Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 39, Blake Adams (-0.2 rWAR)
The Colorado Rockies have gotten several years of minor league
production out of right-handed pitcher Blake Adams, but whether he fits in their major league rotation remains a question mark.
The University of Arkansas turned Kansas State prospect was selected in the 13th round of the 2022 draft by the Rockies. In college across both universities, he started 15 games and appeared in 10 others, posting a 7-6 record, a career 5.75 ERA at the college-level, and 101 strikeouts in 98.2 innings pitched.
Since then, he’s logged innings across all levels of minor league ball and slowly risen the ranks. He debuted with the ACL Rockies with 5.1 innings over five appearances in 2022. He split 2023 between the Single-A Fresno Grizzlies and the High-A Spokane Indians, before moving between Spokane and the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats in 2024.
He remained in Hartford for 2025 before the next call-up to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes in 2026. In 2026 with the ‘Topes, he posted a 3-6 record in 21 games played with two games started. He logged 61.1 innings of work, posting a 7.48 ERA and a 1.745 WHIP.
His numbers in Triple-A highlight an unnerving trend: They’ve gotten worse with each level he’s climbed. Skipping over his very limited rookie league innings, Adams had a 2.60 ERA in Single-A, 3.68 in High-A, up to 4.76 in Double-A, and then 7.48 in Triple-A.
That said, also evident is a lack of consistency within each of those levels. His ERA, win-loss record, strikeouts and walks over nine innings, and WHIP have fluctuated each year, typically improving after his first year in a given level.
Although Adams earned promotions through the Rockies’ farm system, his performance became less reliable as he approached the majors. His brief improvement in Double-A was encouraging, but his struggles in Triple-A suggest that he still has work to do.
In 2026, he finally got the call. With some roster shuffling around Kyle Freeland’s move to the injured list, the Rockies selected Adams’ contract in late August.
He got roughed up in his only big league appearance, making his MLB debut in August in a rough 13-3 loss to the Washington Nationals. He entered in the seventh inning, giving up two runs in the frame. He attempted to start the eighth inning but was pulled after allowing a three-run home run and following that up with a walk. In all, he posted one inning of work, giving up five earned runs on five hits with one walk.
Overall, Adams’ minor league numbers are modest. a 21-23 record, a 4.52 ERA, a 1.307 WHIP, and 367 strikeouts across 394.2 innings. His strikeout rate of 8.4 per nine innings is respectable, but his overall run prevention has been more inconsistent, particularly against advanced hitters. His 2026 season was challenging, raising questions about whether his arsenal of pitches can hold up against major league hitting.
Adams has lots of experience, but as a whole, it suggests more of an organizational depth role than an MLB prospect with starting rotation or even relief utility. Provided he improves his command and consistency, bigger sample sizes at both the Triple-A and MLB levels will tell us more about how long he could stick around in the big leagues.
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