Does the Situation at First Base Need To Be Solved for Colorado?

Since Todd Helton hung up his spikes in 2013, the Colorado Rockies have been searching for their next cornerstone first baseman.

The 2025-26 offseason is no different. As pitchers and catchers report to Salt River Fields on Thursday for spring training, Colorado may be on the verge of a solution.

Before Helton was a homegrown Hall of Famer, the club kickstarted the franchise in 1993 with the talented Andrés Galarraga manning the position. After two All-Star appearances by The Big Cat in Denver — not to mention a Silver Slugger Award and four top-10 finishes in the National League MVP Award — the team immediately turned to Helton.

Then came a pair of seasons for Justin Morneau, Mark Reynolds and Daniel Murphy following Helton’s retirement in 2013. There was one season of shortstop/center fielder Ian Desmond at first base and one for the oft-maligned Kris Bryant on Opening Day. Michael Toglia’s time in the spotlight was brief after a 25-homer campaign in 2024. 

Only C.J. Cron, who was a minor-league signing by GM Jeff Bridich in his final days, brought a sustained level of success to Coors Field from 2021-23.

Now, Colorado is in search of stability all throughout their organization following an overhaul of the front office and coaching staff. The future of first base may not be a priority at the moment, but questions remain about who will play there in 2026.

Here are all the options the Rockies could have at first base when they open the season in Miami on March 27.

40-Man Roster

The breakout performance by Toglia two seasons ago suggested that Colorado had their next cornerstone.

The 23rd-overall pick out of UCLA in the 2019 MLB Draft was well-hyped throughout the organization before a nearly 40% strikeout rate and a resistance to make certain adjustments made him one of the first roster cuts by new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta back in November.

That left DePodesta and GM Josh Byrnes with a pair of 28-year-old first-year players to man the position to start the offseason.

Blaine Crim was selected off waivers from the Texas Rangers in early August when it became apparent the team was ready to move on from Toglia. Crim eventually made his Rockies debut on September 12, homering in five of his 15 starts with the club.

Troy Johnston experienced a bit more playing time with his previous team than Crim, accruing 0.3 bWAR in 44 games with the Miami Marlins. The left-handed hitter was claimed on waivers just days before the appointment of DePodesta. Johnston also has the ability to play corner outfield.

Then came a barrage of activity last week the likes of which we haven’t seen from the Rockies since the days of Dealin’ Dan O’Dowd. Two trades involving six players, as well as 23-year-old OF Yanquiel Fernández getting designated for assignment to create space on the roster.

One of the players brought in from those deals is Edouard Julien. A breakout rookie for the Minnesota Twins in 2024, Julien failed to recapture his first-year success over the past two campaigns. An ability to play second base — not to mention zero minor-league options — gives the left-handed hitting Canadian an edge for increased playing time.

Willi Castro, another former Twin Cities infielder, can play all around the field. He’s played at least 88 games at every position in the majors except first base, catcher and pitcher. (Though he has pitched on six different occasions.)

Much like when INF Orlando Arcia played the position for the first time in his career with the Rockies last season, Castro may well spend some time at the position in 2026 but will not be counted on for a bulk of the playing time.

Minor League Hopefuls

One of the other players acquired in trades is T.J. Rumfield. Traded by the New York Yankees for RHP Angel Chivilli, Rumfield has simply been blocked at first base and the 40-man roster in the Bronx by the likes of Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt. 

The 25-year-old has performed well at Triple-A the past two seasons. A slash line of .288/.372/.453 in an International League that scored nearly two fewer runs per game than the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. A solid defender who can draw a walk and make significant contact, Rumfield may be a dark horse to take ownership of the position by midseason.

Then there’s the potential of another first-round prospect Colorado would love to hype as the next Helton: Charlie Condon. 

The 22-year-old from Georgia had a false start in his first full season as a professional after being drafted third overall in 2024. A wrist fracture threatened to sap the power of the Golden Spikes Award winner throughout the year, but Condon managed to slug 14 home runs with 16 doubles, including 11 homers in 55 games at Double-A.

Condon will need more seasoning before his big-league debut. There’s still the potential he can manage the outfield instead of being wedged at first base. Should the bat progress rapidly, it would not be a surprise to see him at first base even if someone else is holding down the position.

Free Agent Potential

Entering the offseason, Pete Alonso was atop the list of available first base talent. His five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles is the fifth-largest signed this offseason.

“I think theoretically we could have signed Alonso, right? But what we’re looking to do is really raise our floor,” team president Walker Monfort said at a baseball event in Greeley, Colorado in late January.

As such, it stands to reason that the club doesn’t necessarily need the best man for the job; rather, the best value is what is most optimal for the rebuilding franchise.

Even after Carlos Santana signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Paul Goldschmidt returned to the New York Yankees for $4 million, no less than five viable options are still available in free agency: Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe, Justin Turner, Dominic Smith and Ty France.

There’s even potential for trying to find lightning in a bottle on a minor-league deal as they did five years ago with Cron, but even less options remain. Rowdy Tellez represents the only one of intrigue.

Even still, the Rockies would be more inclined to go with their numerous in-house options than bring in yet another unsure thing.

Trade Candidates

There’s still the potential that Colorado’s Opening Day first baseman is currently with another team.

Depending on how much payroll flexibility remains after the signings of RHP Tomoyuki Sugano and LHP Jose Quintana on Tuesday, DePodesta could very well improve the present-day roster while also upgrading the farm system in the same swap.

Houston’s Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes, not to mention San Diego’s Jake Cronenworth, are eating significant portions of their club’s respective payroll. Should the Astros or Padres include money as well as prospects to provide some budget relief, then the Rockies could have their cake and eat it too. 

On the other end of the spectrum is Baltimore’s Ryan Mountcastle and Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz. Both in the final year of their contract and still contributing at a high level given their salaries, neither the Orioles or Rays need to part with their first baseman.

Philadelphia appears reading to move on from Nick Castellanos. Unfortunately, the former third baseman has never played a single inning at first base as a professional. 

The Phillies are talking with clubs about a Castellanos deal. Should the 33-year-old two-time All-Star be willing to put in the effort of moving to first base like teammate Bryce Harper following elbow surgery and Philadelphia be willing to kick in a prospect — plus a major of the $20 million owed to Castellanos this season — then perhaps Colorado may have their upgrade.

No matter what they decide to do, the Rockies are doing well to wait out the first base market before coming to any agreement with any free agent on a short-term deal or any team looking to offload their expensive option. 

It’s a rebuild after all. Time is on their side.