Colorado Rockies: Our first prediction of the 2020 Opening Day roster

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Ryan McMahon #24 of the Colorado Rockies congratulates Raimel Tapia #15 who scored on a single by Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Ryan McMahon #24 of the Colorado Rockies congratulates Raimel Tapia #15 who scored on a single by Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
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Tony Wolters of the Colorado Rockies
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Tony Wolters #14 of the Colorado Rockies reacts to the bases runners on base against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the fifth inning at Oracle Park on September 25, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

As March begins, it’s time for us to take our first look at what the Opening Day roster might look like for the Colorado Rockies when they open the regular season in San Diego on March 26 against the Padres.

This season, Major League Baseball teams will have a 26-man roster when the season opens. That will like be evenly split between 13 pitchers (maximum) and 13 position players. The Colorado Rockies will have to make some decisions on who will make their Opening Day roster on their pitching staff and the extra man on the roster will be an interesting decision for Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black to make as the season gets closer.

We will dive into that in just a moment. However, let’s start our first prediction for the roster by looking at the two men we believe will be behind the plate for the Rockies to start the season.

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At catcher, we’re predicting Tony Wolters and Elias Diaz. Certainly Drew Butera and Dom Nunez are options for the Rockies. However, Diaz has quickly proven his worth to a position that needs offensive improvement in 2020, going 5-for-8 heading into Sunday’s action. Wolters has gone 447 consecutive plate appearances without barreling the baseball and had just one homer last season. Defense is obviously a key behind the plate but the Rockies need a boost at the plate from the position as well as Diaz has shown early in spring training he can provide that.

Butera and Nunez will start the season at Triple-A, giving the Rockies a chance to have their young pitchers work with a veteran catcher (Butera). It will also give Nunez more time to work on his development.

What about the rest of the position players? Let’s dive in.

Schedule