Rockies Call Up Chad Stevens, Designate Carson Palmquist for Assignment

The Colorado Rockies have recalled infielder Chad Stevens from Triple-A Albuquerque to replace outfielder Brenton Doyle, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique contusion. The move also includes the recall of right-hander Blas Castaño and the optioning of lefty reliever Sammy Peralta to Triple-A. To make room for Stevens on the 40-man roster, southpaw Carson Palmquist has been designated for assignment.

Stevens, who signed a minor league contract this offseason, has been dominant in the minors this season. He is hitting .362/.435/.523 with three home runs, 13 doubles and a triple in 40 games with Albuquerque. His .500 average on balls in play is impressive, though he has struck out at a 26.2% rate. Over his Triple-A career, Stevens owns a .300/.378/.473 line in nearly 800 plate appearances.

The 27-year-old has prior MLB experience, though limited. He appeared in five games with the Los Angeles Angels in July, going 2-14 with seven strikeouts. After a week with Los Angeles, he was optioned back to Triple-A and later designated for assignment in September.

Stevens will provide depth at the infield positions behind Ezequiel Tovar, Willi Castro, Kyle Karros and Edouard Julien. The Rockies are thin in the outfield, with Jake McCarthy handling center field duties and Mickey Moniak occasionally shifting to the middle of the diamond. Tyler Freeman and Troy Johnston are the other outfield options on the active roster.

The Rockies have also decided to move on from Palmquist, a 2022 third-round pick. The left-hander struggled in nine MLB appearances last season, posting a 7.20 ERA in 25 innings with Albuquerque. This season, he has allowed 7.20 earned runs per nine innings with a 15% walk rate and just a 19% strikeout rate. The Rockies will either trade him or place him on waivers within the next five days.

Thomas Harding of MLB.com reported the Stevens call-up before the official announcement. The Rockies will look to stabilize their infield as they prepare for their next series, beginning on Saturday night in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks.