Colorado Rockies Face Important Decision on Top Prospect Adael Amador

When possibilities are limited but there is also potential that is realistic and untapped, what should you do with a candidate who was formerly considered to be among the best?

This is the question that Paul DePodesta, the President of Baseball Operations for the Colorado Rockies, is most likely attempting to answer with Adael Amador.

Amador was one of the best international free agents in the 2019-20 circuit and was signed for $1.5 million. Over the past few years, he has demonstrated a wide range of skills that have led to him being regarded as a best-100 prospect by the majority of people. As recently as 2025, he was regarded as the No. 3 Purple Row Prospect for Purple Row. In 2024, he was ranked as the No. 1 prospect for the Rockies by MLB Pipeline. However, following two brief spells at the major league level over the course of the past two seasons, it is not apparent what his position is going to be with the club going ahead.

A classic example of a paradox. Amador is obviously not good enough to play at the Triple-A level in Albuquerque, but his performance in the major leagues thus far indicates that he is not yet prepared to play on a regular basis in Denver. The executive management needs to find a solution to the mystery that Amador poses as soon as possible because he has a horrifying.492 on-base percentage in the major leagues but a stellar track record of plate discipline in the lower leagues.

There was a recent interview that DePodesta gave to the media over the weekend, during which he discussed the idea behind promotions and prospects.

To paraphrase, DePodesta is all about ensuring that prospects have a solid foundation at one level before transferring them to the next level in the hope of minimizing the difficulties that they will have after being promoted. His goal is for athletes to be able to get up to speed quickly and flourish after being promoted, rather than having to battle through things that they ought to have learnt before the promotion.

Batting Performance

It is always a good idea to start by looking at the fundamental counting statistics. It is true that they do not reveal the entire story, but they do help you get a sense of the kind of player someone like Amador is.

When it comes to offense, Amador is performing admirably in Albuquerque this season. With five home runs and 37 runs batted in, he has a batting line of.266/.377/.404 so far in 53 games. Furthermore, his exceptional plate discipline continues to be his calling card, as he presently has 37 walks to 27 strikeouts in 245 plate appearances. This achievement is a testament to his outstanding discipline. They are a productive part of the Isotopes’ lineup despite their relatively low scoring totals. The numbers are significantly lower than his slash line of.303/.405/.478 and 11 home runs in 80 games during the previous season; yet, his offensive profile is consistent with the organizational concept of making contact and getting on base.

The month of June has gotten off to a poor start for him, but Amador had a fantastic month of May, during which he reflected his 2025 figures by hitting regularly.a batting line of 306/.439/.494 with 15 walks and three home homers.

Taking a closer look at his splits reveals that he is putting together productive at-bats at the top of the lineup, and there aren’t significant differences in the platoon splits that he has as a switch-hitter. Despite this, it is not difficult to comprehend the reason why his stock as a top prospect has decreased. This is because more recent and high-profile prospects have entered the system, and others have simply outperformed him.

The opportunity to play in the major leagues, more specifically the extended look in 2025, was extremely detrimental to his cause. Amador has played in only 51 games in the major leagues, but he has already posted a slash line of.176/.242/.250. He has also hit eight doubles, hit a home run, and driven in ten runs. During his 164 plate appearances, he struck out 33 times while only walking 12 batters. This is the hallmark of his plate discipline, which has been lacking during his absence. Simply put, he did not live up to the expectations that were placed on him.

In spite of this, it appears that Amador is beginning to settle into a more constant rhythm that is conducive to development. This is in contrast to the fast track to the major leagues that he underwent in the previous two years out of desperation. The year 2026 is a new one, and when compared to the prospects that are now available in the major leagues, Amador is performing just as well or even better at the plate. Is it a good idea to keep him in the limbo of Triple-A, or will he eventually receive his chance to shine in the major leagues sooner rather than later?

Defensive versatility opportunities

In the history of the Rockies, adaptability has always been a priority, and the new front office is no exception to this rule.

The attitude that DePodesta has for basic growth is applicable to every player, from those in Triple-A Fresno to those in Low-A Fresno who are vying for an opportunity to play in the major leagues. The higher you climb the corporate ladder, the more important it is to keep an eye out for possibilities to advance your career.

It seems that the Rockies are currently in that position with Amador.

Amador was first signed as a shortstop, but he has always possessed a great glove and a strong arm, which makes him an ideal choice for the middle infield position. Because of the presence of Ezequiel Tovar, it was necessary to investigate other defensive possibilities for Amador. As a result, he moved to second base in order to increase the number of repetitions he received throughout the course of the past several seasons.

It was clear that he was going through some growing pains because the position seemed like the moon to him at times; yet, he readily accepted the challenge and has continued to demonstrate improvement. DePodesta, on the other hand, does not want to carry around a simple screwdriver; rather, he desires a multi-purpose tool that is capable of doing a variety of tasks.

After following in the footsteps of Ryan Ritter in the outfield, the Rockies have started looking at various ways that Amador could contribute defensively. These include the possibility of swinging him around the diamond a little bit more or playing him in the outfield. It would be beneficial for the Rockies to try out a few different defensive options in order to have a wider range of options to choose from in the event that they are presented with the opportunity.

It is often as simple as putting your foot in the door, and if Amador were to be able to run down flyballs with competence, it would enhance his stock in terms of how the organization could incorporate him into their lineup. The most desirable player for Colorado would be someone who is capable of playing numerous positions, has good plate discipline and speed, and can switch hits. This player would also be able to play multiple positions. To that end, why not give it a shot?

What about a trade?

As of right now, there is not much of a fight for second base in the organization.Willi Castro and Edouard Julien have not exactly started a firestorm throughout the world, and the depth of the prospect pool is not particularly noteworthy. It was because of the challenges and failures of guys like Amador that the Rockies went out of their way to get experienced players like that.

It has come to our attention that the current front office has abandoned quite a few prospects that the former administration had a strong preference for, but who were unable to achieve significant success in Colorado. Despite the fact that there have been a few cash transactions, it is possible that Amador is a player who in fact receives a return piece.

The trade market is going to be interesting for the Rockies, and it is possible that they will sell a few pieces from their big league club. This might create opportunities for players like Amador to play in the major leagues. Amador, on the other hand, has the potential to be a valuable addition to the club in terms of improving its depth in other areas.

The Rockies are in severe need of additional pitching, particularly in the rotation, and it is possible that a one-for-one trade may be negotiated in order to acquire a pitcher who is capable of going to the major leagues. Alternately, he might be thrown in alongside Antonio Senzatela in order to make a comeback more appealing. Given the current state of the squad, it is clear that there is also the possibility that an offseason deal might take place, which would be a little more plausible given the current conditions.

In any case, he is still young and has one option left, which may make him appealing to other teams who are looking to add depth to their middle infield and are prepared to give with some form of pitching.

Decisions Decisions

In the past, the team has made a number of errors, including the inclination to hold on to players for an excessively long period of time, the failure to move them, or just waiting for them to reach the potential that was envisioned for them. It is no longer feasible for the Rockies to participate in that game. This is something that has been played out numerous times, and the majority of the time, it is detrimental to the squad.

Amador is a good player who possesses some good qualities, and at some point, a decision will need to be made regarding him. He is now on the seven-day injured list with a leg ailment of some kind; but, if he is able to recover from his injury, he should be given the opportunity to try to make an impact with the major league team. For the purpose of evaluating the organization, which is the primary focus of the year 2026, it is necessary to provide answers to questions concerning the utilization of Amador.