Rockies Young Star Listed as Organization's Top Homegrown Player Entering 2026

This was no surprise as the Rockies have a bright future with a young rising star.

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When Paul DePodesta was hired as the new president of baseball operations by the Colorado Rockies, he knew that he had a long rebuild in front of him. It's going to take years for him to get the organization where he wants it to be and be relevant in MLB again.

Not surprisingly, it has been a quiet offseason for the Rockies, as DePodesta was not hired until early November after the World Series, and he is not going to make any decisions. Why should he be?

He needs to take a deep dive into everything with his new front office staff. He removed the interim tag from manager Warren Schaeffer and named his first manager in Denver.

There is a lot that needs to be broken down with Colorado's roster going into 2026, and it might be a season where a lot of the younger players might be allowed to show what they can do. Center fielder Brenton Doyle has drawn some trade interest, but DePodesta is holding back before making any decisions. If he is moved, the Rockies need to sell high, not low.

One promising young player that DePodesta has is catcher Hunter Goodman. The 26-year-old backstop is coming off a breakout 2025 season, despite the Rockies losing 119 games. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report listed each team's top homegrown player entering 2026, and his for Colorado was a no-brainer.

Rockies Catcher Hunter Goodman Tabbed as Organization's Top Homegrown Player Entering 2026

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Goodman is coming off a tremendous 2025 season. He slashed .278/.323/.520 with 31 home runs, and he drove in 91 in 144 games, which won him the National League Silver Slugger Award for catchers.

The signs were there in 2024 when Goodman hit 13 home runs in 70 games after a successful stint in the minors following being drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

"Despite a pair of 30-homer seasons in the minors, Goodman was never a leaguewide Top 100 prospect, but he broke through to earn an All-Star selection and win NL Silver Slugger honors in 2025. The 26-year-old posted a 120 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 31 home runs, and 91 RBI playing for a 119-loss team, and his batted-ball metrics don't suggest any major regression on the horizon,'' Reuter wrote.

DePodesta is looking for players to build around in the Mile High City, and Goodman is a very good start. He is turning into one of the top young catchers in the National League and a key piece to the Rockies' future rebuild.

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