Rockies Should Have Confidence in Catching Tandem

Hunter Goodman was the brightest spot in an ugly season for the Colorado Rockies. He enters this offseason as the only reigning All-Star on the Rockies. He led the Rockies in nearly every offensive category, set a franchise record for catchers with 31 home runs, and earned a Silver Slugger Award. Braxton Fulford emerged as an option behind Goodman, with intriguing offensive upside, following a strong June. The Rockies could add a veteran this offseason to fill in behind Goodman. But there is reason to have confidence in their current catching tandem in the future.

Rockies Should Have Confidence in Catching Tandem

Hunter Goodman Leads the Way

Goodman was second on the Rockies with 144 games played. Appearing as a Designated Hitter for 39 of those. Provided he stays healthy, the Rockies will need minimal coverage behind the plate outside of Goodman. Goodman’s play in arguably the most outstanding offensive season ever by a Rockies catcher was quite a boon for the struggling club. Heading into the season, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, centerfielder Brenton Doyle, and third baseman Ryan McMahon were the most realistic All-Star candidates for the Rockies. Goodman had shown power potential previously, but took it to the next level in his first full season as a catcher in Major League Baseball.

When it was time for the Midsummer Classic, Goodman was the only Rockies’ position player even close to warranting All-Star consideration. If the power does not show up next season, there is a risk for regression. As per Statcast, Goodman ranks near the bottom of the league in Squared-Up%, Chase%, Whiff%, and K%. Nolan Jones is a prime example. He had an excellent 2023 with the Rockies. But when his power abandoned him the following season, his deficiencies in whiff% and K% reared their ugly heads. Those deficiencies are only magnified by the immense difficulty of maintaining consistency on the road when playing at altitude at home.

This is not to say Goodman won’t come out and have another great season offensively. As of now, he is one of the top offensive options in the Rockies’ lineup. It would just be unfair to Goodman to expect that great of an offensive season again when he is still so young. But the Rockies sure hope he does, as they have enough roster holes to worry about already. Having a position already taken care of is a luxury the Rockies sorely need.

Braxton Fulford Showed Glimpses of Being a Reliable Backup

It is still very early in the offseason. This is a new front office, and the Rockies could add a more proven backup behind Goodman. But Fulford showed enough last season to be that option. Per Statmuse, among catchers with fewer than 115 at-bats, Fulford ranked fourth with 16 RBI in 108 at-bats. Yes, some fellow backup catchers were more efficient. But Fulford is way cheaper, estimated to earn $820K this season, per Spotrac. He also just turned 27 and was drafted by the Rockies in the 6th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Texas Tech University.

Additionally, if new President of Baseball Operations Paul DePodesta wanted to go in a different direction for his backup catcher, he would’ve likely already done so. The Rockies released infielders Michael Toglia, Warming Bernabel, and catcher Drew Romo shortly after the offseason began. Toglia and Romo were first-round picks by the Rockies, and Bernabel was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. That’s presumably a good sign that Fulford was kept, especially since one of the players released was Romo.

After Romo, there is currently very little competition for the backup catcher spot. Fulford and Goodman are the only catchers on the Rockies’ roster. The only catcher among the Rockies’ top 30 prospects on MLB.com is Cole Messina (25th). Messina was drafted in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of the University of South Carolina. He is currently at Double-A Hartford and isn’t projected to make the Majors until 2027.

Reason for Confidence in the future

Spotrac also projects Goodman to earn $820K this season. Barring a Goodman contract extension, the Rockies currently have one of the cheapest catching tandems in the league with a lot of upside. Goodman is just 26 himself and has entered the conversation of being a player the Rockies can build around as their rebuild progresses. Goodman also ranked in the upper half of MLB per Statcast in framing and blocks, both above average. He is also right above league average with a 1.95-second pop time.

As the Rockies work to improve their league-worst rotation, having a solid defensive presence in Goodman will be invaluable. He also now has a full season as a catcher at Coors under his belt. Fulford has room to grow defensively, ranking in the bottom 10th percentile league-wide with a 2-second pop time. But ideally, Fulford can improve this offseason defensively. If everything goes to plan, Goodman will be able to man the plate for the majority of the season anyway.

But defensive issues aside, Fulford offers some of the best offensive upside for a backup catcher in the MLB. He currently leads all catchers with a sprint speed of 29.1 ft/s. That is incredible speed for a catcher, ranking incrementally behind Doyle and infielder Ryan Ritter for the team lead in ft/s.

For a Rockies team that needs to get faster on the bases, Fulford’s speed could be a necessary weapon. If he can find the offensive potential he showed in June, Fulford will be one of the most consistent threats on the bases in Colorado. Good thing he will have one of the best catchers in the league this past season to learn from going forward.