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Colorado Rockies: Top Five Second Basemen in Franchise History

ByNoah Yingling|
DENVER, CO - MAY 05: Manager Walt Weiss #22 of the Colorado Rockies challenges a call by umpire Kerwin Danley on a play at first base against the Texas Rangers as DJ LeMahieu #9 and Eric Young #21 of the Colorado Rockies looks on in the second inning during Interleague play at Coors Field on May 5, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. Danley called DJ LeMahieu #9 of the Colorado Rockies out and the call was overturned after video replay as the Rockies defeated the Rangers 8-2. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MAY 05: Manager Walt Weiss #22 of the Colorado Rockies challenges a call by umpire Kerwin Danley on a play at first base against the Texas Rangers as DJ LeMahieu #9 and Eric Young #21 of the Colorado Rockies looks on in the second inning during Interleague play at Coors Field on May 5, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. Danley called DJ LeMahieu #9 of the Colorado Rockies out and the call was overturned after video replay as the Rockies defeated the Rangers 8-2. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
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DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 1: Ryan McMahon #24 of the Colorado Rockies rounds third base before scoring a run in the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field on September 1, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 1: Ryan McMahon #24 of the Colorado Rockies rounds third base before scoring a run in the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field on September 1, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

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Honorable Mentions: Clint Barmes (9.3 bWAR, 4.5 fWAR, 8 seasons as Rockie, 306 games at 2B)

Clint Barmes would likely be on this list if he spent some more time at second base for the Rockies. He was the primary second baseman in three seasons but in his time with the Rockies, he only played 46 percent of his games at second base.

That plus a total of 9.3 bWAR and 4.5 fWAR in eight seasons as a Rockie couldn’t get him on the list due to a few good seasons by other second basemen who had short, but successful tenures.

Honorable Mention: Ryan McMahon (1.4 career bWAR, 0.6 career fWAR, 127 games at 2B)

If Ryan McMahon plays another season or more and plays well, he will likely find his way on this list in the future.

However, considering that 2019 was his first season as primary second baseman, he only had a batting average of .250, an OPS+ of 87 and his below-average defense at second base (-3 DRS at second base, per Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs both), it didn’t warrant him making the list right now.

Number 1: DJ LeMahieu (16.1 bWAR, 11.4 fWAR, 7 seasons as a Rockie, 877 games at 2B)

DJ LeMahieu is the best second baseman in Colorado Rockies history … but just barely. Going into making this list, I thought he was above Eric Young by a lot but I was wrong. In fact, I was on the fence about who to put. That’s the reason why I put this poll out on Twitter: I couldn’t decide.

The voting was 50-50 for most of the 12 hours that the poll out there but LeMahieu (Player B) pulled out the win, 56-44, over Eric Young (Player A).

Ultimately, LeMahieu played more time with the Rockies and played more second base than Young.

Their average numbers, though, are remarkably similar which is what made this ranking of the top five Rockies at each position the first particularly difficult one at the top of the rankings.

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