After consecutive 100-loss seasons, the Rockies are banking their future on their youth.
Colorado had a franchise record-tying 12 players debut this season, and even more youth is on the way. For the club to start to contend, those who debuted in ’24 will need to take another step forward, while the franchise’s best minor-leaguers must continue to climb the ladder.
Here’s a look at the club’s Top 10 prospects entering the 2025 season, as ranked by The Denver Post.
1. RHP Chase Dollander
Chase Dollander (24) of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the first inning of the All-Star Futures Game at Globe Life Field on July 13, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ETA: 2025
’24 MiLB season: The 2023 first-round pick dazzled, appearing in the MLB Futures Game and earning first-team MiLB all-star honors by Baseball America. He dominated in 14 starts with High-A Spokane (3.34 ERA), then did even better in the hitter-happy Eastern League with Double-A Hartford (2.63 ERA in nine starts).
’25 Projection: Dollander gets an invite to big-league spring training, starts out with Triple-A Albuquerque, and then debuts around midseason as Colorado’s ace-in-waiting.
2. LF/3B Charlie Condon
Charlie Condon, Colorado’s first-round pick in 2024 at No. 3 overall, shakes hands with teammates after a Spokane Indians game in 2024. (Courtesy of Spokane Indians)
ETA: 2027
’24 MiLB season: After signing an MLB Draft record-tying $9.25 million bonus, Condon pressed in his debut professional season with High-A Spokane, batting .180 with one homer and 34 strikeouts in 25 games. He “probably put extra pressure on himself,” according to Rockies farm director Chris Forbes.
’25 Projection: Condon settles into the minor leagues, flashing power and average with Spokane before climbing to Double-A by summer’s end.
3. RF/LF Zac Veen
Zac Veen (73) of the Colorado Rockies fist bumps teammates during the opening game of Spring Training – a 3-0 Colorado win over the Arizona Diamondbacks – at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
ETA: 2026
’24 MiLB season: Veen showed promise in Double-A after coming back from wrist surgery, then saw his season end prematurely due to a hamstring injury. It marked a second straight injury-marred season for the speedy outfielder, who needs to stay on the field in ’25.
’25 Projection: Veen is finally healthy and shows why the Rockies drafted him in the first round in 2020. The average comes up, and the power starts to come back.
4. 2B Adael Amador
Colorado Rockies Adael Amador, top, tags Los Angeles Dodgers Freddie Freeman in the 5th inning at Coors Field in Denver on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
ETA: Debuted 2024
’24 MiLB season: The Dominican skipped Triple-A and, at age 21 and 59 days, became the second-youngest position player in Rockies history. He struggled in 10 games, batting .194, and hit just .230 in Double-A. Forbes said he needs to get back to a high on-base percentage, line-drive, gap-to-gap approach.
’25 Projection: Amador spends most of the season in the high minors, occasionally moonlighting in the bigs when the Rockies need him while continuing to work on fine-tuning his glove at second base.
5. CF/SS Cole Carrigg
Rockies prospect Cole Carrigg runs to first base during a Spokane Indians game in 2024. (Courtesy of Spokane Indians)
ETA: 2026
’24 MiLB season: The second-round pick impressed in 111 games with Spokane, slashing .280/.358/.475 and leading the Northwest League with 16 homers. An exciting player who competes with an edge, he’s going to play mainly center field going forward. Forbes projects him as an everyday big-leaguer down the line.
’25 Projection: Carrigg gets a non-roster invite to big-league spring training and starts the season in Double-A, where he continues to hone his high-average approach and flashy play in center field.
6. RHP Brody Brecht
Iowa Hawkeyes pitcher Brody Brecht (14) pitches during the fourth inning of their game at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa, on Friday, March 15, 2024. (Courtesy of Jerod Ringwald/hawkeyesports.com)
ETA: 2028
’24 MiLB season: After the Rockies drafted the 6-foot-4 power pitcher in the first round (No. 38 overall) out of Iowa, he did not make his pro debut. At the time of the draft, he hadn’t pitched since the end of the college season, so the Rockies focused on building him back up and Brecht pitched a few times in instructional league.
