DENVER -- Hunter Goodman ended up where he belonged this year: Behind the plate for the Rockies. Now, he is going where just one catcher in club history has gone before.
Goodman -- who developed and broke into the Majors as a utility player since the club wanted to take advantage of his power bat -- was announced as Colorado’s representative in the MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta as a reserve for the National League.
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Even when Goodman was roaming to the corner outfield and first base, catching was at his core. When he came home, he was greeted by future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina ... or at least the four-legged version.
“I grew up a Cards fan,” Goodman said. “He was my favorite catcher, by far.
“I mean, my dog’s named after him.”
Goodman, 25, is batting .281 and leads the club with 16 home runs and 50 RBIs. The only other Rockies catcher to appear in the Midsummer Classic was Elias Díaz, who in 2023 hit the winning home run for the NL and was chosen as the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Goodman said he was with Triple-A Albuquerque when Díaz achieved the All-Star Game glory and came back to tell the stories to the Rockies back home.
“I’m going to try and take everything in, enjoy the experience,” said Goodman, who added that he does not know if he’ll be in or be asked to participate in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on July 14. “I’m excited to be around some of those guys as a young player, pick some of their brains and experience the weekend for what it is.”
Goodman is from Arlington, Tenn., which is outside Memphis and an easy day trip from Atlanta. Goodman was hoping for the invitation and is looking forward to a big hometown following.
He also had an unforgettable experience in the clubhouse, when his invitation was announced to the club. Goodman had a warm moment with bullpen coach Dustin Garneau, a former Rockies catcher and Minor League catching instructor who officially informed him.
“It was an awesome moment,” Goodman said. “It’s a blessing. I can’t thank everybody around me enough for helping me get there. It was a great experience, having it in the clubhouse with all the guys who have been going through a rough, rough season so far. But we stuck together, and it was awesome doing it with them.”
As recently as the middle of last season, Goodman was a utility player. Selected in the fourth round out of the University of Memphis in the 2021 Draft, Goodman showed immediate home run power. The Rockies moved him around the diamond to keep his bat in the lineup, avoid the wear and tear of catching and get him to the Majors quickly. He debuted in 2023 for 23 games -- none as a catcher.
Goodman bounced between Triple-A and the Majors last season, but found his footing when he caught 23 games -- most of them later in the season. Colorado decided that he would be a catcher in 2025, and it signed veteran Jacob Stallings to divide the playing time.
However, Goodman turned hot in April, and the Rockies released Stallings on June 6. Interim manager Warren Schaeffer wants to keep Goodman fresh throughout a long season. However, Goodman’s positional split is hard to ignore.
In 56 games as a catcher, Goodman has posted a .312/.343/.595 slash line with 14 homers. In 26 games as a designated hitter, Goodman has slashed .224/.303/.367 with two homers. Everything’s better when he wears the mask.
“For me, this has been a long time coming,” Schaeffer said. “That's his natural position. I don't want to speak for him, but it wasn't hard for him to get back there every day. I think it was more of a relief to get back there than to try all these other positions.
“He can handle first base, left field, right field, but this is his true position. And I think you're seeing the result of letting a player play his true position and [hitting] doing it.”
Still, Goodman's time behind the plate bears watching. Schaeffer noted that the 36 games Goodman caught last year combined with Albuquerque and in the Majors marked his most as a professional.
Goodman solidified his Midsummer Classic berth by slashing .316/.350/.716 with seven doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 19 RBIs in 23 games from June 2 through Saturday.
The 16 homers are a club record for a catcher before the All-Star break. Wilin Rosario had 14 during the first half of 2012. If he hits another homer before the break, Goodman will become the first Rockies player with at least 17 before the break since first baseman C.J. Cron reached 21 in '22.