On Sunday, Hunter Goodman was announced as the Colorado Rockies’ lone All-Star representative. RHP Jake Bird was the other possible candidate for the Rockies, but he joined the list of snubbed Rockies’ relievers. It will be Goodman’s first All-Star appearance, quite an accomplishment considering it’s his first full-time major league season as a catcher. Per Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com, it is the fifth year in a row that the Rockies will have only one representative at the Midsummer Classic.
Rockies Catcher Hunter Goodman Selected to First All-Star Game
Cal Raleigh has stolen most of the attention at the catcher position in the first half, and rightfully so. But Goodman quietly put together a stellar first half for the Rockies behind the plate. Goodman was the third or fourth option behind the plate for the Rockies last season. So, when the opportunity came in spring training to be the full-time catcher for the Rockies, Goodman took that opportunity and ran with it. His excellent first half has been a bright spot in a brutal season for the Rockies.
Goodman leads the Rockies in numerous offensive categories. He is first in batting average (.281), home runs (16), RBI (50), OBP (.326), and hits (86). He has a team-leading 1.7 WAR, and his .843 OPS ranks only behind Tyler Freeman’s .878. Goodman is also third on the team with three triples, despite ranking just slightly above average with a sprint speed of 27.6 ft/s, per Statcast. Goodman had a stellar June to stamp his case as an All-Star.
In 79 June at-bats, he hit .342/.373/.734 with 27 hits, seven home runs, and 17 RBI. Per Statmuse, Goodman’s 1.108 OPS in June ranked fifth in MLB among players who had played at least 10 games. That’s only slightly behind his teammate Mickey Moniak, who finished second with a 1.124 OPS in June. Per Statmuse, among catchers league-wide, Goodman is third with 16 home runs behind only Cal Raleigh (35) of the Seattle Mariners and Logan O’Hoppe (17) of the Los Angeles Angels. He is second in hits (86), doubles (18), and tied for second with 5o RBI. He is the second Rockies catcher selected to the All-Star Game all time, joining Elías Díaz in 2023.
Congratulations, Hunter
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— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 6, 2025
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Potential Home Run Derby Candidate
There are still five spots left to fill out the 2025 Home Run Derby field. Raleigh, Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves, and James Wood of the Washington Nationals have already been announced as participants. Goodman was asked about his interest in the event during the postgame on Sunday. Goodman was non-committal, simply replying with, “We’ll see,” with a grin. Considering it is his second full-time season in the majors and his first All-Star appearance overall, Goodman would more than likely accept an offer to the Derby. In an in-game interview with the Rockies’ broadcasters, Goodman said that the Derby was one of the main events he’d be looking forward to in Atlanta.
Goodman would be the first Rockies participant in the Derby since Trevor Story participated in Denver in 2021. He would be the 14th Rockie to compete in the event all-time. No Rockie has ever won the Derby. Story finished with the most homers with 20, but did not make it out of round one. Larry Walker was the runner-up in 1997 with 19, showing how the number of home runs needed to advance in the Derby has changed drastically over the years.
Goodman Emerged at the Right Time for Rockies
Whether Goodman participates in the Derby or not, it is good for the Rockies that he has had a breakout season. Heading into the season, the All-Star candidates mainly thought of on the Rockies were shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, center fielder Brenton Doyle, first baseman Michael Toglia, and third baseman Ryan McMahon, who represented the Rockies last season.
Doyle has struggled offensively, hitting just .206, and Tovar has played in only 32 games due to various injuries. Toglia was sent down to Triple-A Albuquerque earlier this season because of his struggles offensively, and McMahon has failed to replicate his first half from last season, hitting just .209. Without Goodman’s excellent first half, Bird would likely have been the Rockies’ only participant. Bird, meanwhile, was another Rockies reliever snubbed as an All-Star.
Adam Ottavino’s Egregious Snub in 2018
A Rockies reliever has been selected just four times in the history of the franchise. It has been a closer all four times: Greg Holland (2021) and Brian Fuentes (2005-07). RHP Adam Ottavino was an egregious snub in 2018 after a historic first half. Ottavino finished the first half in 2018 4-2 with an incredible 1.62 ERA in 44 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed only two home runs with a K:BB ratio of 67:18. He carried a stellar 0.925 WHIP and only allowed four earned runs across his first 33 outings.
Rockies hitters constantly have to hear about the “Coors Effect” boosting their numbers. Considering that, it was an insult by the league not to have that sentiment work both ways. Ottavino did not get honored for his stellar numbers pitching at a place where pitchers go to die. Safe to say, Bird was dealing with that nonsense as well and had the odds stacked against him.
Jake Bird Gives Ottavino Company
Bird has been his usual workhorse self for the Rockies, ranking second on the team with 38 games played. He is 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA, 1.283 WHIP, and a K:BB ratio of 58:19. That ERA is inflated due to two rare outings in which he allowed three earned runs against the Braves on June 13 and the San Francisco Giants on May 3. He leads the team with 10.8 K/9 among pitchers who have played in at least 10 games and also leads the Rockies with 10 holds.
After a down season last year, Bird is back to being one of the most dependable relievers for Colorado. The bullpen has arguably been the best part of the Rockies this season, and Bird has led the unit. He will be an attractive trade candidate for the rebuilding Rockies at the deadline. Bird could also still be selected for the All-Star Game as a replacement in the coming days. It is fair to say that the 21-69 Rockies should be grateful that they automatically get one All-Star. But no matter their record, Goodman and Bird have had stellar first halves on a last-place team and deserve to be recognized for it.
Main Photo Credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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