How are members of the 2023 Rockies doing on their new teams?

Two Impact Bats 

Jurickson Profar signs a 1-year deal worth $1M with the San Diego Padres

Profar is looking like the most successful player off this list. The once super prospect turned utility player, turned left fielder had a mediocre season in Coors. He signed a one-year, $7.75 million deal after his free agent market failed to materialize like he had hoped. Profar hit just .236 with eight home runs before being released by the club in August.

He was picked up and brought back to the Padres for the remainder of the year, earning himself another contract with the team in 2024. Thus far, Profar is putting up a career year with the Friars, hitting .338 with six home runs and a .958 OPS. While that rate of production might not last for a career .242 hitter, he’s had the best 2024 season of anyone on this list so far. Profar may just be best suited for San Diego, as he has enjoyed some of his most successful seasons there and has carved out an important role on teams with postseason aspirations.  

Randal Grichuk signs a 1-year deal worth $2M with the Arizona D-Backs

Randal Grichuk’s tenure in Colorado was a pipe dream last year, as he exploded for a career best .308 average and eight home runs in 64 games before finding himself shipped to the Angels along with Cron. As tends to be the case for the Angels, Grichuk’s production tapered off and he hit the free agent market on a downswing. Grichuk inked a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks as a left-handed specialist. He’s currently hitting .271 on the season but has mashed left handers to a .323 rate. At age 32, this will likely remain his role for the rest of his career. He does it well and was able to parlay his successful Rockies tenure into another contract.

Two Bullpen Arms

Pierce Johnson signs 2-year, $14.25M deal with Atlanta Braves

Pierce Johnson had an up and down tenure in his half season with the Rockies. He was given the reins of the closer position, going 13-15 in save opportunities yet recording a rough ERA of 6.00. Johnson was flipped to the Braves and was dominant, giving up just two earned runs in 23.2 innings. The Braves gave him a two-year contract totaling over $14 million. Johnson has had a solid start to his season, holding a 3.00 ERA in 13 games while also recording a save. Johnson should have a few more good years left in the tank as a back-end bullpen arm. 

Brent Suter signs 1-year, $3M deal with Cincinnati Reds

Ah yes, the crafty lefty from Harvard. Suter has carved out a solid big-league career despite throwing just 85 miles per hour. In the pitcher’s nightmare of Coors, Suter turned in a quality season, recording a 3.38 ERA and thriving at limiting hard hit baseballs. For his efforts, Suter was rewarded with a $3 million contract from the Reds, where he currently sits with a 4.15 in 21.2 innings. Because of his control over velocity style, Suter should be able to pitch as long as he can continue to avoid barrels.

Two Guys in the Mexican League

Yonathan Daza

What in the world happened to Yonathan Daza? Daza got off to a great start to his career as a contact bat, hitting .282 in his first full season in 2021 and .301 in 2022. Add in his good speed, Daza was a threat at the top of the Rockies lineup for two years. After getting off to a .270 start with a concerningly low walk rate in 2023, Daza was DFA’d and sent down after going unclaimed. A shoulder injury would ultimately end his season in July, marking the end of his Rockies tenure. Daza wasn’t picked up by a big-league club in the offseason, and ultimately signed with Tecos De Los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League, where he is off to a hot start hitting.296 with 11 RBI through his first 21 games. While batting average is much less popular in today’s game, I still think there could be a place for a guy like Yonathan Daza in Major League Baseball, but his short career looks like it might have come to an abrupt end. His career stats are a .281 AVG, 4 HR, and 237 hits across parts of four major league seasons. 

Harold Castro

Another guy who ended up in the Mexican League after going unsigned. The long-time utility man landed in Colorado for the 2023 season and hit .252 in 99 games while playing every position for the Rockies except catcher and first base. Castro was the ultimate super utility piece, playing every position except catcher throughout his career. Castro ended up signing with Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League in March and is hitting .315 through 15 games with the club. 

One Guy in a Celebrity Relationship

Cole Tucker

Cole Tucker has bounced around to quite a few teams and organizations in his career while covering a variety of positions. Tucker was 4-8 for an average of .500 in his short stint with the Rox last season. He was signed by the Mariners and later granted his release after he was unable to make the big club out of spring training and later signed with the Angels on a minor league deal. The 27-year-old has played all over the infield and outfield in his career and could be a valuable bench piece for a team in need of a super-utility guy. Tucker got off to a hot start in Triple-A, hitting .313 and earning himself a call up to the big league club at the end of April. Since leaving the Rockies, Tucker got married to actress Vanessa Hudgens in December, so I have a feeling he’s doing alright.

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