post ($)
Patrick Saunders digs more into Paul DePodesta’s past, and all of the labels and nicknames he’s been given over the years (fairly or not). Hopefully he can better embrace the Ivy League education than former Rockies GM (and fellow Harvard alum) Jeff Bridich.
Highly-Touted Rockies Prospect Continues Improvement in Farm System | Sports Illustrated
In the midst of all the offseason work at. the major league level, there are also things still happening at the minor league level. SI profiles Robert Calaz (No. 5 PuRP) and what he could potentially bring to the Rockies in a few years.
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