SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — In the Rockies’ perfect world, center fielder Brenton Doyle will mimic Charlie Blackmon’s historic 2017 season.
In ’17, Blackmon hit .331 to win the National League batting title, slugged 37 homers and set a then-major league record with 103 RBIs from the leadoff position (since surpassed by Mookie Betts’s 107 and Ronald Acuña Jr.’s 106 in 2023).
Friday, in Colorado’s Cactus League opener against the Diamondbacks at Salt River Field, Doyle hit a first-pitch fastball from Gerardo Gutierrez for a grand slam in the fourth inning in Colorado’s 12-8 victory. The ball traveled 443 feet to right-center center field.
“I was looking for a fastball, I got one and I was on time for the heater,” said Doyle, who’s won back-to-back Gold Gloves in center. “Homer in the first game is a little morale boost.”
Manager Bud Black liked the idea of Doyle providing power at the top of the lineup as Blackmon did.
Doyle showed glimpses of that last summer when he hit 23 home runs in 141 games while slashing .260/.317/.764 as a second-year pro. That was especially pronounced during a torrid July that saw him smack 11 homers with a .333/.394/.800 slash line that earned him National League Player of the Month honors.
“It’s dangerous, right off the bat,” Black said. “You look at some of the good ones presently in the league and you see a couple of guys who don’t profile as leadoff hitters, but they’ve got power. (Philadelphia’s Kyle) Schwarber comes to mind.
“Obviously, he’s a completely different player than Doyle, but power right out of the shoot, from a pitcher’s perspective, gets you thinking. Quickly.”
Hughes debut: Right-hander Gabriel Hughes, the 2022 first-round pick who didn’t pitch in the minors last year as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery, will start Saturday’s game against Arizona. Black is eager to see him pitch against big-league hitters.
“The main thing is that it’s good to see that Gabe is healthy and that he’s making the regular throwing assignments and doing everything he can to get ready for the regular season,” Black said. “His arm feels good, he’s moving well and he’s definitely off the rehab program. He’s back to being a regular pitcher.”
Hughes threw a few innings in the Arizona Instructional League and then posted an 8.31 ERA in six starts in the Arizona Fall League.
“I think the fastball is eventually going to play,” Black said. “It’s a good fastball. I saw him pitch in the Arizona Fall League and you could tell that he was a little bit rusty. But he made his starts every week and put some innings up.
“There are some things we are going to iron out with the delivery but as long as he keeps getting on the mound and accumulating innings, he’s going to get where he needs to be.”
Hughes will likely start the 2025 season back at Double-A Hartford.
Not afraid of Coors: Veteran left-hander Scott Alexander, who signed a one-year, $2 million contract on Thursday, reported to Rockies camp Friday and made it clear that he’s not afraid to pitch at altitude at Coors Field.
“It’s definitely one of my favorite places to play — I’ve always enjoyed pitching there,” the 35-year-old reliever said. “Obviously, the elevation is a big deal. It does make a difference. But I know there’s nothing you can do about it when you’re there. So I just lock it in. Throwing strikes and keeping the ball down is what I’ve done whenever I’ve pitched there.”
Alexander has spent most of his career pitching for teams in the National League West, so he’s familiar with Coors. In 14 career games there, he has a 1.46 ERA and a .182 batting average against, and he has not given up a home run in 12 1/3 innings.
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