Goodman earns opportunity to focus full-time on original position

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The phone call Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman received this winter was essentially an invitation to return home.

Goodman, 25, was a catcher in high school and at the University of Memphis before the Rockies drafted him in the fourth round in 2021. But Goodman showed such immediate power -- 36 home runs at three levels in 2022 -- that he was moved to the outfield and first base just to hasten his path. He made his MLB debut at first base on Aug. 27, 2023.

But catching was still a side item on his plate. Last spring, when he reported to camp with the pitchers and catchers, coaches liked him enough to give him a bigger helping at that position. Of his 70 games at the big league level last year, Goodman caught in 23.

¡°I [let him] focus on catching this offseason, and when he came into spring he was going to battle for a position on the team as a catcher,¡± Rockies manager Bud Black said.

All that had a nice ring to Goodman.

Entering Saturday¡¯s start against the Athletics, Goodman has posted a .429 batting average with three RBIs and four walks to one strikeout in seven games. He has pushed ahead of switch-hitting No. 11 prospect Drew Romo in the competition for starting time, likely to be split with 35-year-old Jacob Stallings. Romo has begun Cactus League play 1-for-13.

Last season, Goodman not only bounced around the diamond defensively, but also between Triple-A Albuquerque and the Majors. He finished with a .190 batting average in 224 total plate appearances for the Rockies, but his power swing fully arrived during his September callup, where he hit five of his 13 total homers, mostly while catching.

¡°It¡¯s been a lot of fun this spring, getting back to working on just one position, and it¡¯s been beneficial as far as getting behind the plate,¡± Goodman said.

Goodman credits Stallings for improving his pitch-calling. Fundamentally, Goodman is improving glove-to-hand transitions and footwork on throws, and working on receiving and blocking.

¡°I¡¯d say I¡¯m getting better,¡± Goodman said. ¡°The last few years, I haven¡¯t had a lot of work back there. I think I¡¯ve caught less than 100 games since I got into pro ball. But this offseason and in the spring so far, I¡¯m working on a lot.¡±

The Rockies haven¡¯t forgotten about the bat. Goodman¡¯s offensive consistency hasn¡¯t quite arrived in the Majors, but in 301 Rockies plate appearances over two seasons, 30 of his 54 hits have gone for extra bases (14 homers, 13 doubles and three triples). He displayed a more relaxed swing during his last call-up.

¡°You¡¯re going to struggle when you¡¯re trying to force it,¡± Goodman said. ¡°When you¡¯re going good, you¡¯re just going with the flow and everything is in rhythm.¡±

Time to produce
Camp started with Nolan Jones projected in left field and Jordan Beck in right. Both have impact potential, and Jones proved it when he finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2023. But neither entered Saturday having hit balls consistently hard this spring, although Beck broke through with a long home run against the Angels on Monday. Black wants production.

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¡°It¡¯s pencil, not ink,¡± Black said. ¡°We want to see good swings. We want to see good at-bats. We want to see good outfield play. In our eyes, we know what the big league outfielder looks like. That¡¯s what we want to see.¡±

Corner outfielder Sean Bouchard, who entered last spring penciled in at right field before an oblique injury, entered Saturday hitting .400 with a homer, a triple and two doubles. Veteran non-roster performer Nick Martini, an outfielder-first baseman, was hitting .375 with two homers and four RBIs. And Black is giving regular time and long looks to No. 8 prospect Zac Veen and No. 6 prospect Yanquiel Fernandez.

Sam Hilliard entered Saturday 2-for-19, but his ability to play center field in a part-time role like last year allows the team to rest Brenton Doyle, helping his cause.

Martini on the Rox?
Last year, Martini, 34, went to Reds camp as a non-roster player, earned an Opening Day start and hit two home runs. But a thumb injury that required surgery in July marred the end of his season. This year, Martini is opening eyes with the Rockies.

¡°I¡¯ve had a bunch of different roles -- coming into games, starting games, designated hitter,¡± said Martini, who has played with the Athletics (2018-19), Padres (2019), Cubs (2021) and Reds (2023-24), and spent 2022 in Korea. ¡°All of it has helped me stay mentally in a good spot for anything that can happen.¡±