By the time Paul Depodesta joined the organization in early November the Colorado Rockies had already parted ways with their established big league free agents Germán Márquez, Thairo Estrada, Kyle Farmer, and Orlando Arcia. The new-look front office did not immediately host a fire sale of the team’s remaining high-profile big leaguers, but they did make the decision to move on from a variety of prospects and less-established players.
Now that these players have had a chance to get situated in their
new organizations, let’s take a look at whether Paul DePodesta and company should have any regrets.
Braiden Ward
The first trade of the Paul DePodesta administration was one that sent Braiden Ward to the Boston Red Sox for left-handed reliever Brennan Bernadino.
While Ward has yet to crack the major league club, he has seen his walk rate spike from 9.5% last season up to 14.3% this year. Nothing else in his profile has changed: He still doesn’t strike out much (15.4%) and runs the bases very well (19 steals), but has very little power (.123 ISO). All that has added up to an intriguing 156 wRC+ at Triple-A to start the season.
It looks like Ward could be on the cusp of reaching the major leagues as a fourth outfielder as soon as a hole opens up in the Red Sox crowded outfield. This is a useful player profile but isn’t one that will haunt a team that let him go.
Michael Toglia
The Rockies 2019 first-round pick in the amateur draft, Michael Toglia was designated for assignment and later non-tendered in November. He eventually signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds in January and was assigned to Triple-A to start the season.
Toglia continues to hit Triple-A pitching well — as he almost always has — but the shape of that performance has changed a bit.
He sports an improved walk rate (up 6.3% from last year) but isn’t slugging as much (down .151 from last year). With the emergence of Sal Stewart and the Nathaniel Lowe signing turning out great so far, Toglia looks to have a tough time breaking into the first-base mix in Cincinnati.
In the end, Toglia could still end up being a serviceable bat for the Reds eventually but I think it was pretty obvious that he needed a fresh start by the end of his Rockies tenure.
Drew Romo
Drew Romo rode the waiver wire carousel this offseason and was technically a member of the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets before eventually latching on with the Chicago White Sox in January.
A hamstring injury to Kyle Teel followed by a hot start in Triple-A was enough for the White Sox to give Romo an opportunity in the majors. In ten games so far, Romo only has five hits… four of which are home runs! The abysmal .185 average is backed up by a 22.2% walk rate, leading to the ultimate three true outcomes slash line of .185/.389/.667.
Still just 24, Romo is making an interesting case to stick in the majors even when Teel returns from his rehab assignment. The White Sox will have some decisions to make given that Romo, Teel, and Edgar Quero have all previously been featured on top 100 overall prospect lists and are no older than 24.
Given that waiving Romo came with no direct compensation for the Rockies, if this small sample size success continues, this one could end up looking like a low stakes mistake.
Josh Grosz
Only briefly in the Rockies minor league system after being part of the return in the Ryan McMahon trade last summer, Josh Grosz was again traded this offseason in the Jake McCarthy deal.
With the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Double-A affiliate, the 23-year-old starter has thrown 19.2 innings with an unassuming 4.12 ERA. Under the hood, however, are some promising signs, including an xFIP of 2.73, which is largely the product of a fabulous 15.56 K/9 to start the season. Grosz won the most recent Texas League Pitcher of the Week after an 11-strikeout performance against the Wichita Wind Sand.
Based on how McCarthy has hit so far in Colorado and how far away from the majors Grosz is, no one is going to be losing sleep over this move any time soon.
Yanquiel Fernández
Claimed on waivers by the New York Yankees after being designated for assignment by the Rockies, Yanquiel Fernández has started the season in Triple-A.
In 33 games, Fernández is hitting .254/.300/.515, which is good for a 104 wRC+. Overall, this is strikingly similar to how he had performed in the upper minors over the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Comparing his current swing with the one from last year, it doesn’t appear like the Yankees have had him make any significant adjustments yet.
It’s hard to see where Fernández fits into the immediate outfield picture in the Bronx, but he is still just 23 and hitting for obvious power at Triple-A. He will surely get another shot in the majors at some point. The question is whether he’ll be able to adjust to big-league pitching better than he did while with the Rockies. If he does this could look like a major mistake, but that’s still a long shot at this stage.
Others
Many of the players that the new front office moved on from this offseason have not really had enough opportunities to say much of anything about them yet.
- Ryan Rolison, after being DFA’d in November, has made his way into the Chicago Cubs bullpen and has pitched decently so far (3.38 ERA with 12 strikeouts) in only nine innings.
