SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle started Spring Training 2026 with a continuation of his encouraging finish to 2025 -- three hits, including two doubles, and three RBIs in an 11-6 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday afternoon.
In his first Cactus League appearance, Doyle -- a two-time Gold Glove winner who had a drop in overall offensive and defensive performance last season -- ignited a five-run second inning by clearing the bases on a double into the left-field corner, right-on-right, off the Diamondbacks’ Zane Russell.
“For the first Spring Training game, it’s a great start,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “He set the tone for us all day. He was excited to play today and was looking forward to it all winter.”
Remember me?
Adael Amador once was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Rockies’ top prospect, but an injury during his debut in 2024 (when the Rockies had to burn one of his three Minor League options) and an up-and-down ‘25 left him an afterthought to the public heading into Spring Training. But Amador offered a reminder of his potential by launching a solo homer on Saturday off Diamondbacks righty Alfred Morillo.
“Adael is squarely in the mix for that second-base job,” Schaeffer said. “He’s here to compete for a job.
“We like a lot of things that he does. He’s a guy that walks more than he strikes out, historically in his career. It’s a big thing. We need guys that get on base. He can do that.”
Schaeffer cited “defensive improvement and baserunning improvement” as areas Amador, who served as designated hitter on Saturday, needs to show.
The mix at second is full of multipositional players.
Willi Castro, a former All-Star, started at the position on Saturday and throughout his career has been a regular starter who moves around the diamond. Ryan Ritter, who started at third on Saturday, played second toward the end of last year. Tyler Freeman was the regular in right field but is a natural infielder who began playing second toward the end of last season. The Rockies also traded with the Twins for Edouard Julien, who has starting experience at second base and first base and is out of Minor League options.
Filling the zone, leaving an impression
Righty Tanner Gordon, who had several impressive starts despite his 6.33 ERA in 15 starts as a rookie last year, struck out three of the four batters he faced in the first inning on Saturday.
Gordon, who was consistently in the strike zone last year (62 strikeouts to 17 walks), threw strikes on 11 of his 18 pitches. As is the theme of Rockies camp, he has added a pitch -- a two-seam sinking fastball -- to his four-seamer, changeup, cutter and slider. The two-seamer gives him downward action to his arm side.
The additions of veterans to the rotation mean Gordon entered camp as more of a depth piece than a lock for the rotation, but he has a chance to turn heads.
“That’s part of baseball,” he said. "I’m just going to keep the blinders on. That’s part of Spring Training, too. You’ve got to earn your spot. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and learn from those veteran guys.”
Hughes poised
No. 14 Rockies prospect and 2022 first-round pick righty Gabriel Hughes spent last year regaining health and velocity after essentially missing 2024 because of the Tommy John surgery he had in the middle of ‘23. On Saturday, he threw his sinker solidly in the 94 mph range in a two-inning stint. He struck out two and gave up one hit.
Hughes, 24, nearly escaped unscathed. With two on and runners at the corners in the fifth, Hughes worked Ildemaro Vargas into a grounder to second base, but Vargas beat out the potential double play. Hughes forced a fly ball to end the inning. The pitch mix was solid in his no-fuss following inning.
“It was good to see Gabe out there -- Gabe is a competitor,” Schaeffer said. “We all know that. His second inning, landing his breaking balls and landing his offspeed in the strike zone, that’s what we’re looking for from all these guys.”