- Todd Helton has the highest bWAR in Rockies history at 61.8.
- Larry Walker is the only Colorado player to win MVP.
- Ubaldo Jiménez has the highest ERA+ in franchise history.
Since being founded in 1993, the Rockies’ World Series odds have often been impacted by the unique conditions at Coors Field. The ballpark has made it difficult to construct contending teams at times, yet there are still plenty of great players to choose from when selecting the best Colorado Rockies players of all time.
Hitters are inevitably at an advantage when weighing the candidates for these rankings. Players have posted some historic seasons in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field.
Here are my five greatest Rockies ever.
Best Colorado Rockies Players of All Time
| Rank | Player | Position | Rockies Years |
| 1 | Larry Walker | Right Fielder | 1995-2004 |
| 2 | Todd Helton | First Baseman | 1997-2013 |
| 3 | Nolan Arenado | Third Baseman | 2013-2020 |
| 4 | Troy Tulowitzki | Shortstop | 2006-2015 |
| 5 | Ubaldo Jimenez | Starting Pitcher | 2006-2011 |
1. Larry Walker
With an OPS+ 14 points higher than any other Rockie, Larry Walker narrowly beats out Todd Helton for the top spot in my rankings. While Helton has an advantage in counting stats, Walker’s rate numbers are eye-popping.
Named MVP in 1997, Walker was a four-time All-Star during his stint in Colorado and posted an OPS of 1.044. Add in three batting titles, and Walker was one of the league’s most complete hitters throughout his prime, even with his numbers adjusted for ballpark factors.
2. Todd Helton
Elected to the Hall of Fame in 2024, Todd Helton is finally getting the recognition he deserves. His 133 OPS+ is the second-highest in Rockies history, and he won a batting title in 2000.
Welcome to Cooperstown, Todd Helton! 👏 pic.twitter.com/IJwdobmsJk
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) January 24, 2024
Helton is the franchise leader in games played, hits, homers and walks. A three-times Gold Glove winner and four-time Silver Slugger, Helton was an elite first baseman for over a decade.
3. Nolan Arenado
Nolan Arenado had five consecutive top-eight MVP finishes as a Rockie. His best finish was third in 2018, and he won the Gold Glove in all eight of his seasons in Colorado. To put it simply, Arenado was arguably the game’s best defender and an elite hitter.
If he had played out his contract with the Rockies, he would have been chasing Helton’s records. Instead, Arenado was traded to the Cardinals in 2021, where he posted a 151 OPS+ in his second season.
4. Troy Tulowitzki
Injuries brought Troy Tulowitzki’s peak to a premature end. Before that, though, he was one of the premier shortstops in baseball, posting a 123 OPS+ as a Rockie with five All-Star selections.
The former Blue Jay finished his career with a bWAR over 44. Only Arenado has posted a higher defensive bWAR as a Rockie. It was a short-lived peak, but Tulowitzki had to be included among the best Rockies in history.
5. Ubaldo Jimenez
It would have been easy to compile this list without including any pitchers. After all, few pitchers have excelled in Colorado. Ubaldo Jiménez is the only player with an ERA+ above 114 – Jiménez’s 128 mark is far clear of anybody else.
Named an All-Star and finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2010, Jiménez enjoyed by far the best years of his career as a Rockie. He might only be seventh in innings, but the quality of his pitching was enough to snag the fifth spot here.