The Colorado Rockies placed veteran catcher Elias Díaz on waivers Wednesday per reports from Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. He is now available to be claimed by all 29 other teams for roughly $1.5 million owed on his contract until Friday at 1 p.m. ET. Should he go unclaimed, the Rockies could choose to retain Díaz on the roster or try to outright him to Triple-A upon which he could reject the assignment and elect free agency to sign elsewhere leaving the Rockies on the hook for the money owed minus the league minimum.

Díaz, 33, was presumed to be one of the Rockies trade chips this season at the July 30 deadline and while there was some belief around the league that he could have been dealt, it’s been reported that no one expressed much desire to acquire him.

That belief makes sense as Díaz started the season on a strong note, batting .307 with a .800 OPS and five home runs through the end of June. Since then, however, he has limped to a .196 AVG with a .479 OPS, no home runs, and 25 strikeouts to just eight walks. A main culprit for the drastic loss in production occurred back in June when Díaz landed on the injured list on June 10 with a left calf strain that sidelined him until June 30. Noticeably hobbled and clearly not at 100%, Díaz could not run very much and had lost all power in his legs. Later on, Díaz suffered a mild right calf strain that didn’t require a stint on the injured list but has left his bat lifeless. Teams weren’t exactly scrambling to add him to the roster, especially if the Rockies had an unrealistic price tag attached.

Still, he has cut down nearly 28% of stolen base attempts behind the dish and has slightly above-average pitch framing grades from Statcast, though he would still be considered about an average catcher, which becomes more noticeable when the offense is not accompanying it.

This move by the Rockies could likely mark the end of Díaz’s five seasons in a Rockies uniform. Signed as a free agent in the spring of 2020, Díaz made his way onto the Rockies roster in the shortened season that summer, but mainly sat on the bench behind Drew Butera and Tony Wolters. However, Díaz’s bat managed to push him ahead of the two and with a strong showing in a small sample of 26 games that season, he was penciled in as the starter for 2021.

He rewarded the Rockies with a career-high 18 home runs that season and a .774 OPS while providing some solid defense at the plate. The Rockies returned the favor with a three-year extension in the offseason, leaving Díaz and the presumed placeholder until a prospect catcher was ready.

While he took a step back in 2022, Díaz roared back in 2023 with the best overall season of his career. He belted 14 homers with a .267/.316/.409 slash line over a career-high 526 plate appearances, and was named the first All-Star catcher in Rockies history. He launched a clutch home run in the All-Star Game itself and was named the first All-Star Game MVP in team history. His trade value was likely at its highest but the Rockies chose to hold on to him where he then faltered in the second half.

Díaz finishes his Rockies tenure with the second-most games caught in club history and likely one of the best offensive catchers the team has ever had. He showed improvement and stability at a position the Rockies have historically struggled to fill, especially on the offensive side of things. However, with a team destined for 100-plus losses for the second consecutive season, the time to move on from Díaz finally came to fruition.

Assuming the Rockies move on from Díaz if he’s not claimed off waivers, the Rockies have a few options as to who could see more playing time behind the dish in his absence.

Option 1: Hunter Goodman

When Díaz went down with a calf injury in June, the Rockies used the opportunity to give rookie Hunter Goodman a chance to catch more games. A catcher by trade, Goodman soared through the minors thanks to a powerful bat that hasn’t exactly transitioned to the big leagues. In extremely limited playing over two seasons with the Rockies, a total of 77 games, Goodman has slashed .184/.228/.377 with nine home runs. His struggle has been the 73 strikeouts to just 11 walks in 246 plate appearances, but there has been a stark contrast in his hitting when he’s behind the plate.

Hunter Goodman is just the 25th player in #Rockies history with two homers, three extra-base hits and four base hits in the same game.

