Drew Romo was drafted in the first round of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft as the Colorado Rockies’ catcher of the future. Listed as Colorado’s No. 8 prospect by MLB.com, Romo profiles as an excellent defensive player and aggressive switch hitter. After a solid ending to 2023 with Double-A Hartford, Romo carried his success to 2024. With Triple-A Albuquerque, Romo hit .297/.339/.499 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI over 85 games. The Rockies felt like Romo had shown enough to get an opportunity. So, as a result, they opened a roster spot for him when they released veteran starting catcher Elias Díaz on August 16.
Romo debuted on August 17 in an 8-3 loss to the San Diego Padres. In 16 games, he hit .176/.208/.235 with nine hits and six RBI, including a 3-RBI game in a 7-5 win against the Baltimore Orioles on August 31. In a very limited sample size, Romo showed some positive signs. A couple of offseason moves by the Rockies will be invaluable for helping Romo further develop as the catcher of the future.
After the first career base hit for #Rockies Drew Romo, teammate Jake Cave and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere pretend to throw the baseball into the stands. pic.twitter.com/IgoiaHcRY4
— The Rockies Insider with Patrick Lyons (@Rockies_Insider) August 21, 2024
Rockies Making Right Moves for Catcher Drew Romo’s Development
Familiar Face Becoming Bullpen Coach in Colorado
Dustin Garneau was drafted in the 19th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Rockies as a catcher and spent 2015-17 with the club before being claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics in August 2017. He played from 2015-22 with the Rockies, Athletics, and four other teams in his eight-year career. After spending 2022-23 as the Rockies catching coordinator, Colorado hired Garneau as the bullpen coach on October 24. For the most part, the Rockies hire from within and like hiring their former Rockies. Garneau finished his career with a fielding percentage of .989 and hit .205/.285/.373 over eight seasons. As Romo navigates the major leagues, having an experienced and familiar face who played for Colorado in Garneau will be very helpful.
Veteran Catcher Likely Returning to the Rockies
Before the start of last season, the Rockies signed veteran catcher Jacob Stallings to be a backup to Díaz. Stallings is an excellent defensive catcher, with a career fielding percentage of .993. But he also produced some of the best offensive numbers of his career with the Rockies. In 2023 with the Miami Marlins, Stallings hit .191/.278/.286 with three home runs and 20 RBI in 88 games. With the Rockies, Stallings hit .263/.357/.453 with nine home runs and 36 RBI in 82 games. His .263 average and nine home runs were career highs. Stallings and Díaz formed a formidable catching tandem for the Rockies throughout the season. But as the Rockies drifted further out of contention, more time was made for younger players on the team. However, in September, manager Bud Black emphasized the importance of Stallings to the Rockies roster:
“He’s a veteran catcher. He knows how to work a pitcher through a game. He knows how to work a young bullpen through the end of the game. Scouting reports, game calling — all the little subtle things of who’s not going to beat you, who you got to go after, who’s on deck, how many outs there are, what pitches are the pitcher’s best pitches that night. All those things he has full control of. It’s very, very comforting to the pitchers, and it’s comforting to the team.”
Stallings thrived as a backup catcher for the Rockies this season, and there is no reason to think he couldn’t again in 2024. Stallings will be invaluable in helping Romo adjust to being an everyday catcher at the major league level. Romo reportedly went through a throwing program in 2023 to work on his release and strengthen his arm to last a full MLB season. With Romo already having plus arm strength, Stallings and Garneau will be able to help him further hone his accuracy and other defensive aspects of his game. There is reportedly mutual interest between the club and Stallings for him to return, per MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. Stallings has a $2 million mutual option for next season with a buyout of $500K.
Surroundings Will Be Integral for Romo Next Season
Romo will have plenty of opportunity to prove himself as the Rockies catcher of the future. On paper, the surroundings he will have should be an immense help. He has an eight-year vet in Garneau, who brings a wealth of experience at the catcher position and is a familiar face in the organization. Also, Stallings will be able to provide firsthand experience from this past season about successfully taking your offense on the road and, most importantly, he has familiarity with the Rockies pitching staff. Still, games aren’t played on paper, and no one will know how Romo turns out as a pro until he gets more major league at-bats. But the Rockies are doing the right things so far to set Drew Romo up as their catcher of the future.
Photo Credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
