The Rockies made a pair of additions in the first base department in late January. The club added Edouard Julien in a trade with the Twins, then picked up T.J. Rumfield in a deal with the Yankees. Even after bringing in two first base options in one day, president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta didn’t close the door on more acquisitions at the position.
Colorado’s first basemen ranked 29th in OPS last season. Michael Toglia “led” the way with a .592 mark in 329 plate appearances. The former first-round pick opened the season as the everyday starter. Toglia struck out nearly 40% of the time through two months and found himself back in Triple-A before the end of May.
Warming Bernabel looked like a possible answer after a ridiculous start to his career. The 23-year-old piled up 14 hits, including three home runs, in his first seven games. It went downhill pretty quickly from there. Bernabel finished the year with a 78 wRC+ and was outrighted off the roster in December.
No other Colorado bat reached 60 plate appearances at first base. A hodgepodge of Kyle Farmer, Orlando Arcia, Keston Hiura, and Blaine Crim filled in after Toglia was sent down. Crim is the only one of the group still on the roster (more on him in a bit). Here’s a rundown of the Rockies’ options at the position…
A waiver claim is the leading candidate to occupy the first base role, which might say something about the position battle. Johnston was scooped from the Marlins in early November. The move came shortly before DePodesta was announced as the new top executive, so it’s unclear who actually executed it.
Johnston was solid in his first foray into the big leagues, posting a 109 wRC+ across 121 plate appearances last season. While he’s often been old for each level, the 28-year-old also has a strong minor league track record. Johnston slashed .307/.399/.549 in 134 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2023. He’s put up 23 home runs and 48 steals at Triple-A the past two years.
Blaine Crim
The 28-year-old Crim should at least be the right-handed complement to Johnston to begin the season. He went 0-for-11 with the Rangers last year, but found some success with Colorado after getting claimed off waivers. Crim popped five home runs in 15 games with the Rockies. The power production also came with a 36.1% strikeout rate.
Crim has taken a similar path to Johnston. He’s put up solid minor league numbers across multiple seasons, but has typically been older than the competition. Crim hit .284 with 18 home runs over 83 games at Triple-A last year before leaving the Rangers’ organization. He wasn’t nearly as productive in the minors with Colorado, though.
T.J. Rumfield
Julien is likely ticketed for the second base job, but the other aforementioned trade acquisition could factor into this race. Colorado sent reliever Angel Chivilli to New York in exchange for Rumfield. The 25-year-old slashed .285/.378/.447 at Triple-A in 2025. He’s delivered a 116 wRC+ or better in both stints at the highest minor league level.
Rumfield has already compiled 252 games at Triple-A, so there isn’t much left for him to prove. He’s in MLB camp as a non-roster invitee. A decent spring would go a long way toward challenging for a roster spot.
The third overall pick in the 2024 draft will likely have this job someday, but it might not be as soon as Rockies fans would want. The 22-year-old maxed out at Double-A in his first full professional season. He put up a 132 wRC+ at the level, so it’s hard to argue with the production, though some time spent in Triple-A is likely on the horizon.
Condon had an .820 OPS at three minor league stops last season, but the 70-grade power hasn’t shown up just yet. He finished with 14 home runs in 433 plate appearances last year.
A Free Agent Signing
DePodesta didn’t rule out another addition, and a handful of veterans remain available. Assuming the left-handed Johnston has at least a platoon role, that rules out Rowdy Tellez. Wilmer Flores, Rhys Hoskins, and Donovan Solano are right-handed options who could be had for a reasonable price. The 41-year-old Justin Turner probably won’t be signing up for part-time work on a rebuilding team.
Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images
Hoskin makes a ton of sense until CC can join the ranks and even then, still a perfect fit. Dude may make a resurgence in CO
Hoskins on a one year deal for maybe $3 million. Condon is probably a whole year out, but that doesn’t mean they can’t flip Hoskins on July anyway.
Hoskins is one of the guys who may also see a slight statiscal bump with ABS in place if it makes umps more conservative. Rhys is still an on-base machine.
I believe Hoskins just signed with the Guardians? So he’s out of the running.
Correct
Ryan Mountcastle is available for nothing
That was my thought. He could jack 40 for the Rockies and it would cost some A ball pitcher
Colorado isn’t really a homer park anymore, people don’t seem to realize that. Maybe a slightly higher batting average and a few more doubles
That would be because of the height of the wall. Colorado did not just stop being a HR park. They adjusted it.
It is still the highest on Statcast Park Factors for offense and its not really close (like by 10%). Still has a rating over 100 for HR. The air is still going to make it harder to pitch there. And Mountcastle has hit 30+ before I think with his RH pop and Colorados dimensions it would suit him well.
Camden Yards is no longer the hitters haven it once was.
Rocky Ryan Mountcastle. Get it done COL
Trade For Tyler Black in Milwaukee. He’s blocked but he’s ready. Great patience at the plate, left handed bat with good contact tool, good speed, gets on base can steal bags, A reliable right handed reliever should be enough to pry him from the Brewers, he’s a great change of scenery candidate. Maybe Juan Mejia for Tyler Black?
Juan Mejia? Reliable? Since when
Andrew Vaughn shouldn’t be the long term 1B for the brewers so the Brewers could still be high on him.
Warming Bernabel sounds like the best choice. None of these guys are going to be good anyway and the team sucks. Might as well go with a fun name.
He’s with the Nats now.
