Friday, October 02

Welcome to the latest edition of the Rockies Beat Newsletter! MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo is pinch-hitting on the main story today.

There's a lot of variance in outcomes when it comes to the top of the new Rockies Top 30 Prospects list.

If everything clicks, there could be a whole lot of offensive firepower coming to Coors Field in the coming years. But there are some question marks with everyone in the top five -- six, when you add in Cole Carrigg.

It's obviously way too early to know about Ethan Holliday at this point, and he was considered to be one of the top, if not the top player in the 2025 Draft class. Matt's kid and Jackson's brother did have some swing-and-miss concerns, and the way-too-small sample size of his pro debut didn't help. Everyone will start getting to know what kind of pro he is this spring.

Things have not gone as planned for Charlie Condon, the club's first-rounder in 2024. There have been injuries, swing-and-miss concerns and a surprising lack of impact. He's healthy now, and the hope is what he's done early on in Cactus League play is a sign of the real Condon showing up.

Jared Thomas has hit wherever he's been, but his approach suffered when he got to Double-A and his strikeout rate in the Arizona Fall League was alarming. At least some of that was, it turns out, because of a broken hamate. Roldy Brito was ascendant last year, but he just got to full-season ball late late summer, while Robert Calaz regressed in 2025 with Single-A Fresno.

There are plenty of reasons to be bullish on this group and what they can do in the box, but the 2026 season will be a big one in regards to making sure they head in the right direction.

Here's a look at the Rockies' top prospects:

1. Ethan Holliday, SS (MLB No. 24)
2. Charlie Condon, 1B/OF (MLB No. 70)
3. Jared Thomas, OF
4. Roldy Brito, OF/2B
5. Robert Calaz, OF
Complete Top 30 list »

Biggest jump/fall

Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2025 preseason list to the 2026 preseason list:

Jump: Roldy Brito, OF/2B (2025: NR | 2026: 4)

Signed for $420,000 at the start of the 2024 international signing period, Brito jumped on the prospect radar last year during his United States debut. He won MVP honors in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, then kept on raking after moving up to the Single-A California League, helping Fresno in the postseason. Combined, the switch-hitter put up a .371/.444/.516 line across 84 games.

Fall: Jordy Vargas, RHP (2025: 14 | 2026: NR)

Vargas was one of three Rockies pitching prospects to go down with elbow injuries in July 2023 that required Tommy John surgery. Jackson Cox has bounced back well and things are a little unclear with Gabriel Hughes, but Vargas really struggled upon his return to action in 2025. He managed just a total of 31 1/3 IP and had a 7.14 ERA, getting sent down from the High-A Northwest League to the Arizona Complex League to work on things, then getting shut down for the year after four outings.

Best tools

Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is plus and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.

Hit: 55 -- Jared Thomas (Charlie Condon)
Power: 65 -- Ethan Holliday
Run: 60 -- Cole Carrigg (Roldy Brito, Zac Veen)
Arm: 70 -- Carrigg
Defense: 55 -- Cole Messina (Carrigg, Veen, Ethan Hedges, Ashly Andujar)
Fastball: 65 -- Brody Brecht
Curveball: 60 -- Jackson Cox
Slider: 70 -- Brecht
Changeup: 55 -- Sean Sullivan (JB Middleton)
Control: 60 -- Sullivan

How they were built
Draft: 18 | International: 8 | Trade: 3 | Rule 5: 1

Breakdown by ETA
2026: 11 | 2027: 6 | 2028: 7 | 2029: 3 | 2030: 2 | 2031: 1

Breakdown by position
C: 1 | 1B: 1 | 2B: 1 | 3B: 2 | SS: 4 | OF: 8 | RHP: 8 | LHP: 5

Left-hander Konner Eaton (Rockies No. 26 prospect) approaches his career with an underdog’s motivation. That spirit lives on even though the club recently named him Minor League Pitcher of the Year after a 2025 that saw him strike out a combined 149 in 140 innings, post a 3.79 ERA at High-A Spokane and Double-A Hartford and earn his first Major League camp invitation.

Eaton, 23, had Tommy John left elbow surgery as a freshman at George Mason, and threw just 42 1/3 innings in 2023. In ‘24, he struck out 82 in 62 innings but finished with a 5.66 ERA. Scouts liked the arm but not the strike zone performance, although that was tied to his Tommy John surgery recovery.

“I feel like that underrated player -- always wanting to prove myself,” Eaton said. “I’m starting to do that.”

Longtime Rockies scout Mike Garlatti followed Eaton, however, and recommended him as a sixth-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Last year, in his first pro season, Eaton felt healthier than he did for much of his college career and adjusted to pitching every fifth day (as opposed to once a week in college).

“I had a very good season, but to my standards I feel I have a lot more in the tank,” he said. “The numbers were pretty good but I think they can be better. I haven’t reached my potential yet, but I’m learning a lot of good stuff this year and asking a lot of questions of the veterans that are here. I feel I’ve got a big season coming up.”

• Chase Dollander talks to himself so he can walk the walk More >>>

• Rockies’ preliminary Spring Breakout player list More >>>

• A Holliday reunion with Team USA More >>>

• Gabriel Hughes gets an education in the exhibition game More >>>

• Jose Quintana captains Colombia’s WBC squad More >>>

• Cole Carrigg is one of the key prospects with Team Israel More >>>

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