The last 2 free agent depth additions the Rockies should look into

We are that much closer to the season beginning. We are now in the same month that spring training will begin. Maybe Rockies fans aren't that excited coming off a 100+ loss season, but there is a lot of reasons for optimism this year. There is a lot of young exciting talent that this team has developed, and we will get to see some of those names on display this year. Spring training will be an exciting time as a lot of Rockies top prospects will join some veterans to get some experience. GM Bill Schmidt said that he expects quite a few of these names to make their debut later this year, showing Rockies fans that there is reason for excitement, just on the horizon.

With the Rockies focused on developing young talent, a lot of playing time should go to guys that are ready to debut and get a full season to prove that they will be a valuable long-term asset to the club. With that being said, the Rockies still have to field a team that will compete and draw fans out to the baseball field. The Rockies have had a couple of prospects debut and look great (Nolan Jones and Ezequiel Tovar), but there are certainly holes on this roster that should not be overlooked. The Rockies need this depth so they aren't forced into putting young players into positions that they are uncomfortable with, as this can hurt their overall development. With that being said, let's take a look at three additions the Rockies could still make that could provide some solid depth.

Whit Merrifield

Merrifield isn't a name that has been linked to the Rockies at all, nor have we brought him up as a potential fit for the Rockies before. He fits into a lot of what the Rockies holes are right now and would put him in a position to rebuild his value and get sent to a contender at the deadline or sign with a contender next offseason.

Merrifield doesn't have a ton of value from an offensive standpoint, but he is a high contact, low strikeout guy that can steal bases and play multiple positions. He won't be the same three- or four-win player he was in 2018 or 2019, but he is still a valuable player. He is a solid bet to be a 260 hitter, put up an 85-90 wRC+, while hitting 10-12 home runs and stealing 20+ bases.

He would provide a lot of value for the Rockies as a backup middle infielder, for a Rockies team that currently lacks any real solid depth behind Ezequiel Tovar and Brendan Rodgers. He could spell Rodgers once or twice a week to keep Rodgers healthy, or if Rodgers gets hurt again. He could always move out to a corner outfield spot and play a solid corner outfield position, giving you a lot of flexibility and a higher floor, with your young outfielders. The Rockies have plenty of cap space left over, and the way the hitters' market has come to a screeching halt, you might be able to get him for a one- or two- year deal worth about $6-$7 million a year.