New president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta continues to shape the Colorado Rockies in his vision, as he makes an in-division trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks to acquire outfielder Jake McCarthy, per the team's X account. The team is sending back right-handed pitcher Josh Grosz.
Although this is not a flashy move, the Rockies are gaining valuable speed. If Colorado is going to gradually improve over the next few seasons, it will need to get creative. Taking a chance on an inexpensive player who has flashed promise in the past is exactly what this rebuilding franchise covets. Grosz, a 2023 11th-round draft pick, owns a 4.26 ERA in the minor leagues and has yet to log any MLB innings.
DePodesta must embody the skills that helped inspire the making of an Academy Award-nominated film. He was hired to bring the ballclub into the modern age, both from a technological standpoint and a philosophical one. The revamped front office may wish to emphasize skills like baserunning and defense moving forward. Enter McCarthy.
Jake McCarthy has value to offer the Rockies
The No. 39 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft was unable to secure an every-day role for much of his four-year tenure in Arizona, but he still found ways to contribute. McCarthy recorded 75 stolen bases in a 340-game span from 2022-24. Besides the ground he can cover in the outfield and on the basepaths, he has proven himself to be a competent contact hitter at different points of his career.
During the 2024 campaign, which was his largest single-season sample size, he batted .285 with a .349 on-base percentage, .400 slugging percentage and .749 OPS in 495 plate appearances. The 28-year-old could not take the next step in 2025, however. Actually, he declined precipitously. Jake McCarthy slashed .204/.247/.345/.591 in 206 at-bats. Fortunately, he is headed to the perfect place for an offensive revival.
The Scranton, Pennsylvania native will have the opportunity to become a more regular presence in the lineup in MLB's most hitter-friendly ballpark. The Rockies hope McCarthy will tap into his first-round potential in a new environment. Moreover, Paul DePodesta and general manager Josh Byrnes presumably view him as a nice fit for the culture they are trying to build in Colorado.
With a lauded work ethic and an ability to adapt, this incoming talent could be an understated acquisition who yields positive results. That is all this desperate organization can ask for right now.
