If the Rockies are going to make a run, it’ll be young players who carry them

The Rockies won their first series against the Dodgers since 2018 last weekend. This was unexpected, given that Colorado had lost 17 of their last 18 games at Dodgers Stadium.

So the big question is, what was the difference in that series?

The stats show that it was the young talent. Players like Trevor Story will be consistently great, but it was Sam Hilliard, Garrett Hampson and Josh Fuentes who were the most-effective players making history against their division foe

If Colorado is going to make a postseason run, it will be these types of players who help push the Rockies towards a playoff series.

With an injured David Dahl, Hilliard has gotten some starts in the outfield and has made each at-bat count. Hilliard was called up last year and made an instant impact on fans as it only took him one game to get his first hit, which was a home run against the Red Sox.

In his 2020 season, Hilliard has hit for six home runs, driven in 10 and has posted a batting average of .234 in 84 at-bats. He presents the most danger in Dodger Stadium as he is the first Rockies player to hit three home runs in the first seven games at Dodger Stadium. That is a huge stat considering the Dodgers are the team to beat since they have won the NL West pennant consecutively for the past seven years.

His swing is similar to Carlos Gonzalez and he can play the outfield at a high level, making spectacular plays slamming into the walls and diving catches. Bud Black needs to keep him in the lineup.

Hampson is another name that Rockies fans know well due to his wide-ranging versatility in the batters box, as well as on defense. His speed has been displayed with his bunting skills to reach base late in tied games, and the pop in his bat makes it hard for opposing teams to get a scouting report on how to pitch to him.

On the season, Hampson is hitting .258 with five home runs and 10 RBIs, along with four stolen bases. With a shortened season, his knowledge of the game is huge on the defensive side of the ball. Fans have seen him play shortstop, second base and center field. He is definition of a utility player that can play anywhere, and with a depleted roster due to injuries, Hampson needs to be in the lineup each day and show his sneaky pop and quick feet.

The Rockies maybe finally found their first baseman. He’s related to another Rockies great. Fuentes, cousin to Nolan Arenado, has justly earned the start at first base over Daniel Murphy. It might be premature to kick Murphy off the starting rotation, but his mistakes defensively should cost him his starting job.

With two errors on the season, it may not seem like much but looking at the tape, he has made more questionable plays running the bases and purely botching throws from Arenado. It’s time for Black to go with the hot hand in Fuentes.

He is in sync with the whole infield and plays first base so effectively that you can seem the relation to Nolan. His clutch hits against the Dodgers, grabbing four total RBIs in the series, which included a two RBI double Saturday night in the ninth inning to tie the game, and then a home run on Sunday night.

Black has historically gone with the hot hand, so it’ll be interesting to see if Fuentes is in the starting lineup moving forward. He went 0-for-5 in the Padres series this week, so the skipper may go back to Murphy.

That would be a mistake. Fuentes has finally answered the call of replacing Todd Helton being a viable first basemen and potential future All-Star anchoring that position for years to come with his cousin on the opposite side of the infield.

Currently, the Rockies are looking on the outside in for the playoffs this year with the Marlins and Giants fighting for the eighth seed. Hilliard, Hampson and Fuentes are great depth guys for Colorado with them being potential future All-Stars. This team is just too talented to not make the playoffs.

The Rockies remaining schedule includes just two series against teams below .500, so it’s important for Colorado to utilize all of the talent they have on the roster. It’s the young and up-and-coming players that can use this time to shine and prove themselves to be everyday starters and give the Rockies the push they need to clinch a wild card spot in the 2020 postseason.