- Anthony Molina has pitched two innings for the big league club in Atlanta, which had claimed him off waivers in December. However, he has primarily been middling in Triple-A in a small sample.
- Warming Bernabel went to spring training with the Washington Nationals but did not make the roster to start the season and was released. He remains unsigned.
- Jace Kaminska has yet to appear in a game for the Minnesota Twins after having been traded (with cash considerations) for Edouard Julien and Pierson Ohl while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
- Angel Chivilli has only pitched 10.2 innings between Triple-A and the Majors since being traded to the Yankees for TJ Rumfield. He’s currently on the injured list with a shoulder issue.
- Bradley Blalock, traded for fellow starting pitcher Jake Brooks, has yet to crack the Marlins major league roster. In 36.2 innings at AAA, Blalock has run a 5.45 FIP with an 8.59 K/9.
Conclusions
There are a handful of good signs from this collection of players, but none have performed so well as to require a hard look at the process that led to the decision to move on.
The most compelling argument I could make for one of these moves to take back would be that Drew Romo looks like he may have been the Rockies best option as a backup catcher. That being said, Brett Sullivan has been adequate as a backup and Romo’s quasi-breakout in Chicago is in a very limited sample size.
Let us know in the comments which, if any, of these players you wish Paul DePodesta and company had held on to!
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 8, Oklahoma City Comets 2
Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP) threw six innings and only allowed a single earned run while striking out just three batters before handing the ball over to Jeff Criswell and Blas Castaño to finish out the final three frames. At the plate, the Isotopes continue to rake. Everyone in the lineup got a hit, all but two earned at least one walk, and all but three scored at least one run. Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP), as has been the case most days in recent weeks, was the biggest standout with two stolen bases and his fifth triple of the season.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 6, Portland Sea Dogs 9
The bats had a good day in Hartford with eleven combined hits including a home run from Cole Messina (No. 26 PuRP) and a triple from Conner Capel. Eiberson Castellano started the game for the Yard Goats and was in line for the win when he finished up his five innings of work having only allowed three runs while striking out eight. Alberto Pacheco, however, did not have a good night in relief. He allowed three home runs en route to six runs, all earned, in only two innings which was enough to snap Hartford’s five game winning streak.
High-A: Spokane Indians 2, Hillsboro Hops 6
Jordy Vargas (No. 21 PuRP) only allowed a single earned run in his four innings of work, but a combination of seven hits allowed and a key throwing error by Robert Calaz (No. 6 PuRP) in the bottom of the second tacked on another two unearned runs. At the plate, things weren’t much better as Spokane hitters struck out 13 times in their two run effort. Tommy Hopfe did reach base four times and Calaz had a couple of walks and a double but overall it was not enough to come back from the early deficit.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 3, Visalia Rawhide 1
Jack O’Dowd essentially outhit the entire Rawhide lineup after going three for four with two doubles, two runs, two RBI, and a home run. The rest of the lineup was pretty quiet at the plate but O’Dowd’s clinic was more than enough on its own thanks to a great night on the mound by the Grizzlies pitching staff. Marcos Herrera started the game out with 4.1 innings and only allowed a single unearned run but it was Austin Emener who really shut the door with seven strikeouts in just 3.1 scoreless innings.
Roldy Brito Might Be The Most Exciting New Prospect In The Top 100| Baseball America ($)
It’s a bit of a prospects heavy articles week in Rockies world. First up is this piece by Ian Cundall of Baseball America doing a deep dive into how Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP) has looked from a scouting perspective so far this season. It’s in depth and absolutely worth a read but the overall sentiment is: Brito has five-tool talent potential but is not a sure thing due to being raw defensively and needing to hone his approach at the plate.
Rockies prospect Cole Carrigg, knocking on MLB door, brings athleticism and energy | Denver Post ($)
Cole Carrigg’s hot start in Triple-A Albuquerque and potential timeline for a promotion to the big leagues has been a hot topic of conversation in the Purple Row comments. Patrick Saunders details how the season has gone from Carrigg and the Rockies’ perspective. Included are a number of fun quotes from Carrigg that help show who he is as a person and ballplayer my favorite of which is “I feel like I have the type of energy that can help spark a team and help create things when things aren’t happening,”.
Colorado Rockies Players Survey 2026: Edouard Julien | Mile High Sports
Drew Creasman sits down for a short interview with Edourard Julien. Is a quick read to give just little bit of insight into the new Rockie beyond just his play on the field.
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