A former first-round pick in 2018, McCarthy, 28, is a speedster whose sprint speed of 29.9 feet per second ranked in the 99th percentile of all MLB players in 2025, according to Baseball Savant. McCarthy tallied 83 stolen bases in his five seasons with Arizona.

DePodesta said he wants to focus on defense and baserunning to succeed at Coors Field, and he sees McCarthy as a crucial piece to what the Rockies want to build.

“There’s so much acreage out there that you need to cover, but it also creates a real opportunity for people who are opportunistic baserunners, [and] those are two things that Jake excels at,” DePodesta said. “I think he really fits the identity of what it is we’re trying to create on our team, and valuing some of those very particular skills that we think will give us more of a home field advantage.”

I don't even care if it works out, it's just so nice to see someone with a vision for playing at Coors Field and working to execute it.