Also part of the club: Larry Walker, Todd Helton, Vinny Castilla and teammates Ryan McMahon and Elias Díaz. pic.twitter.com/GELVwAsuqq

— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) June 16, 2024

In the nine games he has caught, Goodman hit .290 with a .843 OPS and had four extra-base hits, including two home runs. He has been noted as saying he just hits better when he catches and the small sample may indicate some truth in that sentiment. He’s also received kudos from his pitchers about his work behind the plate which has looked better than his defensive work in the outfield or first base, two positions he’s only picked up in recent years. If anyone deserves a chance to step in and see if he can make the most of the opportunity, then Goodman is a solution already on the roster that pairs well with Jacob Stallings.

Option 2: Drew Romo

A popular option among fans is for the Rockies to call up their No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline Drew Romo. Drafted in 2020 out of high school, Romo has steadily improved during his minor league career. The switch-hitting catcher has worked diligently to strengthen his ability behind the dish, specifically his arm strength to throw out baserunners, as well as his leg work and positioning. As a 22-year-old he has worked a great deal in Triple-A Albuquerque on game calling and planning thanks to help from veteran pitchers with the Isotopes. He has progressed nicely and analysis and scouting reports indicate that he could still make it as a regular contributor at the big league level.

Albuquerque Isotopes Drew Romo throws out a runner at 3B who has a big momentum lead. In response to the runner breaking he comes out of his knee down stance into a traditional set up. You see Realmuto do this frequently. pic.twitter.com/OjVmuktnh4

— Jerry Weinstein (@JWonCATCHING) July 18, 2024

His switch-hitting and overall offense has improved greatly since the second half of the 2023 season in Double-A. Romo was struggling mightily at points but began to make adjustments in the latter half of the season that began to pay dividends for the young backstop. In 2024 he has taken another step forward while taking advantage of hitting in the Pacific Coast League. Through 86 games he is slashing .297/.339/.499 with a career-high 104 hits including 14 home runs and 60 RBI. His switch-hitting splits are nearly identical as well which is a promising development. There may be concern with his ability to draw walks but now may be as good a time as any to start breaking him in at the big league level, especially since he is eligible for the Rule-5 draft this offseason.

#Rockies No. 9 prospect Drew Romo homered in back-to-back games this week, including a walk-off, three-run shot on Friday.@USAFRecruiting #AimHigh pic.twitter.com/YOu7zJ0S2J

— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) July 16, 2024

[For more on Romo, check out an interview Rocky Mountain Rooftop did with him linked at the bottom]

Option 3: Willie MacIver

Right alongside Romo in Albuquerque is Willie MacIver who is also putting in an incredible year for the Isotopes. Drafted by the Rockies in the ninth round back in 2018, MacIver has steadily shown some consistency at the plate and behind the dish the past few seasons since the COVID-19 year. This season he has played 71 games in Triple-A and is slashing .304/.386/.581 with 15 home runs and 47 RBI. Unlike Romo he has a slightly better eye, drawing 30 walks, but has about the same amount of strikeouts at 68.

ANOTHER BLAST!

Willie MacIver goes deep for a two-run clout! Our 165 home runs rank second in all of @MiLB.

M1: Isotopes 3, Express 0 pic.twitter.com/Sq09SJWcFp

— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) August 15, 2024

MacIver has also been considered a strong defensive catcher and has also developed nicely during his time with the organization. A stable crouch behind the dish has complimented a decent arm and ability to call a game. MacIver as done a lot to help mentor a player like Romo which indicates a sense of experience and confidence behind the dish that could serve a big league team well. He is 27-years-old but there are still a number of years left for him and he could find himself as a regular starter if needed. There is a lot to like about MacIver, it’s just a matter of giving him a chance. One thing is for sure though that he and Romo make a great tandem behind the dish.

Smooth quick move on arm side stri-ball by Albuquerque Isotope’s Willie Maciver. pic.twitter.com/b1AtkMF95d

— Jerry Weinstein (@JWonCATCHING) August 15, 2024

What’s next?

The Rockies are a team positioned to make the most of letting their prospects and youth see how they fit into the future picture. A team amid six straight losing seasons needs to build for the future instead of prioritizing playing veterans. Moving on from Díaz is in the best interest of the team and will benefit them in the long run