Colorado Rockies roster: Predicting their Opening Day roster

Rockies infielders (7): Ryan McMahon, Trevor Story, Brendan Rodgers, C.J. Cron, Chris Owings, Josh Fuentes, and Garrett Hampson

Ryan McMahon will likely be tasked with the unenviable task of replacing Arenado at third base. In limited time at third base in 2020, he was phenomenal defensively so if he can keep that up, he’ll be close to Arenado in that regard.

But his bat has to develop more. A 40 percent strikeout rate is not going to cut it in the majors and neither is a .216 average and a sub-.300 on-base percentage, especially when you’re going to be asked to replace Arenado’s bat in the lineup. Unless he is injured, though, he will have plenty of opportunities to showcase whether or not he can adjust to MLB pitching in 2021.

Story is, now, the Rockies best player. Depending on how the team is, though, he may not be on it at season’s end because the Rockies may look to trade him too.

Brendan Rodgers will likely replace McMahon at second base. He hasn’t had as many opportunities as McMahon in the majors, partially due to numerous injuries, but for the Rockies former number one prospect and first-round draft pick, 2021 will be a huge year.

Like with McMahon, will he prove that he has an MLB bat or will he be Quad-A, Mike Hessman bat (a good Triple-A bat that is well below league average in the majors, like Hessman who hit 323 homers in Triple-A and is the minors all-time MiLB home run leader but hit .188 in 109 MLB games)?

C.J. Cron is a non-roster invite but he’s making the team for three main reasons (barring any injury).

• He’s the best first baseman the Rockies have currently
• He’s a veteran
• He has a connection with Bud Black when both were in the Angels organization in 2016

Chris Owings is making the team because he’s a veteran and he’s versatile.

Josh Fuentes hit for average last year but if you look at the peripheral stats in 2020, it looks like he might have been the luckiest hitter in baseball. In other words, something will have to change to keep his stats up or he’s going to become a Mike Hessman bat because luck in the game of baseball doesn’t last long. However, defensively, he was great at first base.

He plays third and he has been working in the outfield too so he’ll make the team but the signing of Cron indicates that the Rockies aren’t sold on him as the everyday first baseman yet.

Hampson is the fastest guy on the team and if Story leaves, the Rockies may move Rodgers to shortstop and have Hampson play every day at second (or vice versa). He, again, is versatile but his bat needs to develop more to be a steady MLB presence.