Julien, 27 in April, has shown flashes of potential with an approach to three true outcomes. His best performance came in his rookie season with the Twins in 2023. He struck out in 31.4% of his 408 plate appearances, but also walked at a huge 15.7% clip and hit 16 home runs. Even with all the punchouts, his .263/.381/.459 batting line led to a 134 wRC+, indicating he was 34% better than league average.
Most of that damage came with the platoon advantage, as he had a terrible .196/.229/.217 line against lefties, but it was still enough for him to finish seventh in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and inspire a troubadour.
However, he hasn’t been at that level since. He racked up 509 plate appearances over the past two seasons with just 11 home runs. His walk rate of 10.8% is still above average, but not out of this world, while his strikeout rate remained high at 32%. That led to a combined line of .208/.299/.324 and a 79 wRC+ for that span. Julien has experience at second and first base, but isn’t a particularly strong defender at either position, which made the declining offense more problematic.
While he struggled, the Twins often sent him to the minors. He still performed well there, with a .261/.406/.440 line and 125 wRC+ in Triple-A over the last two years, but he exhausted his option seasons in the process. That would put him on the fringes of the selection in the future. The Twins signed Jos Bell to play first base and it seems likely he will give up Luke Keaschall running in second place. They have Austin Martin, Erik Wagaman And Tristan Gray also in the mix.
Julien’s path to playing time in Colorado is much better. The Rockies don’t really have a clear option for first base or second base. Initially a request for remission Troy Johnston is one option, but he only has 44 games of major league experience and could still be selected for the minors. The Rockies have just arrived TJ Rumfield in the Chivilli trade today, but he still doesn’t have a roster spot or any major league experience.
Since Julien is not a standout defender, he would initially be a better fit. But if the Rockies are willing to play him at the cornerstone position, there isn’t much standing in the way. The Rockies probably want to give it some playing time Adael Amador but he has a .176/.242/.250 line so far in his career and could still be selected to the minors. Ryan Ritter is in a somewhat similar situation. Willie Castro can bounce to other positions.
Julien gets to play both positions, with his playing time at each position determined by which other players on the roster are healthy and productive. He can be controlled for four full seasons, so the Rockies can keep him around if he returns to his 2023 form.
It also shouldn’t be a shock if Julien is traded again before those four years are up. Colorado has lost at least 101 games three years in a row, including a terrible 43-119 season in 2025. That led to an organizational overhaul, with Paul DePodesta taking over as the new front office leader. Presumably, the club’s decision-makers are not expecting a return to contention any time soon.
But it seems like they see value in buying low on the margins of other rosters. Earlier this winter, the Rockies took over Jake McCarthy of the Diamondbacks. Like Julien, he’s had some Major League success, but he’s had a down year. With him out of options, the Snakes would have a hard time keeping him on the roster. The Rockies acquired him and his three remaining years of control. Since it will be difficult for Colorado to be good again in that period, the apparent hope is that McCarthy bounces back and can be traded after rebuilding some value. Julien is monitored for one more season than McCarthy, but the situations are somewhat analogous.
As for Ohl, 26, he’s in a different boat. He only made his major league debut last year and has just 30 big league innings under his belt with an earned run average of 5.10. He can be controlled for six full seasons and also has a full range of options, so he could be kept in the minors or shuttled up and down fairly regularly.
He doesn’t throw particularly hard, averaging 90 miles per hour with his four-seamer last year, but he has the intriguing combination of having strong control over a diverse arsenal. Last year he mainly threw his four-seamer and changeup, but he also mixed a cutter, sinker, curveball and even played with a knuckleball. Last year, he threw 71 1/3 innings across multiple levels of the farm, making six starts and 18 relief appearances, with a 2.40 ERA, 30.3% strikeout rate and 3.9% walk rate.
The Rockies need more pitching than any other team. Their combined ERA of 5.99 was by far the worst in the majors last year. Because Ohl has starting and relief experience, as well as options, he can move based on the club’s needs. The Rockies probably want to give starts to young pitchers like Chase Dollander, McCade Brown And Carson Palmquist but Ohl can step up if those guys are struggling or need more time in the minors. He could also eat some innings out of the bullpen or be stashed as depth in the minors.
There’s more to come.
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