SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies No. 5 prospect Cristian Arguelles sparked some dreams on a backfield in Scottsdale during a baking midday in early October.
There was something familiar in Arguelles’ front leg lift and left-handed swing path as he launched a single into an open outfield spot against the Angels in an Arizona instructional league game.
So far, that clean swing path is the key similarity between Arguelles and his idol from his post-toddler years in Venezuela, former Rockies batting champ and three-time All-Star Carlos González.
“I don’t like to say it, because maybe nobody believes it, but my favorite player was CarGo,” Arguelles said in Spanish, with Rockies organization pitching coach Helmis Rodriguez interpreting. “That’s why I always like to wear No. 5. Growing up, everybody would say, ‘Hey, you’re going to look like CarGo.’ Then I got the opportunity to sign with the Rockies, where CarGo was brilliant.
“I saw him on TV and was like, ‘I like this guy,’ but didn’t realize people thought I looked like him.”
Arguelles is 19, and hasn’t begun to put on the full-grown muscle that powered González to 227 homers over 10 seasons with the Rockies, tied with Charlie Blackmon for fifth on the team’s career list. But Arguelles’ bat-to-ball skills have been legit in the early stages of his career. He posted a .422 batting average in 52 Dominican Summer League games in 2025, and this year earned Arizona Complex League Most Valuable Player honors by hitting .402 in 57 games.
Arguelles finished the season batting .246 in 35 games at Single-A Fresno. Instructional programs in Arizona and in the Dominican Republic -- a program that started Tuesday -- are designed to build his stamina and refine skills.
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But even with the heady comparisons, and a 6-foot frame that could make a CarGo-like swing worth pursuing, Arguelles had remained himself.
It’s after contact point that Arguelles’ swing stops mimicking that of his favorite player, whom he met over the computer in a video session organized by the Rockies’ ACL manager, Fred Ocasio. Arguelles follows through with both hands on the bat in a swing designed for control, rather than the long, backspin-producing one-handed flourish of González. He had 11 homers in ’26, nine in the ACL and two for Fresno.
“From the time I was 6 years old, I realized that I always put the ball in play really well,” Arguelles said. “I was skinny, but the more I played, I got more experience. I’m getting better. I need to get stronger. But I always want to be a hitter.
“I do believe in my process, my plan and at-bat. If I do that, the results are going to be there. My process is to get good pitches and make good swing decisions. I like a clean swing -- stay behind the baseball with time and space. It’ll get better as I learn which pitches I can do damage on and which pitches I cannot do damage.”
It’s a controlled process for Arguelles, who won’t turn 20 until June 30 and therefore will still be playing against older players next season -- especially if he advances to High-A Spokane.
“He got a taste of Single-A last year -- I think in his first game he had to face [Dodgers veteran] Blake Snell on a rehab assignment -- left-on-left,” Rockies player development director Chris Forbes said. “Welcome to [Single]-A. Snell was one of few guys who can say they actually got him.
“Next for him is refinement -- recognizing sequencing, what he needs to take out of an advance report.”
Arguelles insists he keeps .400 averages out of his mind. His biggest takeaway from ’26 was not sizzling stats, but the call for adjustments that the less-successful stats in Fresno brought. The Minor League schedule of six-game series meant opponents, who almost always were older with more experience, had plenty of opportunities to see him.
“The difference for me was I could hit well in the first two games, but then they made an adjustment,” Arguelles said. “I’ve got to be able to make an adjustment through the whole series.”
Will there come a time when Arguelles will hit enough home runs to spark more comparisons to the player he watched since he picked up his bat?
Arguelles is fine with it, if the power comes the right way. González’s career is an example. In 2010, González knocked 34 homers -- second only to his 40 in 2015 -- while leading the NL with a .336 batting average.
“If I start looking for homers, I’m going to start fouling balls off and start striking out,” he said. “Bless the Rockies, because they never put the idea in my head to hit more home runs. If I hit the ball out front, I’ll hit more home runs. But I still want to be a good hitter.”