In the slog of a 2023 season where the Colorado Rockies are on pace to exceed 100 losses, the small wins have come in the form of the young players that have begun to establish themselves. Ezequiel Tovar is the poster-child of this movement, becoming entrenched at shortstop and putting together a season that could be recognized with a few votes deeper on the National League Rookie of the Year ballot.
Aside from the expected emergence of Tovar, Nolan Jones has also become a staple in the Rockies’ lineup. His production has comfortably placed him in the top-3 of virtually every category for Rockies’ hitters this season and he holds a team-high 121 OPS+ despite his belated starting role – leading to only 86 games so far.