Corey Dickerson To Make Debut Saturday

Outfielder Corey Dickerson, who was batting a cool .386/.429/.646 with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox before being promoted yesterday, will start in right field Saturday against the Washington Nationals. He will bat 6th as Michael Cuddyer shifts to first base to spell Todd Helton. Here is the rest of the lineup (per Troy Renck):

Dickerson will bat behind Wilin Rosario and in front of Nolan Arenado. If ever there was an illustration of how badly the Rockies need their young hitters to shine in order for the team to succeed, today’s lineup would be it.

For his part Dickerson is very excited for the opportunity, as indicated by this tweet he sent out earlier today:

Dickerson. Image: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies have a bunch of capable outfielders. Three of them are fixtures: Cuddyer, Dexter Fowler and of course Carlos Gonzalez. But from there it is an absolute free-for-all as to who can produce enough to snag a coveted 4th/5th outfielder spot on the big league club.

Eric Young Jr. missed out on his extended opportunity and has since been traded to the New York Mets. Charlie Blackmon struggled in his chance earlier this season, batting a meager .240 while up with the Rockies. Tyler Colvin started hot after his recent promotion and has since been ice cold, as evidenced by his .184 batting average. That is the context for Dickerson, whose bat has been the key to his success from day one. He now gets his shot to seize a spot with the Rockies.

With their bats absolutely dead during this five game losing streak, the Rockies are hoping he will do just that.