Rockies Land on Both Best and Worst Free Agent Signings Lists

Soon after their MLB arrival in 1993, Colorado began to grow their new franchise with an eye towards adding power hitters in order to take advantage of the region's mile-high altitude. The club signed Andres Galarraga before their expansion season and Ellis Burks following year one.

Prior to the 1995 campaign, they signed Walker, then a promising 28-year-old slugging outfielder, away from the Montreal Expos on a four-year, $22.5 million contract.

While Walker had posted solid power numbers in Montreal and even led baseball with 44 doubles in 1994, joining the Rockies took his game to the next level.

In his first season with the club, he set new career-high marks in home runs (36), RBI (101) and runs scored (96). Just two seasons later, he would author an eye-popping MVP campaign that featured 49 home runs, 130 RBI, 143 runs and a slash line of .366/.452/.720.

Over the course of Walker's tenure in Colorado, he would become a four-time All-Star with four gold gloves and two Silver Slugger awards while winning the 1997 NL MVP.

While he would only reach the postseason once as a Rockie (in his 1995 debut season), his arrival helped spark their evolution from a struggling beginner franchise to an established, serious organization.

While Bryant Ranks Among the Biggest Busts

On the other end of the spectrum, ESPN ranked Colorado's still-active seven-year, $182 million deal for Kris Bryant as the worst free agent contract of all-time. Yes, even worse than the signings of busts like Chris Davis and Anthony Rendon.

It's easy to see why. On-going back issues have limited Bryant, the former MVP and Chicago Cubs' 2016 World Series hero, to just 170 games with the Rockies since the beginning of the contract in 2022 (the deal will still carries two more seasons after this one).

Over those 170 games, Bryant has mustered a disappointing slash line of .244/.324/.370 while hitting 17 home runs.

Thought to be a key foundational piece to the organization's next chapter of contention, Colorado has instead finished dead last in the NL West in every season that he's been on the roster. Even now, his annual contract value of $26 million ranks among the top-30 in baseball history.

The Rockies franchise has never been shy about going bold in free agency. That risky approach has yielded successes in the form of players like Galarraga, Burks and Michael Cuddyer, while also resulting in contract duds like Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle.

Therefore, it isn't terribly surprising to see the franchise land on both ends of the spectrum when it comes to best and worst free agent signings.