The 24 best players in Colorado Rockies history

First baseman Todd Helton played his entire 17-year Colorado and is easily the most accomplished player to ever don the Rockies uniform. In 2,247 games with the team, the University of Tennessee product slashed an excellent .316/.414/.539 with 369 home runs, 1,406 RBI, 592 doubles, 37 triples, and even 37 stolen bases. Helton represented Colorado in five consecutive all-star games from 2000-2004, won three Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers, and finished in the top 10 of the NL MVP voting three times. His 2000 season was particularly noteworthy, as he won the batting title with an incredible .372 mark, led the Majors with 147 RBI, and paced the National League in both hits and doubles. Helton drove in more than 100 runs for the Rockies five times, led the NL in OBP twice, and is the franchise's all-time leader in nearly every meaningful offensive category. Baseball pundits sometimes look at numbers put up in Denver with an asterisk, but Helton is seemingly the exception to that rule and deserves to be remembered as one of the best pure hitters of his era. The Rockies retired his number 17 in 2014. 

Left-handed swinging Larry Walker was a good player early in his career with the Expos, but after coming to Denver as a free agent in 1995 he quickly became one of the elite offensive players in the sport. Walker played for the Rockies for 10 years and slashed a phenomenal .334/.426/.618 with 258 homers, 848 RBI, 297 doubles, 44 triples, and 126 stolen bases. With Colorado he was selected to participate in four all-star games, won three batting titles, took home five Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, and most impressively, was named the MVP of the National League in 1997. The Rockies have retired only two players numbers and Walker's 33 is one of them, as it was taken out of circulation in 2021. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

The Rockies selected third baseman Nolan Arenado in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft, and I'll say with a great deal of confidence that each and every Colorado fan would tell you they wish he were still on the team. The Newport Beach, CA native spent his first eight Major League seasons in Denver and was consistently one of the most dangerous offensive players in the sport. In 1,079 games in a Rockies uniform, Arenado slashed .293/.349/.541 with 235 home runs, 760 RBI, 262 doubles, 27 triples, and 16 stolen bases. He led the NL in homers three times, RBI twice, total bases twice, and doubles once while representing Colorado in five all-star games and winning four Silver Sluggers. Then there's his defense, where Arenado is far and away the greatest defensive third baseman of his generation. He's won the Gold Glove in every one of his 10 Major League seasons, including six Platinum honors as the league's best defender regardless of position. The Rockies traded their franchise player to St. Louis before the 2021 campaign in a deal fans in Colorado still haven't forgiven ownership for. 

Prior to Nolan Arenado establishing himself as one of the game's brightest stars, the face of the Rockies team was their shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, who at his peak, was probably the top offensive player in the league at his position. In ten seasons with Colorado, Tulowitzki slashed .299/.371/.513 with 188 homers, 657 RBI, 224 doubles, 24 triples, and 55 steals. He was selected to represent the Rockies in five all-star contests, won two Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, and launched more than 20 home runs for the club six times. Colorado traded him to the Blue Jays in July of 2015, with whom his numbers were not on par with his career marks, further perpetuating the stigma surrounding offense in Denver. 

Irving, TX native Trevor Story was selected by the Rockies in the first round of the 2011 draft, and part of the reason Colorado felt comfortable moving on from the aforementioned Troy Tulowitzki was it knew it had a young player capable of taking over the starting shortstop gig. In six seasons with the Rockies Story did not quite put up Tulowitzki-like numbers, but he was still highly productive, slashing .272/.340/.523 with 158 home runs, 450 RBI, 180 doubles, 27 triples, and an even 100 stolen bases. He appeared in a pair of all-star games with a Colorado hat on his head, won two Silver Sluggers, and during the COVID season in 2020 led the National League in both triples and steals. Late in his Rockies tenure, though, Story grew frustrated with the team's front office, and was especially vocal about his displeasure about the decision to trade Nolan Arenado. Following the 2021 campaign, he signed a free-agent deal with the Red Sox. 

Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez's peak was relatively short-lived, but at its height, he was among the most productive left-handed hitters in baseball. The native Venezuelan came to Denver as a 23-year-old in a high-profile deal that sent one of the Rockies' best players, Matt Holliday, to Oakland, and while there was some pressure attached to being the centerpiece of Colorado's return, Gonzalez was able to live up to the hype. In 1,247 games with the Rockies he slashed .290/.349/.516 with 227 homers, 749 RBI, 277 doubles, 39 triples, and 118 stolen bases. He was chosen to represent Colorado in three all-star games, won three Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, and most impressively hit .336 in 2010 and won the batting title. Gonzalez drove in over 100 runs for the Rockies twice and pounded more than 25 homers five times. After a dynamic 2013 season, though, his production seemed to taper off, but that does little to diminish what he was able to accomplish before that. 

