When the Rockies signed Thairo Estrada to a one-year deal ahead of the 2025 season, it seemed like the team had an answer — at least in the short-term — at second base in the post-Brendan Rodgers era.
Injuries derailed that plan as Estrada started and ended the season on the 60-Day IL twice, first with a fractured wrist and then with a sprained hamstring. He also suffered a sprained right thumb for a shorter IL stint. In the end, Estrada played only 39 games and the Rockies second base position was
made up of a quilt of players with no clear starter emerging in the season.
Adael Amador started the second-most games at second with 26, Kyle Farmer and Ryan Ritter followed with 28 starts apiece, Orlando Arcia started 13 games, while Tyler Freeman had 12 starts.
With the Rockies signing Willi Castro this offseason, and only three of those six players returning to spring training, second base will look different for Colorado in 2026. And it has to if the Rockies want to improve — Colorado’s second basemen combined to rank No. 29 in on-base percentage (.267) and OPS (.550), No. 28 in batting average (.213) and slugging percentage (.283) and tied for No. 26 in homers (eight) and RBI (53) among the same position in MLB in 2025.
The starter
When the Rockies signed Castro to a two-year, $12.8 million deal in January, he seemed like a great fit for the Rockies because of his utility abilities, as he can play second, third, and shortstop, as well as all three outfield positions, as well as his talent on the basepaths and bat that made him an All-Star with the Twins in 2024.
He’s pulled way ahead as the best candidate for second base in spring training, even if he only has a small sample size with the Rockies. In 11 at-bats in five games, Castro has seven hits, including two doubles, three runs scored, two RBIs, two walks, one stolen base and one strikeout.
He also has the 2026 World Baseball Classic on his resume and had a standout performance for Puerto Rico. He earned a spot on the highlight reels with a leadoff homer against Italy in the quarterfinals on March 14. It was a cause for celebration as Castro only has 10 homers in seven MLB seasons.
In 15 at-bats in five games in the WBC, Castro recorded four hits, including a double and a homer, with three RBI, four walks, a stolen base and four strikeouts. Even before that homer, the Purple Row community dubbed Castro as the Rockie having the best WBC.
At age 28, Castro could give a boost to the Rockies lineup, offensively and defensively, as he works to show that his down year in 2025 with the Twins (slash line of .222/.404/.389) was an outlier.
The backups
Ritter, the 25-year-old who finished the 2025 season as the Rockies second baseman, has been playing so well in spring training that he’s making a case to earn a spot on the roster. He can play second, shortstop and third base, and has even played six games in left field this spring. In 42 at-bats over 16 games, Ritter is hitting .357/.413/.524 with three stolen bases, four doubles, one homer, seven RBI and nine runs scored.
Ritter made his MLB debut on June 6 last season, and started with a bang before being sidelined with a right middle-finger laceration. Despite the injury, Ritter returned and ended up playing 60 games, batting .241/.296/.337 with nine doubles, three triples, one home run, 18 RBI, three stolen bases (in four tries), 10 walks (4.8%) and 61 strikeouts (29.5%). He’s also a great defender with a solid glove and range.
Also vying for a backup spot, Amador has played the most at second base in spring training thus far. His 11 games lead the way with Roc Riggio at nine, Edouard Julien at seven, Castro at five and Jose Torres at one. Even though Amador made his MLB debut in 2024, he is still just 22 years old. In 10 games in 2024 and 41 games last season, Amador has struggled at the plate with a career line of .176/.242/.250 with two homers, 10 RBI and 27 strikeouts in 148 at-bats.
This spring, Amador has hit better, slashing .229/.270/.429 with two homers, five RBIs, six runs, one double, two walks, six strikeouts and two stolen bases with 34 at-bats. Amador’s first homer also happened to be the Rockies’ first of spring training — a solo shot on Feb. 21.
Depth options
Julien is making a play for first base or second base — or both. The Rockies acquired Julien in a trade with the Twins in late January. Julien, who had a breakout rookie season in 2023 with the Twins when he posted a .263/.381/.459 slash line with 16 home runs. He’s struggled in the two seasons since, but he does provide versatility and a left-handed bat. Julien hasn’t performed well at the plate so far in spring training, where he’s only posted two hits in 15 at-bats with an RBI, two walks, one run scored and five strikeouts.
Freeman is also available to play second base and can also play in the outfield. Arriving just before the 2025 season from Cleveland in a trade for Nolan Jones, Freeman put up the best batting average of Rockies with at least 100 games. He batted .281/.354/.361 with 18 stolen bases, 20 doubles, two homers, two triples, 50 runs and 31 RBIs. While Freeman offered a solid bat, his defense can be a bit of a liability. This spring, Freeman is hitting .316/.435/.421in 19-at bats.
On the farm
There are lots of possibilities for second basemen in the Rockies farm system.
Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) came to the Rockies from the Yankees in the 2025 trade for Jake Bird. The 23-year-old lefty-hitting, right-handed throwing infielder has a solid presence at the plate with power and a good eye. Riggio has posted two hits, including one homer, in eight at-bats this spring. After coming to Colorado’s organization on July 31, Riggio played the rest of the season in Double-A Hartford, where he’s likely to start 2026.
Also in the pipeline is Torres, a 26-year-old infielder, who was claimed by the Rockies in the 2024 Rule-5 Draft from Cincinnati. He split his time in 2025 between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque and hit .242/.307/.426 with 15 homers and 17 doubles.
Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP) is a promising prospect in the Rockies farm system. He isn’t expected to arrive in the Big Leagues until 2028, but he has a lot of potential.
Closing thoughts
Considering the quality and depth of the second basemen — even if it’s through utilitymen who can play multiple infield and even outfield positions — the Rockies are poised to perform better at second base this year. Whether Castro becomes the Rockies next second baseman or serves as a bridge to the future, hopefully, the Rockies are closer to finding their second baseman of the future.
Can Castro ride his WBC hot streak into the regular season? Will the depth and versatility help the Rockies win more games this season? Will Ritter force the Rockies to slot him in the lineup more often? Let us know what you think.
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