Rockies will be without a key front-office member moving forward

Rockies haven’t been good in a long time

Finishing just two games better than the 2024 Chicago White Sox (who set the all-time loss record), the Rockies have not played a postseason series since 2018. They also have not finished a season above .500 in that same span. After three straight 100-loss seasons and the firing of manager Bud Black in his ninth season, it was clear that something needed to change. 

Poor drafting and development of players 

One of the main issues for the Rockies during this stretch has been the lack of drafting and developing talent, primarily pitchers. Of the Rockies' last five draft picks, two have been pitchers, Chase Dollander and Gabriel Hughes. Three have been position players: Ethan Holliday, Charlie Condon and Benny Montgomery. 

Dollander struggled in 21 starts, posting a 2-12 record with a 6.52 ERA in 98.0 innings. Hughes has not made it to the big leagues yet after being drafted in the first round of the 2022 draft, and he reached Triple-A for the first time this season. 

Coors Field is one of the more unique ballparks in baseball. The Rockies need to find pitchers who can pitch at high elevations while still maintaining their stuff and pair that with guys who can hit for power, but also utilize the gaps. 

Their recent draft picks, Condon and Holliday, should both play well at Coors Field. Condon has the power needed to hit in the heart of the Rockies lineup, and Holliday is poised to be their next franchise player. His father, Matt Holliday, was on the last Rockies team to make it to the World Series (2007). 

A new voice from outside the organization is needed

This failure by Colorado to put a decent product on the field has led to this point, which is why the Rockies will be searching for a new leader. The Rockies have had four general managers in their team's history. Two have come from within the organization, Jeff Bridich (2014-21) and Schmidt, while Dan O’Dowd (1999-2014) remains the only outside hire as general manager. 

Executive Vice President Walker Monfort made one thing clear when Schmidt stepped down: they’re setting their sights on the "right leader from outside the organization." 

"We are setting our sights on finding the right leader from outside our organization, who can bring a fresh perspective to the Rockies and enhance our baseball operations with a new vision, innovation, and a focus on both short and long-term success," Monfort said. "This change delivers an opportunity to shape the future of our club and move forward into a new era of Rockies baseball." 

Colorado getting a new perspective could help it sign better free agents, draft better and create an overall better atmosphere.