Cristhian Adames

Adames headed into spring training hoping to land a spot as a utility infielder with the Rockies, but was sent down to the minors before the start of the 2015 regular season with Colorado opting to rely more on veterans for bench roles. He made his case for playing time in the majors while with Triple-A Albuquerque, posting an .800 OPS with the Isotopes to go along with excellent defense. This led to a September callup for the 24-year-old, where he played mostly at shortstop as a replacement for the injured Jose Reyes. He only managed to bat .245 during his short stint with the Rockies, and while that came in a small sample size, it did nothing to entrench him ahead of Trevor Story on the list of Rockies middle infield challengers awaiting a chance to supplant Reyes or DJ LeMahieu.

While not an especially exciting prospect, the 23-year-old Adames has steadily advanced up the Rockies’ organizational ladder, largely on the strength of his top-notch glove work. However, after earning a promotion to Triple-A Colorado Springs midway through the 2014 season, Adames additionally offered a whiff of promise as a hitter, posting a .338/.392/.441 line over 38 games. His .403 BABIP at Triple-A undoubtedly had much to do with that success, so it wasn't surprising when he mustered only one hit over 15 plate appearances upon joining the Rockies in mid-September. Adames fits the mold of the since-departed Jonathan Herrera as a late-inning defensive ace in the middle infield, but his lack of standout offensive tools could preclude him from ever landing a full-time gig in the majors. He’ll receive the opportunity to compete for a utility role with the Rockies in spring training and is probably the most gifted defender of the potential candidates, but it’s more likely that he reports back to Triple-A to further refine his skills in the batter’s box.