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Rockies Sign Orlando Arcia: What to Make of Move

Originally posted on New Baseball Media
By Chris Studley | Last updated May 29, 2025 9:49 AM ET

The Rockies officially signed infielder Orlando Arcia to a MLB deal on May 28, days after the Braves released the former All-Star shortstop. Arcia fell out of favor in Atlanta thanks to the defensive prowess of Nick Allen. Now, he’ll look for more playing time on a team that sat last in the MLB standings as of May 28.

A Look at Arcia

Once a hot prospect in the Brewers’ farm system, Orlando Arcia became a valuable piece for Atlanta once Dansby Swanson left in the 2022-23 offseason.

Arcia had a pair of 15-home run seasons with Milwaukee before the Braves acquired him in 2021 for Minor League pitchers Patrick Weigel & Chad Sobotka. He saw limited time during the 2021 and 2022 seasons but took over as the starting shortstop in 2023, beating out Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake.

He hit well in 2023, as Arcia slashed .264/.321/.420 (.741 OPS) and earned himself an All-Star pick. However, Arcia’s numbers took a dip in 2024, as he posted just a .271 OBP last year. Arcia wound up losing his grip on the shortstop job to Nick Allen, a below-average hitter but an elite defender (+11 Outs Above Average) at short.

Now 30 years of age, Arcia — a ground-ball hitter — got very pull happy last season, with 46.2% of his hit balls going to the left side. There is power there in his setup, although he’s been unable to replicate the bat speed he had in 2023.

Year	Average Bat Speed
2023	71.1
2024	70.9
2025	68.7

Defensively, Arcia’s been an above-average defender (+9 OAA) over the last two seasons. He posted a -1 OAA during the brief time he saw with the Braves this season.

The Rockies officially signed Orlando Arcia on May 28. In a corresponding move, Colorado demoted Aaron Schunk.

Analysis

Atlanta soured on Arcia, and now, the Rockies get a player looking for a rebound.

It’s a soft landing spot for Arcia, given Colorado’s record and standing. However, Arcia doesn’t fit into the Rockies’ future plans whatsoever. Rather, he fits as a stopgap utilityman as the Rockies live without Thairo Estrada. Estrada, signed in January, has been out with a wrist fracture.

Remember, Ezequiel Tovar, who missed weeks with a hip injury, is back. Tovar re-took his starting shortstop job, while Adael Amador‘s received regular playing time at second base.

No, Amador hasn’t hit well, with a .465 OPS this season. However, the 22-year-old is still a building block for the Rockies’ future.

This article first appeared on New Baseball Media and was syndicated with permission.

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