Last week, we explored some storylines concerning pitchers and catchers in spring training for the Colorado Rockies. Now that full-squad workouts have officially begun and games are right around the corner, we can turn to the position player group. Believe it or not, there are even more questions surrounding the position players, as battles and competitions for spots will be prevalent throughout Cactus League play. How the puzzle pieces fall into place is going to be interesting to watch, so let’s look at a couple of storylines to keep an eye on.
Who’s on First?
This is perhaps the storyline to monitor in camp this season. After the Rockies released former top prospect Michael Toglia and late-season darling Warming Bernabel, the team was suddenly without a first baseman to pencil in for Opening Day. Sure, Blaine Crim had some impressive moments down the stretch to end the season, but is he the right answer for 2026?
The team has spent the offseason ironing out the candidates for the position. Joining Crim is Troy Johnston, who joined the club via waivers and presents a left-handed option. Charlie Condon (No. 2 Mid-Season PuRP) will likely be given as many opportunities to win the job in spring training, but it’s more likely he starts the year in the minors, having only reached Double-A in his first full season.
T.J. Rumfield was acquired from the New York Yankees and is a toolsy first baseman who is near big league ready and will definitely be in the mix as a non-roster invite. Then, the team acquired Edouard Julien from the Minnesota Twins. Julien is more of a second baseman, but picked up first base with the Twins, though his experience is limited.
No single candidate stands out as the runaway favorite for the position, meaning it’s going to be one of the more contested positions in camp. They all offer similar tools in one way or another, so every at-bat and play matters even more. Of course, the team could throw us a curveball and acquire a first baseman, rendering this discussion moot. Regardless, first base is wide open, and it’s up to the best man to win.
Outfield Looking In
The Rockies’ outfield seems fairly straightforward in its lineup. Jordan Beck is expected to be in left field, Brenton Doyle in center, and a combination of Mickey Moniak and newly-acquired Jake McCarthy in right. Of course, Tyler Freeman can also fit into the mix as a utility outfielder, but he could see more time on the infield dirt this season. Then, the addition of Willi Castro presents another corner outfielder option alongside Johnston, who is capable of playing the outfield.
From a big league roster perspective, the outfield is pretty crowded while being set, and it’s going to make it a little more difficult for roster hopefuls to crack. Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP), who has entered camp in brand new shape and mentality, is a top candidate to try and force his way back onto the roster after a rough cup of coffee last season.
Veen’s transformation this offseason to overcome his substance abuse issues is incredible. Now, the hope is to see if he can make himself relevant for the big league club again, to get back in their good graces and reach the potential that led them to draft him with their first pick in 2020. It’s an uphill battle for him on both fronts, but it’s going to be fascinating to watch if he can replicate the spring training electricity he created last year.
What’s the offensive strategy?
Even before the disaster of 2025, which saw the Rockies field one of the worst run-scoring teams in MLB history, the offense in Colorado had struggled as a whole for quite a while. Since 2019, the team has seen a steady decline in its offensive ability. Strikeouts reigned supreme while power numbers diminished. Sure, there were some standout individual performances, but unlike other sports, a great year from one or two guys doesn’t move the needle.
Hitting coach Brett Pill has his work cut out for him to help the offensive unit start clicking. Once games start on Friday, we’ll get our first look at some of the work starting to be put in. Are we going to see more disciplined hitters with an emphasis of getting on base by any means necessary? Or will there still be aggression by the offense to attack hitters, but it’s a more controlled and methodical form of aggression? If nothing else, we know contact has to be an emphasis.
Need for Speed
After the team gets on base, what’s the plan? We saw hints of Warren Schaeffer’s preferred style of play. He loves small ball and the art of stealing bases. The Rockies have a fast team, yet stolen bases haven’t been a great team function for years. Causing chaos on the bases for opposing teams helped the Rockies out a bit last season and it could be something Schaeffer emphasizes even more now that he has the official manager title.
I’d like to see how often the Rockies are attempting to steal, something they actually do quite a bit in spring training, and how successful they are in their steal attempts. Even more important, it will be watching how they steal. By that, I mean are they getting better jumps and bigger leads, timing up opposing pitchers earlier than in the past? Speed is a valuable tool, and the Rockies could afford to run wild in 2026.
Rebound Candidates
The struggles of Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle last season were due to injuries and underperformance, and truly hurt the club. Doyle started to iron things out in the second half of the season, but Tovar was never on the field long enough to find a rhythm. Having both healthy in camp is going to be paramount to righting the ship in 2026.
But the new acquisitions of Castro, Julien, and McCarthy present rebound candidates that would be a huge boon for the lineup if they can click. All three have one or two good seasons under their belt offensively, but injuries or other slumps have put them in a position to be hungry and prove themselves again. Schaeffer has a lot of new tools in his toolbox to deploy, but some of them need to be sharpened before they are useful again and so a strong rebound showing in spring training will be something to watch for.
Conclusion
These are just a few storylines to watch, as we know there are several more position battles unsettled and plenty of individual questions to solve for players. The main takeaway is that spring training is going to be more interesting than it has in the past for pitchers and position players, and it should hopefully be an enjoyable ride for the fans.
What position players’ questions do you want answered for spring training this year? Keep things rolling in the comments below.
Beck eyeing strides forward on offense | MLB.com
Jordan Beck had some flashes of what he can do to contribute to the Rockies last season. However, consistency in production is going to be at the top of his list of goals heading into 2026.
Kris Bryant addresses the media as he starts 2026 on the injured list | Purple Row
Kris Bryant talked to the media on Tuesday morning, basically talking about how much pain he is still in with his back issues and that he is just hoping to find some sort of breakthrough in a rehab process.
This week, Evan Lang and I talk about the additions of Tomoyuki Sugano and José Quintana as well as the transformation of Zac Veen.
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