The Yankees Gave Up on TJ Rumfield. He Just Won NL Rookie of the Month.

It was an unforgettable May for one Colorado rookie.

TJ Rumfield | Anna Carrington-Imagn Images

When the Colorado Rockies acquired prospect T.J. Rumfield from the New York Yankees over the winter as part of a deal that sent relief pitcher Angel Chivilli to New York, Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta was hoping to find a diamond in the rough that the Yankees couldn't.

Rumfield was being blocked from the Bronx by rising star Ben Rice. Brian Cashman, the Yankees general manager and senior president, has never been one to move on from prospects to fill a need. This move for DePodesta and Colorado is looking to be one where they have found a potential foundation piece for the future.

Rockies First Baseman TJ Rumfield Named NL Rookie of the Month for May

TJ Rumfield | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Rockies are looking for young players to build around going forward beyond 2026 and Rumfield just might be one of those players. In a month where Colorado struggled at times as a team, Rumfield carried the offense. He finished the month hitting .310 with four home runs and 12 RBIs, which earned him National League Rookie of the Month honors for May.

Rumfield had an .883 OPS as well. He drew 10 walks, scored 13 runs and collected 27 hits in the month. He is the first Rockies player to win the Rookie of the Month award since Nolan Jones in September of 2023. It's been a long time since a Colorado rookie has had a month like Rumfield.

He has been a pleasant surprise in his first big-league series. He's slashing .286/.361/.456 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs. He has nine doubles and a triple to go along with eight home runs. He has been using the whole ballpark and he looks like he belongs as an everyday first baseman.

After ending May with a 19-6 loss at the hands of the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon, the Rockies have won the first two games against the Los Angeles Angels in Southern California. They will go for a sweep on Wednesday night and Rumfield had a hand in Tuesday night's 8-2 victory.

Rumfield capped off a five-run top of the fourth inning with a solo home run to right-center field for an 8-0 lead. Colorado plated all five runs with two outs to put some separation between them and the Angels. Rumfield finished with two hits in the game.

If Rumfield can carry over his May production to June, then Colorado will certainly continue to improve in 2026 and he is already off to a good start. There is certainly a young core that is making strides this season under manager Warren Schaeffer and Rumfield is right at the top of that list.