Condon clobbers huge 1st Spring Training homer

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies No. 2/MLB Pipeline No. 70 prospect Charlie Condon, having already impressed internally with his willingness to develop multipositional skills, properly introduced himself on Tuesday.

Condon launched his first home run of his first Major League camp -- a 449-foot homer at 108.2 mph just left of center field in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 7-5 victory over the Angels.

“It feels good just to put a good swing on the right pitch,” said Condon, who set power-hitting records at the University of Georgia before the Rockies selected him third overall in 2024. “It’s fun to be out here with the guys, just getting after it together.

“But, yeah, it’s nice to connect on one.”

Condon played mostly first base last year when, after rehabbing for a left wrist fracture, he spent most of the year at High-A Spokane and Double-A Hartford, then finished with a solid Arizona Fall League performance. His first start this spring, though, came in right field. He entered Tuesday’s game as a reserve at first base.

And, against Angels reliever Derek Clark, Condon showed the bat the Rockies love having.

“It was good to see Charlie get that slider over the plate and hammer it -- that’s what he does best, from everything we’ve heard,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “It was good to see it in action, and a nice [defensive] play to end the game, too.”

LET’S TRY SOMETHING NEW

Reliever Seth Halvorsen figured he could use new wrinkles. Last year, he hit or exceeded 100 mph on 194 pitches. Since debuting in 2024, Halvorsen has thrown 241 of the Rockies’ 575 pitches that have reached triple figures since pitch tracking began in 2008.

If he can have hitters looking for something else, the struggles on Tuesday -- two runs on three walks and a triple -- could be worthwhile.

“I debuted two pitches that I’ve never thrown off a mound before -- one was a sinker and then kind of a hybrid sinker, a ‘splinker,’” Halvorsen said, defining the second pitch as something between a split-finger pitch and a changeup. “I’m encouraged.”

Only in this spring of pitching freedom and experimentation can someone be encouraged by throwing strikes on just 11 of his 25 pitches. But this is more about feeling than numbers.

Feeling is even more important in Halvorsen’s case. He went on the injured list in August with a mild strain of the right elbow flexor tendon, sparking fear since he underwent a Tommy John surgery in college. Halvorsen didn’t return to the active roster, but threw bullpens in Arizona just after the season and reached the mid 90s with his fastball.

“I was encouraged by how my body felt,” Halvorsen said. “Obviously, I want to hone it down and execute those pitches moving forward.

“I’m out there wanting to perform but this time, specifically, I’m glad that I’m able to have the freedom to mess around with some things, see what can be effective once we’re playing meaningful games.”

OFFSPEED OFF THE HELMET

Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros left the game after being hit in the head by a Shaun Anderson breaking pitch in the bottom of the third, but reported feeling OK in the Rockies clubhouse. The Rockies announced that Karros will be evaluated on Wednesday as a precaution.

GET IT DOWN

One of the lessons starter Chase Dollander learned from a rough rookie 2025 is he must force ground balls in double-play situations at the Major League level. He checked that box twice in his two-inning stint during which he struck out two and walked one.

“There’s really no secret to it -- just keep the ball on the ground and make sure that the defenders have a chance to make a play,” said Dollander, who struggled to a 9.98 ERA at home (3.46 road) last season and could shorten innings at Coors Field with two-for-ones. “The sinker, obviously, is going to be beat into the ground if anything. The sinker or changeup to get the ball on the ground is huge.”

Dollander was happy overall with his work in the strike zone -- 20 of his 32 pitches -- but “I just need to throw strike one.”