With Spring Training just a few weeks away, the Rockies confirmed their list of non-roster invites on January 24. Several of Colorado’s top prospects not on their 40-man roster will be in big league camp. Charlie Condon, the team’s top pick last July, is not on the list. But, Benny Montgomery and Chase Dollander are on it.
The most notable name among the Rockies’ non-roster invitees is Chase Dollander, Colorado’s first-round pick in 2023.
Dollander, one of the best pitchers available two years ago in the MLB Draft, had a sensational 2024 campaign in the Minors. The former Tennessee Volunteer struck out 169 over 118, 58 of which came in Double-A Hartford. Opposing batters hit only .215 against Dollander last season.
The 23-year-old is a key piece to Colorado’s future, given the team’s troubles to find reliable, homegrown pitching over the years. And, the fact that Coors Field is as extreme of a hitter-friendly ballpark that one can find in Major League Baseball.
Speaking of pitching, two other notable Colorado hurlers — Carson Palmquist and Gabriel Hughes — will also be in camp.
Palmquist struck out 144 over 117.2 IP between two levels last season, capping at Triple-A. The righty owned an ERA north of 5.00 in the PCL, although numbers like that are somewhat expected given the hitter-friendly environment.
Hughes, meanwhile, will look to get back on after missing all of 2024 due to injury. He did pitch in the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost time but that run didn’t go great. The former first-round pick walked 10 over 17.1 IP and owned an ERA of 8.31.
Among the notable hitters are Ryan Ritter and Benny Montgomery.
Ritter didn’t hit well in the AFL but is a name to watch, especially since he gets on base at a high clip. Last season, the 24-year-old posted a .370 OBP while in Hartford. Montgomery, a former first-round pick in 2021, only played 11 games last year, all in Hartford.
Two former Major Leaguers — Owen Miller and Keston Hiura — will join the group of prospects, which also includes Zach Agnos, Sean Sullivan, Cole Carrigg, Braxton Fulford, Ronaiker Palma, Sterlin Thompson, Bryant Betancourt, Julio Carreras, and Kyle Karros.
Aside from the Rockies, the Dodgers — Colorado’s NL West rival — also announced their non-roster invites for 2025 Spring Training on January 24.