This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding’s Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
DENVER -- Having a Silver Slugger Award winner is always good news. Catcher Hunter Goodman's 2025 selection, however, turned out to be big news for the Rockies -- even if it was overshadowed by the hiring of new leadership.
As a measure of how difficult recent seasons have been for a franchise known for hitting and scoring, Goodman became the Rockies’ first Silver Slugger winner since shortstop Trevor Story in 2019. He was Colorado’s first finalist since designated hitter Charlie Blackmon in 2021. Even with the gap, the Rockies have had 33 winners of the award -- one for each of their seasons of play.
The newsy part, though, was Goodman’s position. He’s the first Rockies player to win the award as a catcher -- a position where the wear and tear of playing at altitude often reduces a player's availability and effectiveness.
In the case of Goodman, who turned 26 on Oct. 8, a curious factor arose: He was a more effective offensive player in his 412 plate appearances as a catcher (.290/.323/.572 with 20 doubles, three triples, 28 home runs and 71 RBIs) than in his 160 as DH (.252/.327/.378 with eight doubles, two triples, two home runs and 18 RBIs).
As the season ended, Goodman wasn’t concerned with fatigue.
“It’s been a good year, obviously, and I’ve had a lot of success,” said Goodman, a first-time All-Star in 2025. “But going forward, I’m going to try to get better. I think as a team, as a whole, we need to make adjustments, and come back next year and have a better year.”
Throughout the season, Goodman noted that catching made him a better hitter. Each pitch gave him a visual of ball flight. Also, strategizing against an opponent gave him an idea of how pitchers were attacking him.
At times, Goodman found himself learning as a hitter from struggles behind the plate -- with opposing hitters being a step ahead of his pitch-calling. That’s what happened on Sept. 24 in Seattle, when Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh -- the American League Silver Slugger winner and the Most Valuable Player runner-up -- clubbed homers No. 59 and 60 against the Rockies.
“We were attacking Cal with changeups,” Goodman said. “He made some good adjustments to some pitches out away from him, and he was able to hit them. There were times this year where we felt we had a good plan, and we’d go out and execute it pretty well. But in the first inning, we’d go out and give up two runs because they [veteran hitters] are on the same page with you.
“I learned that you have to make adjustments quickly.”
Call some of the struggles that Goodman faced homework assignments. Next season, he’ll have a chance at better results with pitch-calling, as well as more success hitting.
“I hadn’t caught a full season since college,” said Goodman, a fourth-round pick out of the University of Memphis in 2021, who became a multi-position player because the Rockies wanted his bat in the Majors. “This year was one of finding. Being around good hitters every day, you start to understand how they operate. And you learn how you want to attack hitters.
“Figuring out things at the highest level has been a challenge. But it’s been fun at the same time.”