Rockies manager Bud Black said Wednesday that he plans to bat Doyle leadoff next season, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
The Rockies' primary leadoff hitter in 2024, Charlie Blackmon, is now retired, and it appears Black will put Doyle at the top of the batting order in 2025 rather than Ezequiel Tovar, who made the second-most starts at leadoff last season. Doyle doesn't have strong on-base skills with a career .289 OBP (.317 in 2024), but settling in as the Rockies' leadoff hitter will nonetheless boost his runs scored outlook. Tovar seems likely to be used in the two hole.
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Rockies' Thairo Estrada: Nabs one-year deal with Colorado
Rotowire
The Rockies agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million contract with Estrada on Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Estrada slashed only .217/.247/.343 over 96 games for the Giants in 2024 and finished the season off the 40-man roster. However, the 28-year-old infielder hit .266/.319/.408 while averaging 14 home runs and 22 stolen bases from 2022 to 2023. He should slot in at second base for the Rockies and immediately gains some fantasy appeal playing half his games at Coors Field. The deal includes a mutual option for 2026 with a $750,000 buyout.
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Rockies' Austin Nola: Lands with Rockies
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Nola signed a minor-league deal Sunday that includes an invitation to spring training with the Rockies, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Nola was in the Royals' organization in 2024 and spent about a week in the majors without appearing in a game. With Drew Romo and Jacob Stallings in the mix, it's unlikely that Nola will play a significant role for the Rockies in 2025.
Farmer agreed to a one-year contract with the Rockies on Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Farmer's mutual option for 2025 was declined by the Twins on Oct. 31, causing the 34-year-old shortstop to enter free agency after spending the last two seasons in Minnesota. He mostly served in a reserve role in 2024 behind Carlos Correa, and across 242 plate appearances in 107 regular-season games, Farmer slashed .214/.293/.353 with five home runs and 25 RBI. Farmer will likely serve a similar role in Colorado behind the 23-year-old Ezequiel Tovar.
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Rockies' Sam Hilliard: Avoids arbitration with Colorado
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Hilliard agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the Rockies on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
The 30-year-old finished the 2024 campaign as a regular in Colorado's outfield, so it's not a major surprise he was tendered a contract for 2025. Hilliard played in 58 big-league games and had 10 home runs with a .239/.305/.507 slash line, though he also struck out at a 35.4 percent clip.
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Rockies' Lucas Gilbreath: Agrees to terms with Rox
Rotowire
Gilbreath agreed to a one-year, $785,000 contract with the Rockies on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Injuries limited Gilbreath to just three big-league appearances in 2024, during which he allowed six earned runs in only one total inning. He'll presumably be ready for the start of the new season and look to bounce back with a season that more accurately reflects his career 4.36 ERA.
The Rockies re-signed Stallings on Wednesday to a one-year, $2 million contract with a $2 million mutual option for 2026.
Stallings declined his portion of a mutual option for 2025 earlier this month but is now back in Colorado on a new deal. The veteran catcher slashed .263/.357/.453 with nine homers over 82 games for the Rockies in 2024. Stallings will likely share catching duties with Drew Romo in 2025, although Hunter Goodman could also be in the mix.
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Rockies' Zac Veen: Awarded 40-man spot
Rotowire
The Rockies selected Veen to their 40-man roster Tuesday.
Veen began 2024 with Double-A Hartford but received a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque in late August, where he slashed .220/.281/.476 with six homers and 15 RBI over 92 plate appearances. He will most likely return to Albuquerque to begin the 2025 campaign, though a hot start in the minors could allow him to quickly join a Rockies lineup that posted just a .639 OPS away from the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field last season.
Rockies' Jack O'Loughlin: Receives NRI from Colorado
Rotowire
The Rockies signed O'Loughlin to a minor-league contract Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
O'Loughlin, 24, reached the big leagues for the first time in 2024 with the Athletics, allowing five runs over 9.2 innings. He split time between the rotation and bullpen at hitter-friendly Triple-A Las Vegas, holding a 6.04 ERA and 80:34 K:BB across 73 frames. The lefty could compete for a swingman role with the Rockies but is likely to begin the season at Triple-A Albuquerque.
The Rockies claimed Herget off waivers from the Cubs on Friday.
Herget has now gone from Atlanta to Chicago to Colorado since September. The righty was one of the better relievers in the American League in 2022 with the Angels when he posted a 2.48 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while notching nine saves, but he has a 4.57 ERA and 1.38 WHIP over the last two seasons and has spent substantial time in the minors.
The Brewers traded Miller to the Rockies on Saturday in exchange for cash, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Miller spent the majority of 2024 with Triple-A Nashville, where he slashed .274/.353/.382 with 36 RBI across 385 plate appearances. He'll have a better chance of getting back to the majors as part of the Rockies organization, though he will first need to be added to the 40-man roster.