Dang. Rockies are stuck with a bad AND lame-named 1B until the kid is ready.
What, not a fan of The Crim Dog?
Kris Bryant has got to be one of the biggest busts ever
That said, if they need a 1B seems pretty obvious they should sign Hoskins
Even Rendon was good for part of the start of his Angels career.
True
Bryant just a complete waste of money
I’m betting Triston Casas could be had from Boston if you have enough to offer that they are willing to give up. Could be really good at Coors Field
He’s outa rox price range. They plan on finishing last for a while
They finished last in the NLW the last couple of years.
Hoskins or Tellez. Both bring power for cheap but neither is particularly good defensively
Skip the free agents, lets see Rumfield, Crim and Johnston.
Why? So that 2026 can be just as much a waste as 2025? Most of the rookies that the Rockies auditioned in 2025 are either no longer with the team or projected to be back in the minors this year. They need to find actual big league talent to play for their actual big league team.
I would bring someone in just to trade mid season. Then let the lottery tickets play.
Someone in the state of Colorado can play first base I just know it.
Being a 1b for my beer league softball team that hasn’t played baseball in 25 years, I’ll throw my name in the hat for Rox 1b.
Zakis, I played first base on my Little League team in 1968. I’m rested and ready for phase two of my baseball career.
I’m cheering for you BPax!
I would love to see Hoskins bounce back and hit 40 in Colorado before Condon comes up
I have a sad feeling that the Rockies are going to screw up Condon and Holliday and Dollander because of how bad their management is
Forgot that the Rox have a new regime.
Monfort is still the owner
What new regime? The whole reason several top young GMs passed on the job was that there’s no control here. DePo is a deadender with the Browns stigma. He’s was the only one available because the Monfails still call all the shots.
Dick’s son Walker is the main man to report. Dick has stepped back from being too involved into baseball operations.
Took condon a pick before nick kurtz.
Just as almost every other club, including the A’s, would have done. Most were projecting Condon as going even higher than he did.
I wanted reds to take condon. His last year of college stats were unreal, along with so many others that season ! There was a slew of power bats. Thank god reds took burns though!
And hiflew, A’s have a track record of drafting players much higher than projected then being right in their pick. My bet is they was takin Kurtz the whole time
Two words…Andres Galarraga. Find him. Sign him. He’s only 64.
Too bad Todd Helton has a bad back.
Heck I’m a couple years younger than Andres. 😁
Go get Johnathan Long from the Cubs, they don’t have a spot for him
Why not give Greg Bird a shot
He’s been injury free for years and striking the ball in the Mexican League among others .
Plus he’s still solid in the field
Listen…half the league barely hits 250 these days and he’ll come a good price
They already tried with Greg Bird once in 2021.
I think the biggest upside for Colorado is Hoskins but Flores is the safer signing as better bat to ball right now.
Actually been a few years now but I was a pretty good hitter and fielder in our cities beer league. Played second but I’m sure I can handle first ok. Not a power hitter per se but my OBP was good
Rumfield – 2026 NL ROY
Mark Vientos for Vodnick
Wilmer would get you 25 bombs with regular playing time in that altitude.
Do you have any Relief Pitching to Trrade? Minnrestoa Twins Trevor Larnach can covev first base and a corner outfiled position with power!
Julien at 1st and Ritter at 2nd would be what I’d try 1st.
Hoskins would improve their lineup, which is full of guys with 5-7% walk rates.
Christian Walker trade imminent
Only the Rockies…….when you can’t find a first baseman, you know that your organization REALLY sucks. LMAO. MLB should yank the franchise away from them. So pathetic.
Sure, Hoskins would be good, bummer they missed out on Ty France, though some 1B from SD will be available in a month or so.
Maybe another catcher (that can control the running game as framing matters less and the dugout is calling pitches this year) and move Goodman to DH/1B eventually would be better than wishing the Rockies will buy a legit dude.
The bottom line is they need 4-5 more proven major league bats to compete for 4th and that’s probably not gonna happen. They should just swap with the A’s for the summer and play in Sac so Colorado could have some better baseball to watch.
Miguel Sano is playing great in winter ball
Why not Rizzo? Bryant will have his old partner back and might play 32 Games.
He retired
I know. It was sarcasm.
Reds have a lot of first base types in camp. Make an offer they can’t refuse.
FanGraphs’ DC projections
PLAYER wRC+, WAR/PA
Johnston .322 02/273
Crim .328 0.2/182
Condon .311 -0.1/211
Rumfield .320 0/63
fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=ALL&t…
Isn’t there a Cron available?
Offer something for cassas
lol Rockies.
Why not set Goodman up at 1b. So similar to Schwarber even being a catcher. He could be forced to eventually DH young like Schwarber if they don’t put him at 1b now. Can’t see him sticking at catcher for the long term but I can see him hitting 35-40 bombs a year at DH or 1b. Why wait? Not like they have anyone and/or are competing this year.
Rockies catching depth is shallow so they have to put him at catcher, he’s also played some outfield too but the Rox don’t need OF.
Could’ve had Hoskins. Wilmer Flores would probably be a cheap contract.
It’s wild to me how bad the Rockies suck. I know no pitcher wants to go there, but you would think they’d be able to cobble together a team of cheap vets who can mash to fill out their lineup. There’s no excuse for the Rockies to have anyone playing 1B, DH, or LF who’s not capable of getting 40 HRs a year with Coors as their homefield. They were 25th in the league in HRs last year. How?