Rockies make moves showing signs of a full youth movement

For Brendan Rodgers, the Colorado Rockies’ long-held hope in him blossoming despite a career pockmarked by injuries officially ended Friday. The Rockies non-tendered their primary second baseman as well as pitcher Cal Quantrill, bringing an end to their stints in purple and black.

For Quantrill, the move brought a quick end to a tenure that began when the Rockies picked him up last offseason from the Cleveland Guardians.

The moves are no surprise in light of the October report that the Rockies planned to trim payroll in the wake of falling revenues due to the collapse of the regional-sports-network model that claimed team partner AT&T SportsNet after the 2023 season. Non-tendering Rodgers and Quantrill could save the Rockies up to $16 million.

Quantrill did exactly what the Rockies expected last year. He ate innings, going at least 5 innings in 21 of his 29 starts en route to a 4.98 ERA. But he failed to hit that threshold in five of his final eight starts, including his last three in succession to conclude the campaign. And with a flurry of recently-drafted arms rising through the minor leagues, Quantrill appeared to be nothing more than a stopgap had he been brought back.

But the bigger story is Rodgers, a player in whom the Rockies long had profound hope despite a string of injuries that waylaid his progress early in his career.

He received his first call-up to the big club in 2019, and in the six seasons that followed, played in at least 50 games three times. He posted an OPS above .700 in each of those three campaigns, and in 2022 earned a Gold Glove for his work at second base.

But he missed the first four months of the 2023 season following shoulder surgery in spring training. He returned to the lineup last season, but the Rockies rebuffed all trade interest in as another frustrating season at 20th and Blake continued.

And with Rodgers at 28 years of age, the Rockies decided to turn the page on their 2015 first-round pick.

REPLACING RODGERS

The decision to non-tender Brendan Rodgers left the Rockies with five infielders on their 40-man roster prior to adding Kyle Farmer, most recently of the Minnesota Twins, on Friday night. Two of them — 21-year-old Adael Amador and 27-year-old Aaron Schunk — saw time at second base last season.

Schunk posted a .595 OPS in 98 plate appearances over 39 games last year working at second base, third base and briefly at shortstop in four games. He also posted a .808 OPS in 69 games at AAA Albuquerque last year, completing the 2019 second-round pick’s rise through the Rockies organization.

Farmer agreed to a 1-year deal with a 1-year option and gives the Rockies the option of patience with Amador, who appears to be the long-term focus. Ranked as the Rockies’ No. 5 prospect on the MLB.com list, Amador received a brief call-up from AA Hartford last year, playing in 10 June games at second base while Rodgers landed on the injured list with a hamstring strain.

Amador hit .171 and posted a .394 OPS with the Rockies before heading back to Hartford.

Before his call-up to Colorado, Amador had a .194/.325/.329 line and a .654 OPS with the Yard Goats. After returning to AA, his production improved across the board; he posted a .258/.347/.413 line and a .760 OPS. That sort of improvement provides hope that he can be part of a young core that showed promise despite the team absorbing its second-straight 100-loss season.

There is merit to going full throttle into a youth movement — even while having another four years of the Kris Bryant payroll millstone hanging around the organization’s neck. To be certain, the Rockies probably won’t fare appreciably worse without Rodgers or Quantrill, and should probably do better depending on the quality of the pitchers poised to be in the big-league mix by next season, particularly 2023 first-round choice Chase Dollander.

But with Rodgers moving on, it’s just another moment that serves as a reminder of the bleakness and dead-ends that have defined the Rockies for six seasons since their last postseason trip.