Rockies sign Conner Capel to a Minor League contract

The Rockies signed outfielder Conner Chapel to an underage deal, according to Capel’s MLB.com profile page. The contract apparently does not include an invite to Colorado’s major league Spring Training camp, as the Rockies already announced their list of spring invites earlier this week.

Capel spent the 2025 season with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, hitting .234/.314/.360 with 10 home runs and 21 steals (out of 25 attempts) in 414 plate appearances. These disappointing numbers kept Capel from receiving a call-up to the Majors, even as injuries and suspensions left the Braves shorthanded in the outfield for much of the season. Capel is out of minor league options, which may have played a role in Atlanta’s decision. Selecting Capel’s contract would have meant the Braves would have had to sneak him through waivers before sending him back to Triple-A and cutting him from the 40-man roster.

A fifth-round pick for Cleveland in the 2016 draft, Capel made his big league debut in 2022 and hit .278/.359/.398 over 153 PA with the Cardinals, Athletics and Reds during the 2022-2024 seasons. Despite these decent numbers and Capel’s ability to play all three outfield positions, his lack of power kept him from receiving much attention at the MLB level.

Now 28 years old, the left-handed Capel will look to return to compete for a job on a Rockies team already quite deep in outfield candidates. The rebuilding Rox will prioritize at-bats for their younger players and internal prospects, so Capel could once again be viewed purely as a Triple-A depth player. A strong performance in camp could change those plans, or it could help Capel land a job with another team that needs on-field help.