Welcome to the 2025 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2025. 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. 23, Lucas Gilbreath (0.0 rWAR)
When left-handed Colorado native Lucas Gilbreath exploded onto the scene in 2021, it seemed like the Rockies had found both a great story and a potential long-term solution in the bullpen. Despite the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season, Gilbreath worked hard to make adjustments and further his development as a pitcher and make his big league debut despite never pitching above A-level ball before the 2021 season.
Gilbreath put together two strong seasons to start his career. In 2021 he posted a 3.38 ERA over 47 appearances and 42 2/3 innings, and in 2022, he posted a 4.19 ERA over 47 appearances and 43 innings. Unfortunately, injury ended his second prematurely, and that’s when the troubles began for Gilbreath.
In late August of 2022, Gilbreath was placed on the injured list with a left flexor strain in his elbow. The injury wasn’t expected to require surgery, and he received injections of platelet-rich plasma. However, it had not responded to treatment by the time spring training started, and Gilbreath ended up undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Gilbreath missed the entire 2023 season recovering and rehabbing from his surgery. It looked like he would be able to start fresh in 2024 before pain in his left shoulder shut him back down and extended his absence.
“I wish I could say I kept the faith the whole time,” Gilbreath told the Denver Post last year. “It was a difficult road, there is no way to sugarcoat it. For me, having such a smooth Tommy John recovery, and feeling good, and building back up and hitting all of those checkpoints was great.
“And then, for all of that to fall apart, and the shoulder rehab to be as shaky as it was, it was tough. It seemed like we would have two good days and one horrible day.”
After missing almost two full seasons, the Rockies activated Gilbreath mid-August in 2024. Sadly, his triumphant return did not go as planned. Gilbreath made three appearances but completed just one full inning of work, giving up six earned runs on seven hits and a walk with just one strikeout. He was then placed back on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation. The comeback ended quickly.
He returned for spring training this season, but made just one appearance. Gilbreath gave up two earned runs on three hits in one inning of work before being optioned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. The Rockies designated him for assignment and outrighted him off the 40-man roster just before the regular season began, and he started the minor league season on the 7-day injured list.
Gilbreath spent most of his 2025 season with the Isotopes and struggled to return to form in the hitter-friendly PCL. In 43 appearances he posted a 7.59 ERA with 28 walks to 39 strikeouts and nine home runs allowed over 42 2/3 innings. In seven appearances, he pitched less than one complete inning while yielding runs and gave up multiple runs in five such outings.
The Rockies selected Gilbreath’s contract on August 22nd when the team was dealing with injuries in their bullpen, adding him to the 40-man and active roster. He made just one appearance, pitching an inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He faced four batters and struck out two, but did give up a solo home run. He was optioned back to Albuquerque shortly afterwards.
Due a projected $900K in arbitration for 2026, the Rockies chose to outright Gilbreath from the 40-man roster when the off-season began. Gilbreath declined the assignment to Triple-A Albuquerque and elected free agency.
Gilbreath’s exciting rise to prominence early in his career seemed like a perfect story: the hometown kid making a difference for his childhood team. Unfortunately, his injuries and difficulty bouncing back from them have closed the book on his time in a Rockies uniform.
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