The Colorado Rockies are a team in the midst of a rebuild. With this in mind, the staff at Purple Row thought it would be useful to revisit the “State of the Position” series that we ran in March to see where things stand. We’ve asked authors of the spring articles to re-evaluate their earlier remarks with an eye toward the August 3 trade deadline.
(All numbers are current as of July 11, 2026.)
What I said in March
Four months ago, here’s what I wrote:
Purple Row’s “State of the Position” series is largely evaluative: Where
are the Rockies now compared to where they ended the previous season, and how are they positioned going forward?
Right now, the answer is that we don’t know.
The signs seem to be positive: Players are enthusiastic about what’s happening; we see more examples of technology, analytics, and communication in action; and some of the too-early stats are promising. Still, spring training numbers mean nothing.
We know more now, so let’s consider what we’ve learned since president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and general manager Josh Byrnes took the helm of the Colorado Rockies.
(I realize the front office rebuild was considerably more extensive than these two executives. However, the focus here will be on DePodesta and Byrnes.)
What the evaluative criteria are
One of the things that irritates me is a tendency among sportswriters to randomly assign grades — it’s something I’ve complained about extensively. Creating a fair assessment instrument first requires creating clear criteria, so here are mine for this evaluation:
- Infrastructure building
- Acquisitions
- Communication
The first one, we simply cannot evaluate. We don’t know what the Rockies are doing behind the scenes, both in terms of building an effective analytics system and ensuring clear communication throughout their MiLB system, Moreover, they are unlikely to tell us since this is information organizations do not share. But let’s assume the Rockies are making progress on that front. We certainly know they are trying a lot of new things this season. Hopefully in October, DePodesta will give fans a better sense of what they have learned.
With the other two criteria, however, we can do some systematic evaluation.
Where the Rockies are now
Acquisitions — The draft
Purple Row spent last weekend covering the Rockies MLB draft moves, and although it’s too soon to know how any of this will play out, here’s what we know so far.
Acquisitions — Free agent signings & trades
DePodesta said from the beginning that in 2026, one goal was to “raise the floor,” and part of that strategy involved signing more (and better) free agents. Here’s how those players have done so far.
MLB signings
- Willi Castro (2 years @ $12.8 million) — .260/.331/.378; 0.2 fWAR
- Michael Lorenzen (1 years @ $8 million) — 6.46 ERA in 92.0 IP; 0.9 fWAR
- Jose Quintana (1 year @ $6 million) — 5.27 ERA in 41.0 IP; 0.3 fWAR
- Tomoyuki Sugano (1 year @ $5.1 million) — 4.80 ERA in 84.1 IP; 0.4 fWAR
Clearly, fWAR doesn’t indicate everything these players have contributed. For example, Sugano’s role as a reliable pitcher and Castro’s versatility is something the numbers simply cannot reflect. But none of these signings has been a wash.
While the pitching numbers are dismal, the Rockies needed pitchers, and getting pitchers to sign in Colorado is no easy feat. Do the Rockies want better pitchers? Yes. But the group they have now has allowed the Rockies to be more competitive than they were in 2025.
Trades and acquisitions
- Brennan Bernadino (LHP Boston Red Sox) for Braiden Ward (OF) — 3.05 ERA in 38.1 IP; 0.6 fWAR
- Jake McCarthy (OF Arizona Diamondbacks) for Josh Grosz (RHP) — .301/.344/.507; 1.4 fWAR
- T.J. Rumfield (1B New York Yankees) for Angel Chivilli (RHP) — .298/.382/.479; 1.7 fWAR
- Edourard Julien (UTIL) and Pierson Ohl (RHP Minnesota Twins) for Jake Kaminska (RHP) and cash — .222/.332/.307; -0.9 fWAR
The first three trades have done very well for the Rockies in terms of on-field production. Bernardino and McCarthy are likely trade candidates (especially the former). TJ Rumfield looks to be a cornerstone of the franchise going forward, a fact underscored by his inclusion in Rookie of the Year conversations. The Rockies have desperately needed a true first baseman since CJ Cron, and Rumfield has delivered on that front.
Julien, however, has not been as productive as the Rockies would have liked. The numbers indicate one consistent quality: He gets on base. However, that has come at a cost given his defensive numbers (-4 DRS; -3 OAA).
Claims
- Troy Johnson (1B/OF Miami Marlins) — .304/.377/.421; 0.6 fWAR
- RJ Petit (RHP & No. 23 PuRP via Rule 5 Draft) — 60-day IL
- TJ Shook (RHP via MiLB Rule 4 Draft) — 9.53 ERA in 5.2 IP; -0.1 fWAR
- Keegan Thompson (RHP Cincinnati Reds) — ABQ
Adding Johnston was a clear win for the Rockies. He has been a solid offensive presence and provides defensive versatility.
Given Petit’s Tommy John’s surgery, he remains an unknown while Thompson is working in Triple-A Albuquerque.
Notable MiLB signings
- Drew Avans — ABQ
- Valente Bellozo — ABQ
- John Brebbia — Free agent
- Eiberson Castellano — ABQ
- Adam Laskey — ABQ
- Nicky Lopez — Traded to Chicago Cubs
- Vimael Machín — ABQ
- Kyle McCann — ABQ
- Parker Mushinski — ABQ
- Chad Stevens — ABQ
- Brett Sullivan — .220/.260/.381; -0.4 fWAR
- Jordan Romano — 3.64 ERA in 3.2 IP; 0.1 fWAR
The most notable additions here, for now, are Sullivan and Romano. Sullivan is serving the traditional role of the backup catcher and provides leadership in the clubhouse. (He has the added benefit of an occasional appearance out of the Rockies bullpen.) Romano will be a player to watch. If the former All-Star can return to form in the Rockies bullpen, he will prove to be a shrewd pick up.
For me, the grade in this category remains “Incomplete.” We will need to see how these players finish the season and how DePodesta and Byrnes handle the trade deadline before a meaningful evaluation is possible.
Communication
Here it is possible to assign a grade: A.
In embarking on this rebuild, the Rockies understood that clear communication with other teams and fans was essential, and that has happened.
The media no longer writes about the “opaque” Rockies. Instead, they are operating as a typical MLB team. In recent comments to media, both DePodesta and Byrnes have stressed they are in constant communication with other teams about possible trade candidates in addition to considering what those organizations might have that would benefit the Rockies.
Case in point? Here’s video the Rockies dropped on Thursday:
This marks a clear change from previous front offices, and the trade deadline should be an exciting time for Rockies fans.
In terms of improving communication with fans, I am not sure what more this front office could do. DePodesta and Byrnes regularly answer questions from local media, and DePodesta, for example, recently had lunch with the Denver SABR chapter to answer questions. Are they giving away any secrets? No — and who would want them to? But there is a clear sense that DePodesta and Byrnes understand the importance of rebuilding relationships with their community.
The change from previous years borders on startling.
Final thoughts
The initial results from the new Rockies from office are promising. This is a team that is well into its rebuild and is making fundamental changes to improve.
Are the Rockies a good baseball team? No.
Are they an improved baseball team? Absolutely. And in addition to that, this is an entertaining baseball team that gives fans a reason to watch games until the end and to have hope about the future.
The front office’s grade at this point remains an Incomplete, but all indications are that they are making steady improvement.
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