3 players who won't make the Rockies Opening Day roster

Michael Toglia will lose out to another top prospect infielder

Let me get this out there, I really like Toglia and think he is going to be a very good hitter for the Rockies, and I think that could happen this year. However, he has some work that needs to be done as he ran a strikeout rate over 32% in the major leagues last year. His strikeout rate in Albuquerque was a lot better at just 22.34%, but in 2022, it was 30.1%. Toglia does walk at a solid rate, but we need to see some improvements before he is given an everyday opportunity. He put up solid numbers in Triple-A last year, but it is a very hitter friendly environment, and he has some tough competition for a bench role as a sort of utility player.

Ultimately, Toglia will be sent to Triple-A to continue to refine his approach and will surely get an opportunity later in the year. Elehuris Montero, another former top prospect, will get the roster spot over Toglia. It might seem hypocritical to say that Toglia needs to go to Triple-A and work on his approach when Montero ran a 36% strikeout rate.

Montero has absolutely dominated Triple-A with an average batting over .300, with 30 home runs in 100 games. In those 100 games, his strikeout rate was just 19.8%, showing that he had a pretty good handle on the strike zone. Plus, Montero ended the season on an absolute tear in September for the Rockies. Over 94 at-bats, he slashed .298/.368/.553 with six home runs. His strikeout rate was slightly lower than previous months at 29.1%, but you will take that for someone that was on pace for 30+ home runs and a .298 average. Montero should get quite a bit of at-bats playing both corner infield spots and some DH and will look to prove that he will be a main part of this rebuild.

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