Warming Bernabel is unforgettable right from the beginning. Who could forget that name?
He also made an immediate impression on MLB when the Colorado Rockies called him up for his debut in July. In Bernabel’s first 28 at-bats, he collected 14 hits, including three home runs.
That’s why it caught people’s attention this weekend when the Rockies outrighted him off their 40-man roster. Bernabel elected free agency.
So now the talent-starved Rockies have lost him entirely.
What happened? Well, that torrid start didn’t last. From that point on, Bernabel hit just .189 the rest of the season. He also dealt with a concussion in September that hampered his finish, and his defense graded out as below average.
The way I see it, Bernabel will find a new home somewhere. He was a .301 hitter in Triple-A in 2024, which shows there’s something there. But his track record prior to that breakout season isn’t as strong as his production might suggest.
If the Rockies – a team desperate for any offensive talent – decided he’s not worth keeping around, that might not be the strongest endorsement of his long-term potential.
Then again, a player who can go 14-for-28 right out of the gate in the majors has to have some value to someone. It’s just a matter of whether another organization thinks they can help him build on that early success rather than repeat the late-season struggles.
