Hilliard is reuniting with the team that drafted him in the 15th round of the 2015 draft. The current Rockies GM Bill Schmidt was the team’s scouting director during Hilliard’s development and major league debut in Colorado.
To add a new player, the Rox team will have to make a move on their 40-man roster. This can be done by putting Antonio Senzatela or German Marquez on the 60-day injured list, as they are recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2023. The claim also creates an opening on the 40-man roster for the O’s, who have not publicly announced the designation for assignment or waiver placement of Hilliard.
Except for the 2023 season, Hilliard has spent his entire career playing for the Rockies. In a trade in November 2022, the Braves acquired him in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Dylan Spain. While playing for Atlanta, Hilliard appeared in 40 games and had a batting average of .236, an on-base percentage of .295, and a slugging percentage of .431 in 78 plate appearances. He struck out in an astonishing 42.3% of his plate appearances. A heel injury ultimately led to Hilliard being placed on the 60-day injured list. At the end of the season, the Braves placed him on waivers, but he was claimed by the Orioles. However, he did not stay with Baltimore for long and went back to his original team after going hitless in five plate appearances during spring training as an Oriole.
The Colorado Rockies actively searched for a left-handed outfielder with the ability to play center field during the offseason. They signed Bradley Zimmer to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training as a potential option. However, Sam Hilliard also brings another option in that role. He is currently on the 40-man roster and has no remaining minor league options. This puts him in a good position to make the Rockies’ opening day roster, where he would serve as a left-handed complement to right-handed outfielders Brenton Doyle and Sean Bouchard.
At 1:31pm, the teams have officially announced the movement. No corresponding actions will be taken by Baltimore at this moment. Senzatela has been placed on the 60-day injured list by Colorado.
Hilliard and the Orioles came to an agreement before the season by settling on an 0K salary, thereby avoiding an arbitration hearing. The Rockies are now responsible for paying the full amount, which is just slightly above the league’s minimum salary of 0K. With 3.094 years of experience in the major leagues, Hilliard’s contract can be adjusted through arbitration until the 2026 season.
Hilliard appeared in 214 games as a member of the Colorado Rockies from 2019-22. He played in all three outfield positions and had a combined batting average of .212, an on-base percentage of .294, and a slugging percentage of .423 with 29 home runs, 15 stolen bases, and a 32.7% strikeout rate over 639 plate appearances. Hilliard has struggled with strikeouts throughout his career, despite having an impressive .265/.346/.570 slash line and 62 home runs in 942 Triple-A plate appearances. His strikeout rate at that level is a concerning 28.5%.
The Orioles often agree to lower salaries with backup players and then try to put them on waivers in the hopes of keeping them in the higher minor leagues for depth purposes. This strategy has been successfully used with players such as Anthony Bemboom, Jake Cave, and Ryan O’Hearn (who eventually became a valuable player in 2023). It’s worth mentioning that this latest move opens up a spot on the team’s roster, giving them more flexibility to make a signing, trade, or waiver claim of their own.
The Rockies have reclaimed outfielder Sam Hilliard at 1:20pm, after claiming him through waivers from the Orioles, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The move has not been officially announced by either team yet.
