'Relentless' Fuentes finally gets noticed 

For a few seconds on March 15, Rockies fans got an almost jarring flashback. A Rockies third baseman with dark, intense eyes and a restlessness on the field, barehanded a topper by the Dodgers’ AJ. Pollock and fired with pinpoint flair.

It's OK to look at Joshua Fuentes, the guy who made the play, notice his features and mannerisms and lament the departure of his cousin, Nolan Arenado, in a trade to the Cardinals. But if Arenado was the face of the Rockies’ franchise, Fuentes just might represent the new state of the Rockies.

Fuentes made it to the big leagues after being undrafted out of a baseball program that had never produced a Major Leaguer, Missouri Baptist University. In most ways, he exemplifies the 2021 Rockies -- ignored or even derided, yet determined to produce to the point that they must be acknowledged.

Fuentes, 28, has had to work just to earn notice from his club. After being called up from the alternate site last summer and supplanting Daniel Murphy as first baseman, then hitting .306 in 30 games, he saw the club sign C.J. Cron this winter to be its first baseman.

Yet, here is Fuentes this spring, making highlight-reel plays at third and first, and scratching out a .275 batting average with a home run going into Monday’s game against the Rangers. By experimenting with Fuentes in left field, manager Bud Black appears to be looking for ways to put Fuentes on the field.

“That’s been my mindset these past couple years,” Fuentes said. “I’m going to work so hard or just be so relentless that they have no choice -- they literally have to put me on [the field].”

Black said, “You have those players that have that way about them -- their personality, their attitude, just the way they are as competitors. It doesn’t matter where you play them. They’re ready to play and to do a job.”

Having traded Arenado and non-tendered 2019 All-Star outfielder David Dahl -- now with the Rangers -- the Rockies face dire win-total predictions. These are based on a roster heavy on players possessing light track records and glaring areas that require improvement.

Fuentes, upholding family tradition, tied for the Major League lead among first baseman in Defensive Runs Saved last season, despite playing just 196 1/3 innings (regulars got close to 500). His third-base play is legit. But offensively, there is work to be done.

Last season, Fuentes struck out 29 times against two walks. This spring has been similar, with eight strikeouts and one walk through Sunday. His feel has been sporadic, although Sunday's double and homer in a 6-1 loss to the Royals were positive signs.

“It’s so weird,” Fuentes said Monday. “The very first game of spring, I had two hits and thought I was locked in. As spring kept going on, I realized I was really not locked in at all. Yesterday was a little better. I had a couple hits and finally drove the ball. I feel I’m getting there, but I’m going through my ups and downs of spring.”

The Rockies answer criticisms of their roster by noting players have talent and clear routes to improvement. It’s a big ask for so many needing to improve so much. But the path is there for all, Fuentes included.

“He’s a very aggressive hitter, and I’m fine with that when he’s aggressive in the zone,” hitting coach Dave Magadan said. “But when he’s ending at-bats when he controls the count by soft contact out of the zone, that’s not where he needs to be.

“He needs to continue to work on it. It’s an everyday process. He’s 0-for-13 this spring when he offers at pitches out of the zone. Many of those are when he controls the count.”

It’s no small assignment for Fuentes. Still, it says a lot for a guy barely noticed by scouts while at Trabuco Hills High in Mission Viejo, Calif., and undrafted out of Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo and Missouri Baptist.

In 2016 Fuentes was riding the bench for the second straight year at Class A Asheville. His opportunity opened that year after first-round Draft pick Brendan Rodgers was injured.

Rodgers’ current hamstring injury could result in a domino effect with Fuentes playing third and Ryan McMahon moving to second base, his old position.

“I always felt, and I always was told this by my family -- my uncles, and especially Nolan -- if you put in the work, and do not stop working, someone will notice,” Fuentes said. “That’s not always the case. There are a lot of guys who don’t get seen.

“But I literally never stopped. I was day in and day out until I got noticed.”