Colorado Rockies: 3 Non-Roster Players Who Could Make An Impact

Mark Reynolds

It’s hard to believe that someone who had 393 at-bats with the Rockies last season was just recently re-signed to a minor league contract this season, but that’s the situation Reynolds finds himself in. It’s part of an offseason that saw Reynolds competing with Mike Napoli, Chris Carter and Mark Trumbo, among others, to find a new home. It’s also part of an offseason that saw the Rockies surprise many by signing Desmond to be their first baseman.

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As we’ve said in past articles, we believe Reynolds coming back to the Rockies is a very good thing for the team. Without him, the Rockies don’t have a solid backup at first base. With him, Reynolds not only provides a player who has proven his defensive abilities but also someone who can man the position if Desmond needs to move to shortstop or the outfield.

Reynolds also gives the Rockies a right-handed bat, a luxury we discussed in this article when we looked at how Colorado would line up against left-handed and right-handed pitchers.

The 33-year-old veteran hit just 14 homers last season but his .282 average was a career-high. He ended the season strong despite breaking the hamate bone in his left hand, hitting .395 in August and .300 in September.

If new manager Bud Black feels Reynolds can give the Rockies dependable (while not eye-popping) production like last year, he has a great chance of being with the team Opening Day in Milwaukee.