’25 Projection: Bretch has a big arm to match his big frame, with finish to all his pitches and a high-90s fastball. Honing his command as a starter will be a focus in the lower minors next summer.
7. RF Yanquiel Fernandez
Rockies outfield prospect Yanquiel Fernandez competes for the Spokane Indians during the 2023 season. (Courtesy of Colorado Rockies)
ETA: 2026
’24 MiLB season: Fernandez hit well in Hartford with an attention-grabbing .283 average and 10 homers, but his contact rate and power plummeted in 33 games in Albuquerque. He played through a shoulder injury for much of the season, which likely limited his homers at both levels after hitting 25 bombs in 2023.
’25 Projection: There’s strikeouts in Fernandez’s swing, which he’ll attempt to cut down as he’s once again tested in the rigors of the upper minors and will be on the MLB bubble by season’s end.
8. LHP Sean Sullivan
Sean Sullivan delivers a pitch during a Hartford Yard Goats game in the Double-A Eastern League in 2024. (Courtesy of Hartford Yard Goats)
ETA: 2025
’24 MiLB season: The second-round pick is rising quickly through the minor-league ranks. He dominated in Spokane (2.16 ERA in 14 starts) before pitching even better in Hartford (1.97 in seven). With his low three-quarter arm slot, his fastball runs up to 94 with deception, but his velocity dipped down the stretch.
’25 Projection: Forbes called Sullivan’s swing-and-miss fastball “really intriguing,” and the southpaw turns in another solid year in the upper minors en route to a late-season debut.
9. LHP Carson Palmquist
Carson Palmquist (91) of the Colorado Rockies works against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the opening game of Spring Training – a 3-0 Colorado win – at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
ETA: 2025
’24 MiLB season: The third-round pick in 2022 turned in a solid season in Hartford, with a 3.17 ERA in 18 starts, before being challenged in Triple-A (5.86 in nine). With deception to his low-90s fastball, Forbes said he’s “right there on the cusp (of the majors), and he’s able to make adjustments quickly.”
’25 Projection: Palmquist doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but next summer he’ll keep demonstrating plus command as well as effective secondary pitches to earn a late-season debut.
10. SS/2B Ryan Ritter
Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan Ritter flips the ball to second base during spring training baseball workouts Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
ETA: 2026
’24 MiLB season: Ritter dealt with an ankle injury that limited him to 91 games in Hartford, where he batted .270 with seven homers and 17 steals after blasting 24 homers across three levels in 2023. He’s currently playing in the Arizona Fall League where he continues to put a defensive focus on playing second base.
’25 Projection: Ritter settles into the upper minors, earning a promotion to Triple-A by midseason. And with solid play at second base, he puts himself on the doorstep of the majors.
10 other Rockies prospects to watch
Drew Romo of the Colorado Rockies during Spring Training at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
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Player
Position
ETA
Comment
Drew Romo
C
Debuted ’24
Needs to prove he can stick in the bigs.
Kyle Karros
3B
2027
Hit .311 with 15 HR for Spokane in ’24.
Sterlin Thompson
LF/1B
2026
Comp pick for Trevor Story leaving in FA.
Benny Montgomery
CF
2026
Coming back from left shoulder surgery.
Jaden Hill
RHP
Debuted ’24
Has raw stuff to be back-end bullpen pillar.
Gabriel Hughes
RHP
2026
Coming back from Tommy John surgery.
Robert Calaz
OF
2027
Burst onto the scene with impressive ’24.
Michael Prosecky
LHP
2026
A southpaw starter capable of a quick rise.
Warming Bernabel
3B/1B
2026
Solid contact hitter; chase rate can improve.
Ryan Rolison
LHP
2025
Time for 1st-rounder to perform in ‘pen.