Bill Schmidt on Rockies’ Flurry of Roster Changes: “We’re Trying To Get Better”

After an otherwise quiet winter for a club coming off its second consecutive 100-loss season, the Colorado Rockies have made a lot of transactions to finalize their Opening Day roster.

Leading up to Colorado’s first game of the 2025 season against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field, GM Bill Schmidt added as many new players to his team’s active roster in the past week as he did during the entire offseason.

2B Thairo Estrada and UT Kyle Farmer were his only two big league free agent signings before securing LHP Scott Alexander to a one-year deal on the first full-workout day at the team’s Salt River Fields training facility.

Like a student cramming for a final exam that’s been on their syllabus all semester, Colorado has managed to squeeze three more new faces onto Bud Black’s squad in the past few days. Courtesy of a trade, a contract selection from a non-roster invitee and an impromptu free agent signing — all thanks to a waiver wire loss and one DFA later — the 26-man roster was set.

As both Schmidt and Black have reiterated through this maelstrom of player movement, the roster for game no. 1 isn’t usually the one you have for the duration of the 162-game season.

OF Nolan Jones to Cleveland for IF/OF Tyler Freeman, March 22

It was 18 months ago that Nolan Jones ended 2023 with a flourish and a bit of history. Acquired before the season in a trade from the Guardians, Jones added a home run and stolen base in the team’s final regular season game — not to mention his MLB-best 19th outfield assist — to place himself in some rarified air.

With 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, Jones became only the 16th player to ever join the 20/20 club as a rookie. He finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year Award voting, and consensus around the sport was that Colorado pulled a fast one over on Cleveland.

Flash forward to last Saturday when the Rockies shipped Jones back to the Guardians for super utilityman Tyler Freeman.

“Nolan, when we decided to put him out there, he was out of (minor league) options, right? He was coming off a season where he hit three home runs and didn’t hit one in Spring Training,” Schmidt said. “Hey, I’m hoping for ’23 (again) and I wish nothing but the best for Nolan. But we thought we had something in Tyler that was going to help our Major League team this year and going forward.”

Schmidt is familiar with Cleveland’s organization. He served as a national crosschecker in their scouting department from 1995-99. It’s been a team he’s found comfort in when looking for a trade partner.

The Jones-for-Freeman swap makes this the third consecutive Opening Day roster for the Rockies that includes a former Guardian acquired in a deal, following Jones in 2023 and Cal Quantrill in 2024.

“We’ve talked with the Guardians in the prior about Tyler,” Schmidt said of the negotiations. “He’s a baseball player. Can play a variety of positions, solid runner. Was their starting center fielder for most of the season last year. People don’t talk about that. They say utility, but he played center field. He can play in the infield. I think he fills a valuable role for us.”

So, Freeman will have a more productive career than Jones going forward? Schmidt isn’t sure, but he acknowledges that the track record for his former outfielder has been better so far than his new utility player. 

Even when Estrada returns from a wrist fracture in two months, the duo of Freeman and Farmer should provide an upgrade off the bench that Colorado hasn’t had in several years. 

OF Zac Veen Optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque, March 23

One of the caveats many people outside the Rockies organization made for trading a player with upside potential like Jones was that another one of the club’s young outfielders would fill that empty space. Less than 24 hours after the first hammer fell, the second came knocking down upon the most hopeful of fans on top of their purple cap-covered noggins.

“Zac had a good spring in terms of when you looked at numbers, but if you dig into a lot of the numbers and what he did, especially looking at the last two weeks against the front line type Major League pitchers, there’s ways to get better from that end,” Schmidt said of Veen.

Through March 15, Zac Veen had a slash line of .325/.413/.625 in 19 games with Colorado. From then on, he went 4-for-23 (.174) with a double as his lone extra-base hit and just two walks as those pitchers from the big league staff comprised more innings than those from the upper levels of the minors.

Another detractor cited for his demotion was a high strikeout rate. At 29.6% over 71 plate appearances, second most this spring only to teammate Jordan Beck, the drawback to such a high rate is less egregious when recognizing the Rockies are dead last in the National League in that category.

Coupled with the inclusion of a pair of outfielders that showed an even higher proclivity to not make contact during this year’s Cactus League — Sam Hilliard (48.2%) and Beck (34.7%) — the exclusion of Veen was a curious one.

“He got 92 plate appearances last year in Triple-A, and he hasn’t played that much in the last two years due to injuries.” Schmidt added, “Now, I’m a big Zac Veen fan, so I’m hoping it happens and I want it to happen soon. But, we’re trying to look out what’s best for Zac, too.”

Considering Brenton Doyle had 98 plate appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque before he was promoted in April 2023, perhaps the turnaround time for Veen won’t put off his debut for too long. Until then, the left-handed hitting OF Nick Martini should get a bulk of starts in right field with Beck patrolling the left field.

That takes us to the latest outfield addition to the roster…

OF Mickey Moniak Signed to One-Year Deal, March 26

Black and company telegraphed a late change all spring. The club acquired OF Jake Cave days before Opening Day 2024, and Colorado was prepared to move around the margins once again should another team cast aside an asset deemed valuable to them.

When Mickey Moniak was released by the Los Angeles Angels, Schmidt jumped at the opportunity. OF Sam Hilliard was designated for assignment in the process. 

“(Mickey) can play all three outfield spots. Had a good year in ’23 where he hit .280 with 14 home runs,” Schmidt said of his newest 26-year-old outfielder. “Not as good average-wise last year, but he did hit 14 again. So there’s some pop in the bat and we’ll see what happens. He’s always been a talented guy.”

Though the organization has a logjam of outfielders knocking on the door to the Majors in Double-A and Triple-A, Schmidt assures that young players will not be blocked by the additions of Moniak, Freeman or the 34-year-old Martini. 

One prospect whose path to the big leagues improved during the flurry of moves is Greg Jones, who was claimed on waivers by the Chicago White Sox.

Another player acquired in the final week of Spring Training last season, Colorado surrendered their second-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, LHP Joe Rock, to the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire Jones. When the time came to include him on the Opening Day roster as many had expected, that didn’t come to fruition for the super utility player.

Jones played in six games with Colorado last season, starting once and receiving six plate appearances, one of which resulted in a pinch-hit home run. A year and five days after the team acquired him, he was gone.

“He just wasn’t ready to come up and kind of fill a role that we’re looking for,” Schmidt said. “Made a decision to move on from him. Wish Greg nothing but the best. He’s a good athlete. Everything why we traded for him is still there. The tools are there, the skills just haven’t developed.”

Ultimately, the decision about the roster is something of a roundtable decision for the Rockies. Black, Schmidt and various members of the front office and coaching staff collaborate on who earns the privilege of donning the purple pinstripes.

As for the players brought in during the offseason by Schmidt, the minimalistic approach is viewed more as a vote of confidence to everyone in the home dugout of Coors Field and that the worm is ready to turn after six consecutive losing seasons.

“You hope so,” Schmidt said. “I think we have some talented kids, some talented players, some of them aren’t kids. But we have some talent, and hopefully they continue to grow and get better.”