DENVER -- The Rockies added speed and versatility to the outfield by acquiring Jake McCarthy from the Diamondbacks for Minor League right-hander Josh Grosz on Saturday morning.
The left-handed-hitting McCarthy, 28, slashed .260/.324/.381 with 24 home runs and 83 steals across five seasons with the D-backs. On Thursday he avoided arbitration with a one-year, $1.525 million agreement.
Trade details
• Rockies get: OF Jake McCarthy
• D-backs get: RHP Josh Grosz
A first-round Draft pick of the D-backs in 2018, McCarthy is coming off a down 2025 -- .204 with four homers and 20 RBIs in the Majors in a year that saw him play 49 games at Triple-A Reno, where he batted .314. He finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year Award voting in 2022, when he slashed .283/.342/.427 with eight home runs, 27 extra-base hits and 23 steals in 26 attempts over 99 games. He slashed .285/.349/.400 in 2024 with eight home runs, 28 extra-base hits and 25 steals in 31 chances in 142 contests.
Adding McCarthy addresses the Rockies’ desire under manager Warren Schaeffer and a new front office of taking advantage of the expansive outfield gaps at Coors Field. Per Statcast, McCarthy ranks in the 99th percentile in sprint speed, and although he ranks low in hard-hit rate (26.6 percent), he has a career K rate of just 19.2 percent.
McCarthy, who is able to play all three outfield positions, adds to what appears to be a telling trait of the 2026 Rockies -- competition among myriad outfield options. Mickey Moniak (who avoided arbitration with a one-year, $4 million agreement) also hits lefty, and the current outfield also includes 2023-24 Gold Glove Award-winning center Brenton Doyle (who settled at $3.1 million), left fielder Jordan Beck and Tyler Freeman ($1.525 million), who emerged as a leadoff hitter while serving as a DH, a right fielder and, later in the season, a second baseman.
Next is a group of players in various stages of prospect-dom. Left-handed-hitting Yanquiel Fernández finished 2025 with some Major League time, and former top pick Zac Veen (Colorado’s No. 11 prospect), a lefty hitter, had a brief callup last season but spent most of his time at Triple-A Albuquerque. Left-handed-hitting Sterlin Thompson (No. 15) was added to the roster after a solid Triple-A season. Switch-hitting Cole Carrigg (No. 3) spent last season in Double-A but is projected to be Major League-ready.
Earlier this offseason, the club picked up left-handed-hitting Troy Johnston, a former Marlins prospect who debuted last year and who could also be part of the picture at first base.
The acquisition of McCarthy also is a signal that there will be further activity. The deal puts the Major League roster at the maximum of 40, but a spot must be added when right-hander Michael Lorenzen’s one-year, $8 million agreement becomes official. The club also is looking to sign another starter and a multiposition player for the infield.
Grosz, 23, joined the Rockies at the 2025 Trade Deadline as part of the deal that sent third baseman Ryan McMahon to the Yankees. Grosz went a combined 5-14 with a 4.67 ERA in 23 games (22 starts) in High-A for both organizations.