The Colorado Rockies haven't been to the playoffs since 2018. But as they look towards the future, the Rockies are cultivating talent that will lead their next postseason run.
Colorado has signed shortstop Ezequiel Tovar to a seven-year, $63.5 million contract extension, via Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. The deal contains a club option that can take the total value to $84 million. Thomas Harding of MLB.com was the first to confirm Tovar's base salary agreement.
After appearing in nine major league games during the 2022 season, Tovar got a much longer run in 2023, playing in 153 games. He hit .253 with 15 home runs, 73 RBI and 11 stolen bases. Tovar led the team in RBI, ranked third in home runs and stolen bases and fourth in batting average.
Tovar's journey to Rockies
Colorado signed Tovar as international free agent out of Venezuela in 2017. Half a decade later, the shortstop became one of the best prospects in the Rockies' system.
Sixth to be exact, according to MLB Pipeline. Tovar shared the top 10 in 2022 with some of Colorado's current best in players such as Zac Veen, Drew Romo and Benny Montgomery. But Tovar's work through the minor league proved to the Rockies that he would be ready for the major leagues before his counterparts.
Over his four seasons in the minor leagues, Tovar hit .284 with 31 home runs, 149 RBI and 74 stolen bases. The majority of that time came at the Double-A level, where he looked dominant. Over 66 games, Tovar hit .318 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI and 17 stolen bases.
It only took nine games in Triple-A for the Rockies to call him up to the major leagues. After his seven-year extension, Tovar won't be leaving anytime soon.
Colorado's path to contention
By signing Tovar to an extension now, the Rockies are trying to build their core of the future. Ensuring their young, improving stars are under contract allows Colorado to see their foundation and add the requisite additions outside of their homegrown talent.
On the offensive side of things, the Rockies don't have many hitters who will seemingly be with the organization when it's time to compete. One player outside of Tovar though is Nolan Jones, who burst onto the scene in 2023. The outfielder/first baseman hit .297 with 20 home runs, 62 RBI and 20 stolen bases. Outside of he and Tovar, Sean Bouchard, Brendan Rodgers and Brenton Doyle are the only other players 28-years-old or younger in the projected lineup.
Guys like Charlie Blackmon and Kris Bryant – assuming he is healthy – will help the team rack up wins in 2024. Elias Diaz has looked like a valuable catcher, but he is a free agent after the season. Ryan McMahon is under contract until 2028. But he will be 30 come 2025 and only aging as the Rockies get closer to contention.
Colorado wanted to focus on the future, and Ezequiel Tovar represents it. With the shortstop of the future and present locked in, the Rockies will look to build out their core and find their new identity.
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