Hunter Goodman's Magical Season Is Turning Him Into a Rockies Folk Hero

The Colorado catcher's crushing power has baseballs soaring over the mountains in epic proportions.

Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman | Credit: Mark J. Rebilas | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hunter Goodman is undeniable. The Colorado Rockies catcher is having a fairy-tale season in 2026, and thanks to being the biggest show in town, he's reaching cult-hero status with his plate prowess.

The more home runs he swats into the Denver skies, the more he looks like a modern-day Paul Bunyan. One with Ruthian power at the plate, who's rewriting both the history books and the storybooks.

In 112 games played this season, the baseball-bashing backstop is batting .251 with 70 RBI and an .864 OPS. But it's his 35 long balls this season that have made their mark in the Rox record book. By smacking that stat with a shot against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night, he's the first player to achieve that mark for the franchise since 2019.

Adding icing on the cake? Goodman's blast helped the Rockies snap a seven-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory along the way. So it was a pretty complete night for the young superstar.

Hunter Goodman has 35 HR this season, the most by a Rockies player since 2019.

Goodman’s 4th-inning HR traveled 432 feet and only Junior Caminero has more 425-foot HR this season (11). pic.twitter.com/quwO6zZy33

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) August 26, 2026

Adding to the angle is the electricity he put into the homer. Goodman's rocket was measured at 432 feet, the ninth time he hit one 425+ this year. Only the Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero has more, with 11. So Goodman's tremendous 2026 seemingly keeps getting bigger and bigger with every swing of the bat. And with it, so does his legend in Colorado, even though he almost didn't get to stick around long enough this year to reach his milestones.

Staying with the Rockies

Goodman celebrates a home run in the dugout | Credit: Ron Chenoy | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Goodman's name was front and center when this year's trade deadline came calling on August 3. But despite intense interest in the 26-year-old, Colorado management decided to hold on tightly to the team's best player.

Much to the relief of the hometown fans, their Mile High mythical figure should reach the 40-homer mark, putting him in the same class as iconic Rockies figures of the past, like Todd Helton, Nolan Arenado, and (recently monumentalized) Larry Walker. That's rare, even in the high altitudes of Denver.

“He’s awesome. He’s our All-Star. He’s got 30-plus homers," Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer told MLB.com recently. “Sometimes, all Goody needs is one hand, and it can go a long way.”… It’s good to have him in the middle of the lineup.”

As the season chugs along, Goodman will no doubt be the bright spot on what has been another dismal season for the Rox. They are on the verge of finishing last in the National League West and losing 100 games, both for the fourth year in a row.

But with one of baseball's best youth movements On the rise, and their larger-than-life catcher leading the way, Colorado fans can now dream about all the future fairy tales this franchise could write.