Colorado Rockies Need To Show Patience With Slow-Starting Prospect

The Colorado Rockies need to allow a prospect to work through his struggles in the Big Leagues.

Jun 19, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Ryan Ritter (8) attempts a throw to first base after making a fielding error on a ground ball by Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (not pictured) during the first inning at Nationals Park. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies are going nowhere fast in the 2025 MLB regular season.

On pace to break the single-season record for losses, set by the Chicago White Sox last year with 121, they have nothing to lose when it comes to giving some of their young guys consistent playing time to see what they can do at the Big League level.

One of those youngsters getting a shot this year is shortstop Ryan Ritter.

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A fourth-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of the Unveristy of Kentucky, he, like many young players, has run into some difficulties at the highest level.

He has already struck out 23 times in 63 plate appearances, resulting in an astronomically high 36.5% strikeout rate.

The immense power potential that he possesses has yet to shine through in the Major Leagues, but the Rockies should be showing plenty of patience to see if he shines through eventually in 2025.

“But the 24-year-old has power, and who knows how long Ezequiel Tovar (oblique) will be out. What is the point of playing Orlando Arcia if you’re Colorado?” Wrote Michael Salfino of The Athletic (subscription required).

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The focus for Colorado the remainder of the year should be evaluating their young players, getting them as much MLB experience as possible and seeing if they are worth building around as a long-term foundational piece.

Ritter has only a .228/.274/.333 slash line thus far, but is one of only six positional players to appear in a game for the Rockies this season with a positive bWAR at 0.3.

The others are third baseman Ryan McMahon, catcher Hunter Goodman, left fielder Jordan Beck, Tovar and right fielder Tyler Freeman.

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It hasn’t been showcased yet, but there is legitimate potential in Ritter’s bat worth developing in the Big Leagues.

“Maybe Ritter had park factors in his favor, but he has them at Coors, too. I can get behind a .330 ISO in MiLB (about twice the average) with just 20.4% Ks and 13.9% walks,” Salfino added.

Through 52 games and 245 plate appearances at Triple-A Albequerque, he was putting up impressive numbers that warranted the promotion.

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Ritter had a .305/.413/.635 slash line, launching 16 home runs with 13 doubles and three triples while knocking in 45 runs.

With a .510 career slugging percentage in the minor leagues, his power is legitimate and Colorado has nothing but time waiting for it to develop.

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