Rockies Getting Best Version of Former Highly-Touted Prospect

The Colorado Rockies have created a situation where their offseason addition can thrive.

May 20, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies right fielder Tyler Freeman (2) reacts after a play in the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

There aren't a whole lot of positives to take away from what has transpired for the Colorado Rockies this year, but there are a few good stories developing.

The most notable is that catcher Hunter Goodman is turning into a star.

He has taken his game to a different level this season with career highs in home runs (16) and RBI (50) through just the first half of the year. His slash line of .286/.332/.525 has easily been the best numbers of his career across those three statistical categories, and he is looking like a future building block of this franchise.

But Goodman isn't the only player who is turning heads.

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Tyler Freeman is beginning to emerge with the Rockies, and it looks like he is finally starting to reach the levels of hype he had as a prospect.

Taken 71st overall in the 2017 draft by Cleveland, Freeman was quickly considered one of that organization's top minor leaguers, ranking 14th in 2018 before shooting into the top three in 2019, a position he remained in until 2022 when he dropped down to fifth.

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Acquired by Colorado this past offseason in exchange for Nolan Jones, the 26-year-old outfielder is in the midst of a breakout season, slashing .328/.414/.430 with a homer, 12 RBI and 12 stolen bases through 46 games entering Friday.

While plenty of players can struggle in a losing environment like currently exists with the Rockies, it's actually the vision from the front office that has allowed Freeman to thrive this year.

"When I was traded over, [general manager] Bill Schmidt was one of the first guys to talk to me," he said, per Thomas Harding of MLB.com. "He told me right away, 'We heard about some things in Cleveland, trying to expand the power game, but we just want you to get on base, hit line drives.' Right away, I felt at home, and I've seen the results of being who I used to be."

That has been a positive for both parties.

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Colorado has a leadoff man who has been hitting the cover off the ball and using his speed to grab extra bases once he's on, and Freeman is flourishing in an environment that allows him to utilize his strengths.

It's a good marriage right now, and with the Rockies searching for anyone who can be part of the solution when it comes to their rebuild, Freeman just might be playing his way into a starring role for years to come.

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