Rockies may have no choice other than to demote promising outfielder

This Colorado outfielder, often touted as a potential five-tool player, has struggled to live up to his "breakout candidate" label, as the Rockies search for any bright spots this season.

Jordan Beck was initially slated as the starting right fielder, following the team's acquisition of Jake McCarthy in the offseason, aiming to address the challenges posed by Coors Field's expansive dimensions.

Despite a challenging start, the club remains optimistic about the outfielder's performance in 2026. In his first eight games, he's hitting .080 (2-for-25) with one double and four RBIs.

A concerning trend is his six strikeouts, mirroring last season's high strikeout rate of 29.6%.

Beck's 2025 performance fueled optimistic belief that he could become a five-tool player. He appeared in a team-high 148 games, recording 16 home runs, 19 stolen bases, and 12 outfield assists. While he's been using the Trajekt Arc machine to improve his swing and plate discipline, the results haven't materialized yet.

Colorado's outfield, excluding Troy Johnston and Mickey Moniak, is experiencing difficulties. Jake McCarthy is currently hitting .120, while Brenton Doyle is hitting .129. It's impressive that Colorado is achieving this level of success so early, especially given the relatively low level of production from the players. This is a very positive sign.

Manager Warren Schaeffer has been utilizing a "hot hand" approach, giving Johnston starts in the outfield and at first base. This has resulted in Beck only playing in two of the last four games. This strategy could negatively impact Beck's confidence, so sending him to Triple-A to work on his swing without performance pressure might be beneficial now.

The question is whether the Rockies will let him work things out at the big league level or send him to Albuquerque to get things in order.

This would raise questions about whether Charlie Condon, who missed a couple of games after having a cyst removed, would be ready for the big leagues, or if a Cole Carrigg call-up would be more appropriate. Colorado has several options beyond those players, including utility player Ryan Ritter, Blake Crim, Sterlin Thompson, and Zac Veen, depending on their readiness.

This holds true even for Doyle and McCarthy; something needs to change, as their current performance is not reliable, especially for the initial starting outfield core. The trio has combined for 9 hits in 81 at-bats, with 5 RBIs and 6 stolen bases, resulting in a .111 batting average.

While it's still too early to give up on these players, especially given their defensive pedigree and tools, changes might be necessary soon, as that level of production is unsustainable.