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I hope everyone has had a great start to the new year!
For a while, I’ve been following what jobs the Rockies are hiring for – just in case there’s something I think I’m qualified for.
And this past week, I noticed the Rockies posted a couple of jobs located in Arizona.
The jobs that drew my attention were Minor League Triple-A Pitching Coach and Minor League Triple-A Hitting Coach.
I don’t think I’m qualified for either position, but I was curious how much each of those jobs pays.
The pay range for the Minor League Triple-A Hitting Coach is between $75,000 and $85,000 a year.
The pay range for the Minor League Triple-A Pitching Coach is between $80,000 and $100,000 a year.
I don’t really know what to do with that information, but I thought it was interesting to see how much those coaches make and I wanted to share.
But if you think you’re qualified and want to apply, they’re only accepting applications through today, so send in those resumes!
And now, let’s jump into the Rockies news from this past week.
Rockies Sign Veteran Starting Pitcher Michael Lorenzen
The Rockies made their first big move of the offseason on Wednesday when they signed 34-year-old starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen.
They agreed to a one-year deal for $8 million, with a 2027 option for $9 million.
Michael Lorenzen has been in the MLB for 11 years.
And during those 11 years, he has a record of 54-55 and an ERA of 4.08.
This is a great move for the Rockies – and not just because they need starting pitchers.
This move also signals that the Rockies are open to acquiring starting pitchers outside of their organization, which has been very rare over the past few seasons.
Hopefully, we’ll see Michael Lorenzen pick right back up where he left off after his final game of last season, which is where he tied his career-high in strikeouts with 9.
Rockies Pick Up Pitcher Keegan Thompson
Keegan Thompson is a 30-year-old right-handed pitcher who has experience as a starting pitcher and as a relief pitcher.
On Wednesday, the Rockies claimed Keegan Thompson off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds.
Overall, Keegan Thompson’s stats look pretty good.
In his 4 seasons in the MLB, he is 17-11 with an ERA of 3.64.
However, Keegan Thompson was designated for assignment before last season and he spent all of 2025 in the Minor Leagues.
And in 2023 and 2024, he split his time pretty evenly between playing in the Minors and playing in the MLB.
So we’ll see how the Rockies utilize him in this upcoming season.
Chances are, he’ll start the season as a relief pitcher. But because he has experience as a starting pitcher, there’s a chance we’ll see him start a game or two.
Rockies Sign One-Year Contracts With All 6 Arbitration-Eligible Players
Arbitration is a process to determine a player’s salary for the upcoming season
If a salary can’t be negotiated before the deadline, the player and the club must submit a salary to a group of arbitrators.
The arbitrators will hear arguments from both sides and pick only one of those salary figures.
The Rockies had 6 players who were eligible for arbitration this year, and they all signed a one-year contract before the arbitration deadline.
Those players were:
- Mickey Moniak signed a one-year deal for $4 million
- Brenton Doyle signed a one-year deal for $3.1 million
- Ryan Feltner signed a one-year deal for $2.45 million
- Jimmy Herget signed a one-year deal for $1.55 million
- Tyler Freeman signed a one-year deal for $1.525 million
- Brennan Bernardino signed a one-year deal for $925,000
Prospect Spotlight: Gabriel Hughes (Rockies #14 Prospect)
Each week in the off-season, we’ll cover a top prospect from the Rockies, so you’ll know who to watch as they make their way to the big leagues.
Current Team: Colorado Rockies
Drafted: 2022
Age: 24
Position: Starting Pitcher
Bats: Right-handed
Throws: Right-handed
Estimated MLB Debut: 2026
Gabriel Hughes is a right-handed starting pitcher, and he’s currently listed on the Rockies’ 40-man roster, but he has yet to pitch in an MLB game.
He was placed on the Rockies’ 40-man roster about two months ago to protect him from another team picking him up in the Rule-5 Draft.
However, Gabriel Hughes has been talked about a lot during his time in the Minor League.
During his 3 seasons playing in the Minors, he’s pitched in 39 games, his record is 11-11, and he has an ERA of 4.89.
Which may not seem like great numbers, but Gabriel Hughes missed some of 2023 and all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery.
Once he’s put the Tommy John surgery behind him, the expectations are for him to be a starter in the MLB.
He’s currently listed as a starter in the Rockies’ rotation, but we should hear more in the next few months on whether he will remain on the 40-man roster for opening day or if we’ll have to wait a few more months before we see him on the mound at Coors Field.
That wraps up this week’s newsletter. Hope everyone has a great week!
-Steve
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