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3 Potential breakout candidates for the Rockies in 2024
These players could play a huge role for the Rockies in 2024
With a year focused on development and some of the young players, we look to see progress from certain players. These players will go on to hopefully become contributors for a franchise that will hope to contend starting in a few years. With the young players focused on developing, you are bound to have a player or two occasionally break out and become more than just a regular for a contending team, but maybe they become an all-star level player, or even potential superstar (Nolan Jones).
With the season underway, and the Rockies getting steam-rolled in the opening series against the Diamondbacks, the season already seems pretty bleak. Though it was a rough weekend, there were some positives, both offensively and on the pitching side of the ball. We saw some big positives from veterans and youngsters alike and today we are going to take a look at 3 Rockies players that will break out in 2024.
The Gold Glover will have his offense match the defense in 2024
I am all aboard the Brenton Doyle hype train this year. It seems almost inevitable that he will break out and become a very good all-around centerfielder this year. Already an elite defensive player, the offense will certainly take some steps forward, becoming one of the more polished centerfielders that can truly change a game.
Let me qualify that by saying, he isn't going to be on the Nolan Jones level, but he is going to be a very exciting and good player to watch. He is the best defensive outfielder in the game of baseball, and if his offense takes some steps forward (and early signs are positive here), we could be looking at a three-to-four fWAR type player.
See some of the early highlights from Doyle's 2023 season, thanks to Highlight King
Doyle made some significant changes to his hands during his swing late in the year, last year and the results were almost instant. After the change, he compiled 24 hits (11 of them for extra bases) in the last 26 games. During that month he hit .261 with a .467 slugging percentage. His strikeout rate was down to 27.8% and though that's still high, its lower than the 2023 total as a whole, which was (XX). If Doyle can continue that average and increase the on-base percentage a little bit to where he is around .260 with a .310 on-base percentage, paired with his speed, we could be looking at an easy 30 steals with a strong table-setting type of player at the top of Rockies lineup.
Former 1st round pick is ready to live up to his potential
We move from the most likely candidate to break out, to the player with the biggest pedigree among Rockies players on this list. Brendan Rodgers is a former first round pick, going number three overall to the Rockies in 2015. The Rockies had to have been ecstatic to nab the high school shortstop at that spot after serious debate he was the best player in the class. He would go behind two college players in Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman; though they would go on to have successful careers so far, Rodgers has all of the same potential as the previously mentioned college players.
Rodgers has been a bit frustrating for Rockies fans, as the second baseman has flashed some really solid performance but just hasn't been able to string together a solid run. Since 2021, he has played just 285 games (less than 60% of all games), and it has been a mixed bag.
In 2021, he looked to be on his way to a breakout year after putting up 15 home runs with a .284 average in just 102 games, but couldn't continue the same pace in 2022, hitting 13 home runs with a .266 average over 137 games. His 2023 spring was cut short with a significant shoulder injury that kept him out for most of the season.
Check out some Brendan Rodgers highlights courtesy of, The Report On Sports
This was a big year for one of the best Rockies prospects in recent memory. The former third overall pick, was really good this spring, slashing .354/.404/.417 and though the slugging percentage wasn't that high, it can be attributed to just being spring training and getting into the full swing of things. The average and solid contact give a lot of hope heading into the 2024 season, especially when you pair that with Rodger's borderline elite level defense at second base. 2024 will be a huge year, that could put the Rockies in a tough decision as Rodgers enters his second to final year of club control; pair that with Adael Amador proving he could be close to the big leagues and Rodgers might be fighting for a job.
Could the Rockies finally find a solid mid-rotation starting pitcher?
Is it any surprise that this is the only pitcher that I even considered to put on our list of potential 2024 breakout candidates? Well, it shouldn't be, especially after seeing what the Rockies pitching staff did this past weekend, it was pretty pitiful.
One player that I will continue to beat the drum of is Ryan Feltner, there is just too much there to ignore. When you find a guy that can sit 95-98+ with two plus off-speed pitches, it catches your attention and makes you think about the potential of that pitcher.
check out this dominant performance from Feltner, courtesy of The Report On Sports 2
Some early season successes in 2023 had a lot of fans dreaming about what the former fourth round pick could become. The right-handed power pitcher looked like he was about to break the Rockies traditional mold of pitchers to struggle in the Mile High City.
The power righty seemed to possess a unique pitch repertoire that could be effective at Coors field. A high velocity fastball, with a solid changeup and slider looked like it could really limit solid contact from hitters, as well as striking out a solid number of batters. With Feltner stating that he has placed a higher emphasis on the changeup (one of his most effective pitches) as well as an emphasis on the four-seam fastball, we should see an uptick in strikeouts. With that, hopefully there will be less walks as well as less solid contact as the righty will take over and become one of the Rockies best pitchers in a very weak rotation.
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