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3 Rockies players we're thankful to have after the deadline

Following a brutal trade deadline where the Rockies sent away five veteran players, here is a list of players we're thankful to have as we move forward for the Rockies future.

By Thomas Murray |
Oakland Athletics v Colorado Rockies
Oakland Athletics v Colorado Rockies / Dustin Bradford/GettyImages
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With an ongoing rebuild taking place in the Rockies organization, the team and fans have taken a lot of blows leading up to the deadline.

The Rockies parted ways with five different veterans this trade deadline and while some of them like C.J. Cron were fan favorites, the clubhouse still has some key veteran players that should remain as the team looks to become a contender again within the next two to three years.

Looking ahead, a few players that are fan favorites or quickly becoming fan favorites are still here and should be here to remain.

1. Kyle Freeland

Oakland Athletics v Colorado Rockies
Oakland Athletics v Colorado Rockies / Dustin Bradford/GettyImages

A Denver native, Kyle Freeland was selected by the Rockies in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft from Evansville University. Freeland attended high school at Thomas Jefferson High School which is just abruptly 12 miles away from Coor's Field.

Despite his disappointing 4-12 record this year, Freeland has been a reliable player for the Rockies. He has managed to stay healthy and provide quality starts for the team, which is a welcome relief considering the injury issues that have plagued the Colorado pitching staff in 2023. So far this season, he has pitched 113.0 innings and is expected to pitch at least 140 innings by the end of the season.

In 2018, he was a dominant pitcher for the Rockies where he held a 17-7 record with a 2.85 ERA, breaking Ubaldo Jimenez's franchise record.

Freeland will likely remain in Colorado's future moving forward as the veteran lefty, is in the middle of a five-year contract extension he signed at the beginning of last year.

2. Elias Diaz

Colorado Rockies v Washington Nationals
Colorado Rockies v Washington Nationals / G Fiume/GettyImages

Quickly becoming a fan favorite after becoming the first Rockies player to win the All-Star Game MVP this year in his first All-Star Game, the Elias Diaz sensation is quickly taking over in Colorado.

Whether it's his infectious style of play or his infectious personality, how could you not love Elias Diaz. One iconic moment that I would take in from this year's season was when Diaz was out on the field before a game started this past June and he was making snow angels after a hail storm just passed by the Denver area.

At the MLB All-Star Game this past July, Diaz found himself in the ultimate underdog situation after being listed as an All-Star reserve, he had a once a lifetime opportunity where he entered the game in the top of the eighth inning and was in a 2-2 count Félix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles, he managed to hit a moonshot home run to left field and lead the National League to their first All-Star Game victory since 2012.

3. Nolan Jones

Colorado Rockies v St. Louis Cardinals
Colorado Rockies v St. Louis Cardinals / Joe Puetz/GettyImages

Following the two veterans who already have our hearts, lets talk about a young rookie who is paving the way for the future in Colorado and that is corner infielder and outfielder Nolan Jones.

Jones, 25, originally made his MLB Debut with the Cleveland Guardians but after being traded this past offseason to Colorado, the rookie has been providing a taste of hope for the future in Colorado.

Whether it's his hot bat or his brilliance on defense, Jones has arguably been one of the best players on the Rockies in 2023. This year, he holds an average of .281 with nine home runs, 25 RBI's, seven stolen bases and has an ops of .852.

In addition to his impressive hitting, Jones has also stood out for his exceptional defense. Initially brought up as a third baseman for the Guardians, he later transitioned to first base for the Rockies before finding his niche as a regular right fielder. He was given this opportunity following Kris Bryant's injury on July 25. and has since made the most of it, showcasing his impressive arm strength. Jones's arm strength has been on full display, with an average speed of 99.4 MPH when throwing out runners from the outfield. Remarkably, this is the highest average in all of baseball, surpassing even the rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds.

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