The Colorado Rockies have undrafted second baseman Brendan Rodgers and right-handed pitcher Cal Quantrill, the team announced Friday evening.
The pair of surprising moves came in just before MLB’s 8:00 PM ET deadline. As a result, both Rodgers and Quantrill became free agents.
Rodgers, a 28-year-old former Gold Glove winner, was mentioned in trade rumors last week. It appears no team was willing to bite the second baseman at his current price tag, which the Rockies were seemingly not comfortable with either.
MLB Trade Rumors projected Rodgers would earn $5.5 million in arbitration in 2025 before hitting free agency next winter. Spotrac, meanwhile, got him for $6.8 million.
Quantrill was also entering his final year of arbitration eligibility expecting an even bigger payday than what Rodgers was in line for. MLB Trade Rumors expected the entity to make $9.0 million, compared to the $9.8 million value assigned to it by Spotrac.
By letting Rodgers and Quantrill walk, the Rockies essentially freed up about $15 million from their 2025 payroll. However, Colorado also washed its hands of two of its more reliable veterans in the process.
The Rockies announced today that they have agreed to one-year contracts to avoid arbitration with LHP Lucas Gilbreath and OF Sam Hilliard.
Additionally, the Rockies have undrafted RHP Cal Quantrill and INF Brendan Rodgers.
The Rockies have 38 players on the 40-man roster.
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) November 23, 2024
Rodgers had a bounce-back season in 2024 after missing more than 100 games in 2023 due to shoulder surgery. In 135 games this year, Rodgers hit .267 with 13 home runs, 29 doubles, 54 RBI, a .721 OPS and a 1.0 WAR.
Between 2021 and 2022, Rodgers hit .274 with a .761 OPS, averaging 14 home runs, 26 doubles, 57 RBI, nine defensive runs saved and a 2.9 WAR per year. That wasn’t what was expected from the former number 10 in baseball, but it was still a decent production.
Quantrill arrived in Colorado last November via a trade with the Cleveland Guardians, and he went on to post the second-highest WAR among the Rockies’ entire pitching staff. In 29 starts, Quantrill went 8-11 with a 4.98 ERA, 1.517 WHIP and 1.7 WAR.
While that was technically a step up from the 4-7, 5.24 ERA, 1.465 WHIP and -0.1 WAR record that Quantrill put up with the Guardians in 2023, it was still a far cry from the 25-8, 3.08 ERA record , 1,196 WHIP. and 6.2 WAR he had as a swingman starter from 2020 to 2022.
Germán Márquez, Kyle Freeland, Ryan Feltner, Austin Gomber and Antonio Senzatela are left as the meat of the Rockies’ starting rotation in Quantrill’s absence.
As for second base, Colorado could turn to 21-year-old Adael Amador or 27-year-old Aaron Schunk, both of whom made their respective MLB debuts this season. The Rockies also signed former Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins utility man Kyle Farmer on Friday, shortly after letting Rodgers walk.
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