3 Key Rockies the Team Is Relying On to Break Out in 2026

Having a bounce back season is critical for three Colorado Rockies ball players

Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar tags out player / Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies will need every player to step up after an embarrassing 2025 season. Another 100-loss season is off limits. 

This season, the Rockies expect these three players to bounce back, as the organization knows what they’re capable of when they’re healthy and focused. 

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Colorado Rockies right fielder Zac Veen attempting to bunt / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Ezequiel Tovar

Tovar will be entering his fifth season with the ballclub. He’s looking to bounce back after a rough 2025.

The 24-year-old Venezuelan native only played 95 games. Tovar suffered a left hip contusion and left oblique strain, which obviously affected his production. Tovar finished the season hitting a slash line of .253/.294/.400 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs, 91 hits, and 18 doubles. 

When Tovar is fully healthy, he’s one of the best shortstops in the league. Before the injury, Tovar batted .333 over 14 games in May. One could make a case that Tovar is the best shortstop in the Rockies franchise since Troy Tulowitzki, and he’s only 24. 

Tovar won a Gold Glove in 2024. In 2026, the Rockies have high hopes for the shortstop to become an all-star and win more Gold Glove awards. 

Zac Veen

The Rockies selected Veen in the first round as the ninth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. 

Veen has battled several injuries, such as a left wrist injury, right thumb, and ankle problems from 2023 to 2025. 

The 24-year-old outfielder will be entering his second season with the Rockies, and this one is very crucial. He must stay healthy on the field and prove to the organization that he can play in the big leagues. Veen only played 12 games with just one home run, 2 RBIs, and a slash line of .112/.189/.235 and 14 strikeouts in his first season with the Rockies. 

Before getting the call to the show, Veen spent five seasons in the minors. He is a versatile player who can play all the positions in the outfield. He has a promising ability to hit for power, speed, and defense. Durability will be the ultimate test for Veen. He’s one of the Rockies' top prospects, and the 2026 season needs to be a season of high-level performance from him. 

Michael Lorenzen

Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Lorenzen / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The right-hander signed a one-year deal with the Rockies. He’s coming out of a struggling 2025 season with the Kansas City Royals. 

The 34-year-old posted a 7-11 record with a 4.64 ERA, 127 strikeouts, and a 1.33 WHIP. The Rockies will be the eighth uniform that he’ll be wearing as he enters his 12th MLB season. 

Lorenzen is a 2023 All-Star and pitched a no-hitter that same season as well. The Rockies want to see this side of Lorenzen, and they’re hoping for a resurrection in the 2026 season.