Fall Stars Game sparks pair of nostalgic moments for O'Dowd father and son

The 2026 Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game provided a special moment for the O’Dowd family. 

Before the game, Dan O’Dowd, the former Rockies general manager who was working on the broadcast for MLB Network, threw out the first pitch to his son, Jack, a prospect in Colorado’s system.

“Oh man, it’s amazing,” Jack said when asked about having his dad throw out the first pitch and being in the broadcast booth. 

That the game was held at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale made this occasion even more special. That stadium has been the Spring Training home for the Rockies and D-backs since 2011, meaning that Dan, who was Colorado’s GM through 2014, spent many days there over the years. Many of those days including bringing his son, Jack, with him.

During the in-game interview, Dan posed a question to Jack about being in this position as a member of the Rockies organization, playing in a stadium where he grew up. 

“Yeah, I mean, it means a ton to me to be in the Rockies organization. Salt River means a lot, you know, coming here as a kid,” Jack said.

Jack O’Dowd went undrafted coming out of the University of Texas in 2024, dominated in the Pioneer League with the Billings Mustangs in 2025 and was signed by the Rockies in December ‘25. O’Dowd continued to rake in his first year in pro ball, posting a .947 OPS with 23 home runs in 107 games across three levels (he ended his season at Double-A).