Ezequiel Tovar Is Taking MLB by Storm – 5 Must-See Highlights & What’s Next

Ezequiel Tovar arrived in Scottsdale camp determined to prove last year’s injury-marred campaign was an anomaly, not a trend. The 24-year-old shortstop reported seven pounds leaner, armed with a simplified swing and a fully healed left hip and oblique, telling reporters he feels “100 percent ready” for Opening Day. DEFENSE REMAINS HIS FOUNDATION Even during the stop-start 2025 season, Tovar still posted three Outs Above Average, and Statcast graded him among the elite defenders at his position for a third straight year. The Rockies believe that glove, which earned him his first Gold Glove Award in 2024, can anchor a rebuilding infield and set the tone for an improved run-prevention unit. OFFENSE POISED FOR A JUMP Coaches rave about the shorter load Tovar unveiled this spring, designed to get him to the ball earlier and recapture the gap-to-gap stroke that led the National League with 45 doubles in 2024. Early Cactus League returns—exit velocities consistently north of 105 mph and a three-hit day versus the Dodgers—suggest the adjustments are taking hold. Internal projections have him flirting with a 25-homer, 30-double season. WHY COLORADO NEEDS THE BREAKOUT After a franchise-record 119 losses, manager Bud Black has made it clear: “We’ll go as far as our defense up the middle takes us,” and that starts with Tovar. Purple Row’s positional outlook calls him “the long-term answer” at shortstop and the most reliable everyday player on the roster. Sports Illustrated went further, labeling him a “sleeper first-half MVP candidate” if the hit tool catches up to his glove. A TEAM-FRIENDLY DEAL ADDS EXTRA VALUE Because Colorado bought out his arbitration years with a seven-year, $63.5 million extension before 2024, Tovar’s salary this season is just $5 million—well below market for a plus defensive shortstop in his prime. That cost certainty is one reason front-office officials privately insist the club can accelerate its timeline back to contention. WHAT TO WATCH IN 2026 1. Health: Tovar averaged 146 games in 2023-24; matching that durability would steady a young roster. 2. Plate discipline: His chase rate dropped from 33 percent to 29 percent this spring, a trend the staff believes will unlock another offensive gear. 3. Leadership: Veterans say the normally reserved Venezuelan has taken a louder role in daily infield drills, embracing expectations as the face of the rebuild. If the early signs translate when the games count, Ezequiel Tovar won’t just rebound—he could stamp himself as one of the National League’s most complete shortstops and the cornerstone of a new Rockies core.