Former Rockies Cal Quantrill, Brendan Rodgers Named Free Agents Worth Watching

The Colorado Rockies made a pair of surprise moves when they non-tendered starting pitcher Cal Quantrill and second baseman Brendan Rodgers last month, sending the veterans into free agency.

Aug 22, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Cal Quantrill (47) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

With MLB's non-tender deadline long since passed, the players who got let go have been fully integrated into the free agent pool at large.

MLB Trade Rumors compiled two lists of non-tendered players to keep an eye on this winter, one consisting of five position players and the other made up of five pitchers. One Colorado Rockies castoff made each list – second baseman Brendan Rodgers and starting pitcher Cal Quantrill.

Colorado jettisoned both players just before the deadline passed on Nov. 22.

Rodgers, a 28-year-old former Gold Glove winner, was mentioned in trade rumors before he got let go. MLB Trade Rumors projected Rodgers to make $5.5 million in arbitration in 2025, while Spotrac had him down for $6.8 million.

Quantrill was also heading into his final year of arbitration eligibility, tracking for an even larger payday than the one Rodgers was in line for. MLB Trade Rumors expected the righty to make $9.0 million, compared to the $9.8 million value he had been assigned by Spotrac.

Assuming the pair of now-former teammates is willing to accept smaller salaries than those projections, they should both have suitors lining up in the coming weeks and months. Rodgers can step in and be an everyday second baseman right off the bat, while Quantrill can compete for a rotation spot and eat innings wherever he goes.

Rodgers had a bounce back season in 2024 after missing over 100 games in 2023 due to shoulder surgery. In 135 games this year, Rodgers hit .267 with 13 home runs, 29 doubles, 54 RBI, a .721 OPS and a 1.0 WAR.

Between 2021 and 2022, Rodgers hit .274 with a .761 OPS, averaging 14 home runs, 26 doubles, 57 RBI, nine defensive runs saved and a 2.9 WAR each year. He didn't quite live up to being the former No. 10 overall prospect in baseball, but it was decent production nonetheless.

Quantrill arrived in Colorado via a trade with the Cleveland Guardians last November, and he proceeded to post the second-highest WAR on the Rockies' entire pitching staff. In 29 starts, Quantrill went 8-11 with a 4.98 ERA, 1.517 WHIP and 1.7 WAR.

While that technically marked a step up from the 4-7 record, 5.24 ERA, 1.465 WHIP and -0.1 WAR that Quantrill put up with the Guardians in 2023, it remained a far cry from the 25-8 record, 3.08 ERA, 1.196 WHIP and 6.2 WAR that he had as a swingman-turned-starter from 2020 to 2022.

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