It is important to put your best foot forward when constructing a lineup. The lead-off hitter has been one of the most interesting batting-order roles in baseball history, as the use of the spot has been tinkered with throughout the game’s history.
For the longest time, it was simply the spot where the fast person on the team would reside to get on base by any means necessary and steal second base. Over time, especially in the last decade, that spot in the lineup has evolved to produce more and more power
threats to jump-start an offense and ensure that one of a team’s best hitters is getting as many plate appearances as possible in a game.
Whatever archetype a team pursues relies heavily on a single unifying factor: The hitter has to be able to produce.
The Colorado Rockies had the luxury of having one of the greatest lead-off hitters in baseball history for the better part of a decade in Charlie Blackmon. While he didn’t exactly burn rubber with his legs in the latter part of his career, Blackmon exemplified an excellent hitter to get on base by any means necessary while also tapping into power that made him dangerous at the top of the order. However, since his retirement after the 2024 season, the Rockies spent all of 2025 trying to find a hitter who sticks at the top of the order, and that has continued into 2026.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into what’s going on with the lead-off spot this season and who may have the chops to stick there for the near future.
The team stats
Entering Tuesday, the Rockies are a mixed bag out of the lead-off spot in the lineup. They rank seventh in batting average (.271), but rank 16th in on-base percentage (.331), seventh in slugging percentage (.397) and 23rd with 91 wRC+. As for some of the other prudent stats, the Rockies have a 22.8% strikeout rate (10th) and a 7.6% walk rate (26th).
It’s evident that the Rockies are, as an offense, aggressive when it comes to swings and tend to make much more contact. A highly ranked average makes sense with that philosophy, but it has shown its drawbacks. Lead-off hitters end up with a higher strikeout rate that reflects what the team is going after due to the lack of on-base skills. Colorado lead-off batters have drawn just 26 walks, while the Washington Nationals lead the league with 59.
They are not necessarily the worst things in the world, as making contact generally is the best way to yield results. The Rockies have a .342 BABIP out of the top spot in the lineup, which ranks third in all of baseball, just behind the Nationals (.365) and the Milwaukee Brewers (.345), while being just ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers (.332). There is a good amount of luck at play with BABIP, but the top of the order is finding success swinging the bat and collecting hits.
The main concern has been that when the lead-off hitter reaches, not much happens afterward, as the team ranks 18th in runs scored (40). However, the players batting first are being productive as they have driven in the ninth-most runs in baseball with 37 RBI. So, while they have been generating some traffic for the big hitters behind them, they have done well to cash in on the opportunities afforded by the bottom of the order ahead of them. Even if they have just six home runs, the doubles and handful of triples have made the most of things.
Now, we can turn our attention to the players actually stepping up to the plate in the lead-off spot. In 2026, there have been 14 players to hit in the one spot of the lineup. However, only seven have made a start there, and for today’s purposes, we will briefly touch on the three hitters with the most appearances.
Edouard Julien (126 PA)
As the Rockies cycled through a few different options in the first spot of the batting order, Edouard Julien got the nod on April 6 and delivered a 2-for-5 day. He continued to find success through April and looked like the unconventional answer to the lead-off spot. However, Julien endured a horrendous May where he went 5-for-69 at the plate. He was dropped to the bottom third of the order on May 18 and, since then, has hit in the lead-off spot just twice as June has been a better month for him.
Overall, Julien has slashed .252/.341/.342 in the top spot of the order with two home runs, 12 RBI, and three stolen bases. He has also struck out 32 times against 15 walks.
Julien’s hit tool and ability to draw walks are what make him a viable lead-off option, but slumps like the one he had in May make him a little more unpredictable and harder to trust in that spot. The majority of his other time spent in the lineup has come in the nine-hole, where he can act as a pseudo lead-off hitter, which is still valuable in its own way.
Jake McCarthy (86 PA)
What better tool for a traditional lead-off hitter than speed? Jake McCarthy has speed to spare at the plate, and the Rockies hoped that McCarthy could thrive at the top of the order when given the opportunity. His first five appearances of the year all came as the lead-off hitter, where he went 2-for-18. Starting with his start on April 3, McCarthy saw his role relegated to the bottom part of the order where, like Julien, he could act as a type of lead-off hitter in the nine-hole to set the table for the Mickey Moniaks and Hunter Goodmans of the world.
As McCarthy continued to play hot through April and through May, he made a start as the lead-off hitter on May 20 and went 2-for-5 with a triple, two runs scored, and a stolen base. He continued to fill the spot until he became ill during the Chicago Cubs series at Coors Field. Since returning, he has moved more into the middle third of the order.
He is batting .238/.279/.400 in the lead-off spot with five doubles, a triple, two home runs, nine RBI, and six stolen bases. He has struck out 18 times against four walks. His contact tools and speed are a great asset that will garner more looks in the lead-off spot as needed, but his numbers suggest that hitting in the bottom third of the order has brought about a lot of success and may be more beneficial to the lineup.
