Michael Toglia left a lasting memory on the Rockies big league staff.

On April 1, the switch-hitter was batting left-handed when he hit a walk-off, opposite-field double.

“He’s gotten more comfortable and the swing has gotten better as we’ve gone through the spring,” manager Bud Black said. “That there was a really good piece of hitting.”

He’s one of a handful of top prospects who’ve got significant playing time during spring training. Most are still years away from the major leagues, but a few could find themselves in Denver this season.

Michael Toglia 

The Rockies see potential in Toglia not just because of his power, which so far has come mainly on the right side, but also for his defense. He spent part of minor league camp working one-on-one with Todd Helton, the former star who came to Arizona specifically to mentor Toglia. Multiple people in the organization believe Toglia is their next gold-glove winning first baseman.

“I embrace it, I want that expectation,” Toglia said. “I have the same expectation for myself. I really take a lot of pride in that side of the ball.”

Toglia, drafted in the first round in 2019, is about 25 pounds heavier than he was when he first started pro ball. He weighs about 250 now. While his power is there, he’s been overall inconsistent. He made adjustments — focusing on direction and staying on the line of the pitch longer. It leveled out at the end of last season, and the Rockies will need to see that continue this season. He’s starting in Double-A, but there’s still plenty of time for him to work his way to Triple-A, and potentially even the majors, this season.

Elehuris Montero

For Montero, it’s a matter of when, not if, he gets the call. Montero spent the spring waking up at dawn to get in extra drills with coach Stu Cole. He’s got the power, but they want to make sure his defense is up to par. He’s been working at third, his native position, and first, working on technical things like first step quickness, angles and drop steps.

“He’s shown from a year ago to now, a great deal of improvement,” Black said. “I think overall he’s in a good spot.”

Jake Bird

Spring training games mean nothing for most. But for a player like Bird, who until recently was flying under the radar, they are a critical chance to play in front of major league staff. His velocity has picked up from when he was drafted in 2018 out of UCLA and they’ve noticed an upward trend in all of the righty’s pitches.

“The season is different than spring training,” Black said. “This is going to be a good test for him. I hope he handles it because he has a good arm. If he continues to throw the ball like he is now, he’s going to pitch in the big leagues.”

Others to keep an eye on

Colton Welker debuted last year, but the Rockies didn’t see the third baseman’s full potential. An eye infection has limited his time this spring, so he’ll need at least a month in Triple-A to ramp up.

Ryan Rolison and Ryan Feltner, who made two major league starts last year, are No. 7 and 8 on the Rockies pitching depth chart. It’s inevitable that the Rockies will need to pull from their reserves, and these two are the next in line, but Rolison will be out for at least the first two months with a left shoulder strain.