The Rockies announced three roster moves Saturday, including the selection of Keston Hiura’s minor league contract to the active roster. In corresponding moves, Colorado designated infielder Aaron Schunk for assignment and optioned Michael Toglia to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Toglia’s demotion is the most noteworthy of the transactions, as the former first-rounder has been the Rockies’ everyday first baseman. After struggling in limited playing time in 2022-23, Toglia had a borderline breakout over 458 plate appearances in 2024, hitting .218/.311/.456 with 25 home runs. While this still translated to just a 98 wRC+, Toglia showed some strong power and contact numbers, as well as an outstanding 11.8% walk rate.
Those promising signs have evaporated this season, however, amidst the disaster that is the 2025 Rockies season. Toglia has hit just .194/.266/.349 with six home runs over 207 PA, with his walk rate dropping to only slightly above the league average. The swing-and-miss problems that have persisted throughout his brief MLB career have continued, as Toglia has struck out a league-leading 81 times in those 207 PA.
Against these extreme struggles, Toglia will head back to Albuquerque to see if he can get himself on track. The hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League isn’t exactly the most accurate representation of batting prowess, but posting some good numbers would do well to help Toglia’s confidence in preparation for another call-up later in the year. As Toglia approaches his 27th birthday in August, it is also fair to wonder if the Rox still view him as a potential long-term answer in the lineup, or if first base could be one of the many positions that may be reviewed when the team takes stock after what might be a record-setting nightmare year.
Hiura was an even more highly-touted prospect during his days in the Brewers’ farm system, as Hiura was viewed as one of the sport’s top minor leaguers. An outstanding 2019 rookie season seemed to answer that promise, yet Hiura has since hit only .203/.287/.384 over 736 Major League plate appearances since Opening Day 2020. Like Toglia, Hiura has been very prone to strikeouts, with a 36K% to show for his big league career. Hiura elected free agency after being cut loose from the Angels last season, and he joined Colorado on a minors deal this past winter.
Toglia was the Rockies’ first-round pick in the 2019 draft, and Schunk went in the second round, selected 62nd overall. Schunk made his Major League debut last season, and has a .230/.254/.311 slash line to show for 127 PA during the 2024-25 seasons, while playing at second, third, and shortstop.
Kyle Farmer, Orlando Arcia, and Tyler Freeman are utility types on the Rockies’ roster, so even though Schunk is a homegrown product, the Rox felt he was an expendable piece. Schunk was already designated for assignment and outrighted off the 40-man roster back in February, so if he clears waivers again, he can choose free agency rather than accept another outright to Albuquerque.
I hope the Rockies didnt ruin toglia’s career, he was pretty good last season and was better away from coors field
He was in the 90th+ percentile of xwOBA, xSLG%, barrel rate, exit velocity, and now is below the 50th percentile of all those stats except for barrel percentage. Wonder what happened.
Pitchers probably figured out whatever he was susceptible to and he couldn’t adjust.
Last year his wRC+ in July was 123, in August : 113, in September: 95
April this year: 69 May: 65.
There’s a definite trend.
The Rockies were not making Toglia swing and miss at just about everything outside the strike zone and stand and watch pitches inside the strike zone go by. I like the guy, but I really hope some team makes an acceptable a change of scenery deal type offer. Like the Nolan Jones/Tyler Freeman deal this spring. I think it is time for the Rockies to move on.
He’s still so young though
27 is not that young when you are still unproven. Well he will be 27 in a couple months. I’m not saying they should just cut him or anything, but sometimes change is just necessary.
Toglia’s 162 gm pace for strikeouts is 243
That would shatter current record of 223
Rough yr for the rox
It would certainly help him if there was any kind of protection in the batting order.
Wouldn’t mind Toglia in Detroit if they’re gonna tank him anyway. Better than Baddoo that’s for sure
I think he needs regular at bats, which aren’t available in Detroit with their current 1B/DH scenario. Both Keith and Tork are younger and already producing more at the MLB level. I would love to see him be another hitting reclamation project like JD Martinez or Carson Kelly, amongst other pros the Tigers organization has turned around ant the plate and made them a bunch of money.
Stashing him in AAA, not re-signing Gleyber, and then seeing what you have next year with him rotating in with Tork with Keith back at 2B is about the only way this works. He also lacks the positional versatility Harris and Hinch greatly value.
Do I think Toglia has a better career than Badoo? Yeah probably. It’s a complicated process to get that to work in Detroit at the moment.
Oh I agree. But just envision that Vierling ends up being out for the year, one of Meadows, Greene, McKinstry, or Keith gets hurt later this year. It’d be a worthwhile trade if he got some playing time this year and then Torres walked next season. It’s not gonna happen. I just like the profile but think he’s not getting the coaching he should be.
Is Torkelson still on the outs in Detroit? I honestly haven’t kept up with them this year. I wouldn’t mind a change of scenery deal there if h is still struggling there..
He is currently not struggling. Might wanna keep with the Tigers a bit this season.
I know the Rockies had hoped that Toglia would learn not to strike out and be a power hitter in the league. His strike out rate is intolerable, at this point. it’s up to him to figure it out.
Hiura was actually hitting extremely well lately. I think most of us believe he’s a AAAA guy probably, but might as well shake things up and give the hot hand a shot.
Hiura can go up and put up an 80 OPS+ and he’ll be better than everyone but Jordan Beck, Hunter Goodman, Ryan McMahon, and Ezequiel Tovar.
I think you’re right about Hiura, but I still have fond memories of his rookie season and I’m glad to see he hasn’t given up yet.
28 wins instead of 27
More throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks. It might work, I guess. Couldn’t be worse.
Shunk has good minors numbers but hasn’t been given an extended run. Surprised they are DFA’ng him
Schunk is also 27. I have been impressed with him on defense on the left side. I suspect the Rocks hope to resign him to a minors contract. There’s no room for him on the roster right now, and he’s out of options.
Togliatti makes Dave Kingman look like a contact hitter, good riddance, still got about 20 more to clear out, starting with Schmidt.
What about Hilliard ?
When will the Monfort Morons just die already?