Warming Bernabel

Infielder Warming Bernabel has been outrighted off the Rockies’ 40-man roster, the team announced. Bernabel has cleared outright waivers and elected free agency. Colorado’s 40-man is now at 37 players.

The 23-year-old Bernabel made his MLB debut in July. He got off to a torrid start, going 14-for-28 with three home runs in his first seven games. Bernabel cooled off significantly after that incredible first week, hitting just .189 with one homer the rest of the way. A concussion cost him a couple of weeks in September. He finished his first foray at the highest level with a 78 wRC+ over 40 games.

Colorado added Bernabel as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. He showed a consistent ability to make contact and rack up hits in the lower levels of the minors before running into a roadblock at Double-A in 2023.  Bernabel hit just .225 with Hartford, while striking out at a rate above 20% for the first time as a professional. He posted tepid results at the same level in 2024, but was bumped to Triple-A this past year and performed well. Bernabel hit .301 in 75 games with Albuquerque, earning a promotion to the big-league club.

Bernabel has played corner infield primarily, with the majority of his appearances in Colorado coming at first base. Bernabel has also spent time at DH, which might be a better long-term fit. Scouts graded him as a mediocre to poor fielder, and he recorded -2 Outs Above Average in his brief stint with the Rockies.

If Bernabel is going to find success at the highest level, he’ll need to find a way to impact the ball better. He posted an underwhelming 32.5% hard-hit rate and an 85.4 mph average exit velocity. Bernabel managed just three barrels on 114 batted balls. He did pull the ball at an elevated 42.1% rate, which could help his subpar batted ball metrics lead to modest power, but the home run binge to begin his MLB career seems to have been an aberration.

TODAY: The Rockies officially announced Bernabel’s selection.

JULY 25: The Rockies are expected to select Warming Bernabel before tomorrow’s game in Baltimore, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com.  Mike Rodriguez first reported that the 23-year-old infielder was being called up. Colorado has an opening on the 40-man roster after the Ryan McMahon trade.

This is Bernabel’s first major league call. He was on Colorado’s 40-man roster during the 2023 season so the Rox could keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. He hit .236/.282/.367 in the minors that year. The Rockies felt comfortable exposing him to waivers and outrighted him off the roster at the end of Spring Training 2024. He spent last season at Double-A Hartford and has played this year with Triple-A Albuquerque.

Bernabel is hitting .301/.356/.450 in his first 75 Triple-A contests. That looks strong on the surface but is below average after accounting for the Pacific Coast League environment. Bernabel has plus bat-to-ball skills but frequently expands the strike zone. That keeps him from making much hard contact. He’s averaging just 84 MPH off the bat in the minors. It’d be tough to make that approach work against big league pitching unless he finds a way to become a lot more selective.

There’s nevertheless little harm for the Rockies in giving a look to a young player who was once a prospect of some note. Bernabel is a primary third baseman and could step into everyday playing time vacated by McMahon’s departure. He also has experience at first base, where Michael Toglia is hitting .197/.266/.359.