Left-handed swinging Charlie Blackmon has spent his entire career in Colorado, and even at 36 years old is still one of the club's most productive hitters. The Georgia Institute of Technology alum has already compiled one of the most complete resumes in Rockies history. He's represented the team in four all-star games, won two Silver Sluggers, and was the National League batting champion in 2017. Blackmon has led the NL in runs twice, hits, triples, and total bases all once each, and has turned in OBP's over .350 six times. This season Blackmon should be able to reach 225 career home runs and will certainly eclipse the 300 doubles plateau, and whenever he decides to hang up his cleats he'll be remembered as one of the best players in this team's history. 

Right-handed swinging Matt Holliday put together a borderline Hall of Fame career during his 15 big-league seasons, and Denver, CO is where he started and arguably enjoyed his most success. In 723 games with the Rockies, Holliday slashed .319/.387/.550 with 130 homers, 486 RBI, 190 doubles, 23 triples, and 66 stolen bases. He represented the team in three all-star games and won the batting title in 2007--the same year he led the NL in hits, doubles, RBI, and total bases. Holliday earned three Silver Sluggers in a Rockies uniform, and was ultimately traded to Oakland in a deal that netted Colorado a young Carlos Gonzalez. In 2018 he came back to Denver to finish his career in the place where it began, but was only able to appear in 25 games. 

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez had a somewhat inconsistent tenure with the Rockies, but when he was on top of his game he could compete with anyone, and he always gave the club length and durability. In six seasons with Colorado, Jimenez went 56-45 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP, while striking out 773 hitters in 851 innings. He was selected to represent the team in the 2010 all-star game, made 33 or more starts each year from '08-'10, and was one of the most important pieces of Colorado's 2007 National League pennant-winning team. His time in Denver ended when the Rockies shipped him to Cleveland at the trade deadline in 2011. 

Southpaw Kyle Freeland is still very much an important part of the Rockies rotation heading into 2024. Born in Denver, Freeland was selected by his hometown team in the first round of the 2014 draft, and while he's had some ups and downs during his career, for the most part he's been productive member of Colorado's pitching staff. The veteran has made 28 or more starts for the Rockies four times, earned 17 wins in 2018, and owns a lifetime 4.39 ERA. He's yet to be elected to an all-star game, but you'd have to imagine his overall numbers would look a lot less checkered if his home park were not Coors Field.

Righty German Marquez has been a stalwart in the Rockies' rotation for more than seven years, and while his numbers don't jump out as ace-like, keep in mind the environment in which he pitches. Heading into 2023, the 28-year-old owned a lifetime ERA of 4.40 in just under 1,000 innings, which when adjusted for the altitude at Coors Field, is actually pretty respectable. The native Venezuelan has appeared in one all-star game, won a Silver Slugger award back when pitchers were allowed to hit, and has made 28 or more starts in all of his full big-league seasons --save for the COVID truncated 2020 campaign, of course. Marquez was always the definition of a workhorse, and his consistency and durability made him one of the more valuable starters in the National League. Unfortunately, early in 2023 he required the dreaded Tommy John Surgery, and will miss a large chunk of the upcoming season as well. The Rockies are betting big on his ability to rebound though, as they gave him a two year extension to continue his rehab in Colorado and also keep him under contract in '25. 

Third baseman Vinny Castilla was one of the original Rockies as he was selected by the club in the expansion draft in November of 1992, and he quickly became a mainstay at the hot corner in Colorado. In just shy of 1,100 games in a Rockies uniform, Oaxeca, Mexico native slashed .294/.340/.530 with 239 homers, 745 RBI, 208 doubles, 20 triples, and 22 stolen bases. He was chosen to be a member of two National League all-star teams, earned three Silver Sluggers, and for a long time was among the most dangerous right-handed hitters in the game. Castilla crushed 40 or more home runs for the Rockies in three consecutive seasons from '96-'98, and drove in more than 100 runs for the team five times --including an NL high 131 in 2004. 

Fort Campbell, KY native Aaron Cook pitched for the Rockies for ten seasons, and while he was never considered an elite starting pitcher, for a full decade, he provided Colorado with a solid and reliable arm, first in the bullpen and later in the rotation. In 238 total outings with the team (206 starts), Cook pitched to 4.53 ERA in 1,312.1 innings while notching 72 victories. The right-hander tossed more than 200 innings for the Rockies twice, was an all-star in 2008, and in 2007 helped the club reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history. 

For a long time, infielder D.J. LeMahieu was one of, if not the best, pure hitter in baseball, and for seven seasons the Rockies were thrilled to have him on their side. In 918 games with Colorado, LeMahieu slashed a strong .299/.352/.408 with 241 extra-base hits, 345 RBI, and 75 stolen bases. He won the National League batting title in 2016 with a sensational .348 mark, was selected to represent the Rockies in a pair of all-star games, and earned three Gold Gloves while with Colorado. The 34-year-old signed a free-agent agreement with the Yankees in 2019 and in his second season in the Bronx became the first player to win a batting title in both leagues. 

