3 surprise moves the Rockies can still make before Opening Day 2024

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Once pitchers and catchers report, the offseason usually slows down. For Rockies fans, that doesn't mean much as they have been relatively inactive this offseason. With a lot of the free agents signed already, minus the big name, Scott Boras clients, the rest of the offseason should be filled with a lot of tension from teams. The Rockies don't really figure to be in the mix with a lot of those teams fighting for the services of Cody Bellinger, Jordon Montgomery or Matt Chapman; that doesn't mean, however, that taking a flier in free agency couldn't pay off for them in the long haul.

The Rockies have quite a bit of needs at the major league level, though many of them happen to be on the pitching side. With a number of young pitchers set to duel it out for the final rotation spot, we could see a few solid players be demoted to Triple-A. Some may expect the young players and prospects to get a chance to battle and prove that they deserve a major league roster spot. Even though the Rockies Major League roster seems to be set, as they head into Spring Training, let's take a look at three surprising moves that could be made to make the 2024 team more interesting.

Mike Zunino

The Rockies had a very solid catcher last year as Elias Diaz was a revelation and ended up surprisingly many of by becoming the MLB All-Star game MVP. Diaz had one of the best seasons of a Rockies catcher in recent memory, slashing .267/.316/.409 with 14 home r5uns over 141 games. Diaz proved that he can be a very valuable catcher at the major league level, however, this was the first time he had done this in his major league career. Being 33 heading into the 2024 season, Diaz is on the wrong side and could still be battling for a roster spot, come July.

Look at Zunino's top 10 longest home runs and imagine that power in Colorado, video courtesy of Andrew Johnston

Enter Mike Zunino, one of the best defensive catchers in recent memory. Zunino did a great job with the Mariners leading an extremely young pitching staff in the midst of a rebuild, despite being in his mid-20's and having unproven abilities. Zunino is one of the better catchers in baseball and could be seen as the best defensive catcher among the free agent crop. Though the Rockies have Eliaz Diaz and recently added Jacob Stallings, they could stand to add some high minor league, Triple-A talent (or potentially non-roster invitee). Zunino is probably the best catcher available and is one of the best defensive catchers with the potential (especially at Coors) to be top five in baseball in home runs.

Elvis Andrus

Though the Rockies roster looks to be complete, there are still a few holes that they could afford to fill. As things currently stand, they have very little depth that is major league ready at the middle infield positions. They have options like Alan Trejo (but we saw that experiment last year), they also have prospects Julio Carreras, Adael Amador and Ryan Ritter (though Carreras had just 16 games at Triple-A Albuquerque, Amador played just 10 games at Double-A Hartford, while Ritter played just eight games in Double-A). This shows that behind Tovar and Rodgers, the Rockies really lack solid depth at the middle infield spots, enter Elvis Andrus.

Andrus fits the Rockies needs really well as an above average defending middle infielder with a solid floor offensively. Andrus can play both middle infield spots, doing it at a pretty solid level, something that would be nice to have in the event of an injury or a trade. Andrus will post a solid average, as a career .269 hitter and won't strikeout (14% career strikeout rate), while walking at a decent rate (7.1% walk rate).

Andrus could find a nice little niche in Colorado as a utility infielder that could get around 450-500 plate appearances. He is 35 years-old and we know what Andrus is at this point and getting him on a one-year deal could prove to be valuable depth for the Rockies at a cheap price. He could also do a lot to give the middle infield a veteran presence as they still try to develop.

Eric Lauer

While the first two options here, filled holes where the Rockies lacked depth, Lauer fills a position where the Rockies actually have depth, it's just not very good. As things stand, the Rockies one through three starting pitchers are set, setting up a spring training battle for the number four and five spots in the rotation.

Why not take a flier to fill that spot on a 28-year-old lefty that has posted multiple 1.5-2 win seasons?

Though the Rockies rotation seems to be set, the Rockies could make a surprising move by adding a high upside starter like Lauer. Lauer dealt with a lot in 2023 that limited him to just 46.2 innings and he wasn't good, but that looks like an outlier season. From 2018 to 2022, he regularly threw over 100 innings, topping out at 158.2 innings in 2022. He would give the Rockies something that they haven't had, as a pitcher with a strikeout rate over eight per nine (8.55 career K/9).

Check out one of Lauer's dominant performances from his solid 2022 season, throwing 6 IP, 0 ER, 13 K's, and 1 BB, courtesy of Dawg&Hen

The free agent market is very slow moving, and with pitchers and catchers reporting, the pressure is on to get into camp, get comfortable with the staff and coaches. This could benefit the Rockies in this situation as Lauer is grouped with a number of pitchers that could be looking for a chance to compete for a roster spot towards the end of the month and into March. If I am the Rockies, the upside far surpasses that of Dakota Hudson, and I would be all over it. He could prove to be an under the radar addition that could prove to be a valuable middle of the rotation option.

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