Rockies missed out on 2 infielders, but could add this underrated veteran

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The Rockies spring training is officially in full swing. They have gone 2-1 so far and have gotten some really good performances out of some youngsters like Carson Palmquist, Noah Davis, and outfielder, Jordan Beck. The Rockies pitching has been surprising so far over three Spring training with 37 strikeouts and just 15 walks.

Once position to keep an eye on this spring is the middle infielders. The starting duo is set with a pair of potential gold glovers in Brendan Rodgers and Ezequiel Tovar, but behind them lacks a lot a depth. There is a group of Alan Trejo, Coco Monte’s and Aaron Schunk that seem to be competing for the bench role of utility infielder; a valuable role given the injuries to Rodgers and Tovar’s lack of experience.

This is the biggest addition that I think the Rockies can still make. If they don’t add a veteran to the middle infield group, they could end up putting a younger infielder in a position that they are not ready for yet; they could also be rolling out a player that isn’t really at the level of a major league infielder, resulting in an extremely subpar middle infield group. The Rockies had quite a few options for a middle infielder looking to rebound coming into this offseason; someone that could add some valuable depth and leadership to this team. Let’s take a look at 2 of those options that have already signed and one that the Rockies can still add to help the major league roster.

The Rockies missed out on two infielders with some serious upside

We have talked about both of these free agents throughout the offseason, mainly the first name, but both of these infielders still would have fit nicely into this Rockies roster. The Rockies lack a veteran utility infielder that has a high floor, who could help this young and inexperienced group navigate professional baseball.

The Rockies missed out on a high-floor, solid defender in Amed Rosario who signed a one-year, $1.5M contract with the Rays

Rosario may have been the best fit with the Rockies as a guy that is comfortable playing both middle-infield spots with a pretty high floor. He would've given the Rockies a nice veteran with some experience that is a lock to hit .260 or better and play some really good defense at both middle infield spots. Rosario isn't going to be an above average hitter but would give the Rockies some flexibility and a high average bat. The Rockies were trying to let some young guys get a lot of playing time this year, but they should've taken a flier on Rosario, especially because he would be behind Tovar and Rodgers, not blocking anyone. His one-year $1.5M contract is such a low risk move, I would've liked the Rockies to make this move.

The Rockies could've taken a flier on a former batting champ in Tim Anderson, who signed a one-year, $5M prove it deal with the Marlins

This option was a little more unrealistic as Anderson was looking for an everyday job to rebound and rebuild his value before hitting free agency. The Rockies couldn't offer him an everyday, starting shortstop role. They could offer him regular at bats in one of the most hitter friendly environments in baseball.

Anderson is a former batting champ who had a terrible year offensively, but struggled through injuries and a team that seemed like they had no desire to be on a baseball field. The Rockies could've found a role for Anderson on this team, rotating through all three infield spots, giving days off to Rodgers, Tovar and McMahon to keep everyone healthy. The deal he signed with Miami is a relatively low risk move that I would've liked the Rockies to entertain; the upside Anderson possesses is well worth the $5M risk.

They can still add a high floor veteran in Elvis Andrus

Even with two solid options off the board, the Rockies still have quite a few options to add. Getting a veteran with a high floor to add to this roster would be very valuable. A few options that made a lot of sense for the Rockies have already signed like Tony Kemp, Amed Rosario and Tim Anderson, but perhaps one of the more underrated infielders could still be had for the Rockies, and one of my personal favorites.

Elvis Andrus is no longer the three- or four-win player like he was in his late 20's as a part of some really good Texas Ranger squads, but he is still a solid player. Over the last three years, Andrus has combined for 6.1 wins according to FanGraphs (peaking with 3.5 fWAR in 2022), proving he is still a really good player. His 2023 was a year that he regressed with his wRC+ going from 105 to 81, but he still provided a ton of value as an above average defender.

Andrus would be a really solid addition as someone to guide the young shortstop, Ezequiel Tovar, as he grows and looks to take steps forward offensively. His leadership on a young team would be invaluable, but it's not just that, he would be a really good bench infielder that could play in 100-120 games and give you some really solid production and borderline elite defense. With spring training already underway, you might be able to get Andrus on a minor league deal, but if not, they should be aggressive and offer him a deal similar to Rosario's one-year, $1.5M deal.

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