Rockies to Add Depth Behind Plate with MLB Veteran Brett Sullivan

The Colorado Rockies are set to sign catcher and utility player Brett Sullivan to a minor league deal.

San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King (34) and catcher Brett Sullivan (29) walk in from the bullpen prior to a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies continued to add depth to their minor league system and their spring training roster with a reported agreement for catcher Brett Sullivan.

MLB.com’s Thomas Harding reported that impending signing, saying that the Rockies were “bringing” him in as a non-roster invitee to spring training. That would indicate Colorado intends to sign him to a minor league deal with that invitation. The Rockies have not formally announced the deal and Sullivan’s transaction has not appeared on Colorado’s transactions page.

Once the deal is official, Sullivan would be the eighth player to sign a minor league deal with the Rockies since late November.

Brett Sullivan’s Pro Career

Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Sullivan has played parts of the last three seasons in the Majors. He played in 33 games with the San Diego Padres in 2023, seven more with the Padres in 2024 and three games with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. He carries a lifetime slash of .204/.250/.291 with two home runs and 10 RBI. Nearly all of his Major League appearances in the field have come behind the plate with the exception of one game at third base with the Padres in 2023.

He was a 17th round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015 out of the University of the Pacific. He spent six years in the Rays’ system before he was granted his free agency in 2021. He signed with Milwaukee and was traded to San Diego in 2022. He made his MLB debut the following year. San Diego traded him to Pittsburgh in 2025.

Sullivan has been productive at the minor league level. In 10 seasons he has a slash of .270/.325/.433 with 95 home runs and 560 RBI. That level of hitting hasn’t translated to the Major League level for the 31-year-old.

Colorado is carrying two catchers on its 40-man roster. Hunter Goodman is the starter and is coming off the best season of his short MLB career. He was named the team’s only NL All-Star and won the NL Silver Slugger at catcher. He’ll be the cornerstone of the team’s batting order in 2026. Braxton Fulford, who made his MLB debut last season and batted .213, is the backup. Sullivan will be competing with the former Rockies sixth-round pick to spell Goodman behind the plate.

Since the Rockies set their 40-man roster at the non-tender deadline in November, they’ve signed several players to minor-league deals, likely with invitations to Major League spring training. Those players include pitcher Parker Mushinski, shortstop William Ferrufino, pitcher Adam Laskey, pitcher John Brebbia, pitcher Eiberson Castellano, third baseman Nicky Lopez and shortstop Chad Stevens.

Colorado also selected former Detroit pitcher RJ Petit in the Rule 5 Draft. The Rockies also selected pitcher TJ Shook in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft, with both moves coming during the MLB winter meetings.

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