Concerning Issue Stood Out for Rockies Star Prospect at Futures Game

A Colorado Rockies star prospect struggled again in the 2025 MLB Futures Game.

Aug 4, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; General view of the hat and glove of Colorado Rockies shortstop Pat Valaika (4) (not pictured) in the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

If the Colorado Rockies have any chance of turning things around in the near future, they need to start doing a much better job in the MLB draft.

The Rockies haven’t found any success with their first-round picks over the last few years, with their last 14 first-round selections combining for a minus-2.0 fWAR.

That has been a huge reason why Colorado is in the position it is currently in at the Major League level; on pace to set the single-season record for most losses, which was set by the Chicago White Sox last year with 121.

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There is some pressure on the front office to start that turnaround this year, owning the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft.

Given their lack of success, a change in strategy could be on the horizon, which means targeting more high school players early on than college players.

It would be a great story if they were able to land prep star Ethan Holliday, the son of former Rockies star outfielder Matt Holliday and younger brother of Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft.

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Whoever Colorado lands this year will have expectations on them to help push the team out of its current state of misery.

One of the players the Rockies are counting on to also help in that regard is Charlie Condon, whom they selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 MLB draft out of the University of Georgia.

Already considered one of the top prospects in the game, he has reached Double-A Hartford this season after starting in the Arizona Complex League and spending 35 games with High-A Spokane.

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Alas, there are some major concerns about the slugging outfielder, as shared by Keith Law of The Athletic (subscription required) in a roundup from the MLB Futures Game.

“Rockies outfielder Charlie Condon was 0 for 3 and still didn’t look very comfortable at all against sliders, the pitch that caused him so much trouble in his pro debut last year,” he wrote.

It was a major issue when he began his professional career last year, producing a .180/.248/.270 slash line in his first 109 plate appearances.

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Condon has been better in his first full campaign in 2025, but that hole in his game facing breaking pitches will need to be addressed as he moves along the minor league system.

Opponents are going to continue exploiting his inability to hit sliders until he proves that he can handle breaking balls at the professional level.

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