Venezuela's .471 BA WBC star predicted to have breakout season with Rockies
The shortstop has already shown what he's capable of in the field.
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The Colorado Rockies narrowly avoided setting the record for the most losses in a single season last year, clearly showing they are several years from contention. Player development will be key for the NL West organization to right the ship. Their shortstop won a Gold Glove Award in 2024, but it's his hitting that needs improvement.
The Athletic's Keith Law predicts that Ezequiel Tovar, who just hit . 471 in 18 trips to the plate with Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, will have a breakout season in 2026. The 24-year-old is entering his fifth season with the Rockies.
Ezequiel Tovar predicted to have breakout year for Rockies "Tovar has shown the ability to pull the ball in the air for power, and he has already demonstrated the high-end exit velocities to get to 20-plus homers, but his bat speed hasn’t been enough to get to big-league fastballs consistently," Law wrote Thursday. Tovar hit just nine home runs in 95 games in 2025 after connecting for a career high 26 in 157 games two seasons ago. Law reports that he gained 10-15 pounds during the offseason, which should help him drive the ball at the hitter-friendly Coors Field.