The Colorado Rockies announced a series of roster moves before the start of their three-game series against the New York Mets on Friday at Coors Field. Infielder Ryan Ritter has been selected to the roster, catcher Braxton Fulford has been recalled from Triple-A, and reliever Zach Agnos has been activated from the bereavement list. To make room on the roster, reliever Angel Chivilli was optioned on Thursday, while shortstop Ezequiel Tovar was placed on the 10-day injured list (oblique strain) retroactive to June 3rd, and veteran catcher Jacob Stallings has been unconditionally released.

The arrival of Ritter marks yet another rookie debut this season for the 12-50 Rockies and comes on the heels of a scorching month of May in Triple-A Albuquerque. The 24-year-old led all full-season minor leaguers with 12 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a 1.358 OPS during the month. He also slashed .381/.445/.918 slash line with 10 doubles and three triples. At one point during the month, Ritter hit homers in three straight games,and on May 25 and 27, he totaled five homers across two games. The slick-fielding shortstop is better known for his glove and can also play second base, a position for which the Rockies have found no answers this season. He won three consecutive PCL Player of the Week awards and was named the PCL Player of the Month, alongside being named the Organization Player of the Month.

Drafted in the fourth round from the University of Kentucky in 2022, Ritter has risen to prominence in the Rockies’ system. Scouts were never particularly high on his skills at the plate despite impressive numbers in college and through the minors, but he’s proven quite capable at each level he’s played at while providing excellent defensive capabilities. While Ritter was practically knocking down the door to the big leagues, the team held off on calling him up until there was an opportunity to play him regularly up the middle of the diamond. He is starting Friday’s game at shortstop and batting sixth against Mets starter Kodai Senga.

That opportunity has arisen with Tovar’s injury. After missing a month of games from a hip issue, the young shortstop was pulled from a game on Monday as an initial precaution. Tovar had mentioned to manager Warren Schaeffer he had felt something in his body and was monitored over the last few days to assess the extent of the injury. Due to the tricky situation, an oblique strain, Tovar could likely be out for a good chunk of time. Tovar is slashing .258/.301/.406 with three home runs in 32 games this season.

Stallings enjoyed a strong rebound campaign with the Rockies in 2024, slashing .263/.357/.453 with nine home runs in 82 games in what was a career year. He re-signed with the Rockies during the offseason and was the presumed starting catcher coming into the season. However, the performance of Hunter Goodman behind the dish and at the plate pushed him back into a backup role. Not only that, but Stallings has looked nothing like the hitter he was last season. In 93 plate appearances over 28 games, he has just 12 hits and is slashing .143/.217/.179 with 31 strikeouts against five walks. The 35-year-old has typically been well regarded with his glove, including winning a Gold Glove with Pittsburgh in 2021, as well as his work with the Rockies’ young pitching staff.

Fulford will replace him on the roster in a new tandem with Goodman. Fulford briefly appeared with the Rockies earlier this season, going 1-for-8 in four games, with that lone hit being a home run. In 30 games with the Isotopes, Fulford has mashed to the tune of a .314/.393/.608 slash with six home runs and has received high praise from the organization for his defensive work behind the plate.

The Rockies have continued a pattern of embracing the full youth movement at this point in the season and parting ways with aging veterans who are underperforming. As of no,w only two players over the age of 32 are still on the active roster as the Rockies try to begin the process of shuffling through what they have and building towards a new future.

Rocky Mountain Rooftop caught up with Ritter earlier this season. Check out the Rooftop Mingle episode linked below, available as video on YouTube and an audio format.