Right-handed slugger Andres Galarraga only called Denver home for five seasons, but in each and every one of them the powerful first baseman provided the Rockies with one of the most dangerous hitters in the National League. In 679 games with the club, the 'Big Cat' slashed a phenomenal .316/.367/.577 with 172 long balls, 579 RBI, 155 doubles, 13 triples, and surprisingly, 55 stolen bases. He wore a Rockies cap in two all-star games, won a Silver Slugger, crushed more than 30 homers for the team four times, drove in more than 85 runs in every season he spent in Colorado, and actually led the NL in RBI in both '96 and '97. He won the batting title in 1993 by hitting an outrageous .370, and while it might seem shocking the Rockies let him walk as a free agent following the '97 campaign, there was a method to their madness. A young first baseman named Todd Helton had just reached the big leagues late in 1997 and Colorado wanted to give him the full-time first base job. I'd say that worked out okay. 

Righty Jhoulys Chacin pitched in several roles for the Rockies during his time in Colorado, working predominately as a starter early in his career and then shifting to the bullpen when he returned to Denver for a second tour. In 205 total outings with the team (110 starts), Chacin went 45-52 with a 4.05 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in 783.2 innings. He made 30 or more starts for the Rockies on three separate occasions and was able to give the club more than 190 innings three times. 

Mexican-born Jorge De La Rosa spent nine seasons pitching for the Rockies, and the southpaw was honestly one of the more underrated hurlers in the National League during that timeframe. In 209 outings in a Colorado uniform (200 starts), he went 86-61 with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP, while punching out 985 hitters in 1,141.1 innings. De La Rosa never made a National League all-star team, but he was a reliable middle-of-the-rotation starter for the Rockies for a long time, and gave the team 30 or more starts in three different seasons. 

Like several other players on this list, left-handed swinging Ryan McMahon is still an active player for the Rockies, and before his tenure with the team is over he'll likely ascend this list quite a bit. Colorado took McMahon in the 2nd round of the draft back in 2013, and he's been a solid regular for them both at second base and, more recently at the hot corner. To date in his career the 29-year-old has delivered four seasons with 20 or more homers, and he's driven in more than 70 runs for the Rockies three times. He's never hit for an overly high batting average but makes up for it with extra-base prowess, and wherever he's played on the infield he's always been a plus defender. 

Colorado selected right-hander Jason Jennings 16th overall in the 1999 draft coming out of Baylor University, and while he never blossomed into the ace the Rockies hoped he would, he still gave the team a serviceable middle-of-the-rotation starter for a half dozen years. In 156 starts, Jennings went 58-56 with a 4.74 ERA in 941 innings. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2002, made more than 30 starts for Colorado four times, and fired six complete games--including three shutouts--in a Rockies uniform. 

Right-handed swinging outfielder Ellis Burks only played in Colorado for about four and a half years, but for much of that time he was one of the most productive offensive players in the National League. In 520 games in a Rockies uniform, the Vicksburg, MS native slashed .306/.378/.579 with 115 home runs, 337 RBI, 104 doubles, 24 triples, and 52 stolen bases. He crushed 40 homers, racked up 128 RBI, and scored a Major League-high 142 runs in 1996, and was an obvious choice to represent Colorado in that summer's all-star game. 

Righty Steve Reed pitched for the Rockies for six years over two different stints and was quietly one of the more reliable set-up men in the National League. The Lewis-Clark State College alum took the mound 461 times for Colorado and pitched to a strong 3.63 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP in 499 innings. He earned 33 victories, collected 15 saves, and in 1994 led the Majors with 61 appearances. 

Redlands, CA native Tyler Chatwood, came to Colorado in a November 2011 trade that sent catcher Chris Iannetta to the Angels, and the right-hander would quickly become an important part of the Rockies' pitching staff. In 103 appearances for the team (88 starts), he earned 34 victories and put up a 4.18 ERA across 505.2 innings. Chatwood made 20 or more starts for the Rockies three times, but he had particular value in the bullpen, where he could be deployed as a multi-inning reliever. 

Colorado picked big right-hander Jon Gray 3rd overall in the 2013 draft with visions of the University of Oklahoma product becoming a dynamic ace for them, and while that didn't entirely materialize, he was still a solid starter for this team for seven years. In 152 outings in a Rockies uniform, Gray went 53-49 with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP, while striking out 849 hitters in 829.1 innings. He made 20 or more starts for the Rockies five times, and while he never made an all-star team, it's possible his stuff was not to blame. Since signing a free-agent deal with Texas ahead of the '22 campaign Gray's numbers have experienced a significant uptick, lending further credence to the Coors Field stereotype. 

Southpaw Jeff Francis was expected to become the next big thing on the mound in Colorado when the club picked him 9th overall in the '02 draft, but he was never quite able to live up to the hype. In 197 outings with the organization (185 starts), the Vancouver, Canada native went 64-62 with a 4.96 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP in 1,066 innings. Francis made 30 or more starts for the Rockies three times, tossed a career-high 215.1 innings in 2007, and was excellent in the '07 playoffs, helping Colorado reach its first-ever World Series.