Willi Castro (50 PA)
That brings us to the Swiss Army knife of the Rockies lineup, Willi Castro. Bouncing around on defense and in the lineup, Castro has proven to be a useful tool for manager Warren Schaeffer. Castro has mostly been used in the heart of the lineup this season, rotating through the 3-to-6 spots in the lineup. He has been consistent in most spots, but the Rockies have experimented with using Castro in the first and second spots on occasion since May 13. Since that day, Castro has been hitting quite well as he fills in different spots, but the lead-off position has become more prevalent over the last two weeks in June, where he has started 5-of-8 games as the lead-off hitter.
On the year, Castro is slashing .378/.440/.556 with two doubles, two home runs, and eight RBI. He has also shown off a keen eye with eight strikeouts against five walks. Castro’s ability to make quality contact while also being a switch-hitter is a significant advantage for a lead-off hitter. They are also skills that have translated well to batting in the second spot. What’s been fascinating is that, unlike Julien and McCarthy, Castro has done well as the first hitter of the game for the Rockies, where he is 5-for-11 with just one strikeout.
Castro has proven to be one of the quietly consistent hitters for the Rockies over the first two months and has heated up quite a bit more in June. His calm contact approach that can dip into power has made him an intriguing lead-off choice for the near future.
Who is next?
Schaeffer has shown that he is willing to experiment with shaking up the lineup and trying hitters in different spots. For now, Castro will see his fair share of at-bats from the top spot, but that can always change if he cools off. For what it’s worth, Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) could easily be a candidate to get some action at the top of the order at some point. After all, he slashed .285/.336/.455 with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes as the lead-off man.
Lineup construction is a fickle thing and a constantly changing puzzle. But the right guy in the top spot of the order can make a difference in how the offense plays out.
Who would you like to see stick in the lead-off spot? Or what other players would you like to see get a crack at it? Keep things rolling in the comments below!
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 8, Sugar Land Space Cowboys 3
The Albuquerque Isotopes thumped their way to a victory once again as they took down Sugar Land 8-3. Charlie Condon had another two-hit game, including a triple and his 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot. Jose Cordova, who replaced Zac Veen early in the game, went 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. Mike Antico had a two-run double in the game while Nic Kent had a pair of hits. Domingo Acevedo tossed 3.2 innings in his start, allowing three runs in the first inning. The bullpen then locked it down the rest of the way, giving up just three hits.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 6, Reading Fightin’ Phils 5
Thanks to a four-run fourth inning and a crucial insurance run in the seventh inning, the Hartford Yard Goats secured a 6-5 victory. Roc Riggio had himself a good night at the plate for Hartford, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a triple. He also drove in a pair of runs, including the game-winning run in the seventh. Aidan Longwell also contributed his 10th home run of the season with a three-run blast in the fourth inning as part of a two-hit day. Konner Eaton made the start on the mound and went just 1.2 innings, giving up three runs on two hits while allowing four walks. Stu Flesland III ended up tossing 4.1 innings of bulk relief, allowing just one run on four hits. Carlos Torres delivered two scoreless innings, followed by Andrew Baker, who secured the save despite allowing a run in the bottom of the ninth.
High-A: Spokane Indians 15, Vancouver Canadians 11
It was a high-scoring affair in Spokane as the Indians scored in all but two innings and survived a rough top of the eighth en route to victory. Spokane had 15 hits with the 1-through-6 batters each collecting at least two. The team slugged four home runs with Jack O’Dowd contributing his sixth of the year, Roynier Hernandez hitting two homers while driving in six, and Alan Espinal adding a two-run homer in the eighth. Max Belyeu also had a pair of doubles and scored four runs. Bryson Hammer had a solid start, going five innings and allowing two runs, but it was Bryan Perez that had the rough night on the mound. Pitching in the eighth, he allowed eight runs on six hits, including two home runs, while recording just two outs. Francis Rivera replaced him to finish the inning followed by a clean ninth to secure the save.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 4, Inland Empire 66ers 3
The Fresno Grizzlies delivered a walk-off victory thanks to Ashly Andujar as they won 4-3. Despite 12 hits, the Grizzlies went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position but the Grizzlies made it count. Tanner Thach led the offense with three hits while Andujar, Kyle Fossum and Carlos Renzullo each had two hits. Jesus Freitez drove in a pair of runs with a solo home run in the fifth inning and an RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game 3-3 before coming around to score the winning run. Austin Newton had a good night on the mound, allowing two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts over seven innings. Dylan Crooks pitched the last two innings and have up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, but the offense bailed him out. An interesting thing of note was that neither team issued a walk.
Rockies’ Hunter Goodman Needs More Recognition After First All-Star Ballot Results | Rockies on SI
Be sure to vote for Hunter Goodman for the All-Star ballot because he is very much deserving to start for the NL this season!
Affected by Altitude Episode 214: The Kids are All Right | Rocky Mountain Rooftop
This week, Evan Lang and I talk about the recent rookie call-ups, look through the injury report, and talk Kyle Freeland’s legacy in Colorado.
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
- New, improved notifications system!
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!
