Ezequiel Tovar Set A High Standard Of Success

DENVER – The Colorado Rockies announced today that they have agreed to a seven-year contract extension with shortstop Ezequiel Tovar covering the 2024-30 seasons with a club option for 2031.

“We are excited to be able to secure Ezequiel’s future in Denver with this extension,” said Rockies Senior Vice President and General Manager Bill Schmidt. “He has already proven he is one of the best shortstops in baseball, and we see him as a cornerstone of this franchise for years to come.”

Tovar, 22, was named a National League Rawlings Gold Glove finalist at shortstop in 2023, his first full season. He recorded a .988 fielding percentage, the highest for a rookie shortstop in Major League history. He broke former Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki’s record of .987 set in 2007.

Tovar recorded 2.2 defensive WAR (Baseball Reference), tied with Brenton Doyle for the highest mark on the team and the 10th-best in baseball. His WAR was the second-highest by a rookie behind New York-AL’s Anthony Volpe (2.4) and the third-highest for a rookie in franchise history trailing Tulowitzki (3.9, 2007) and Nolan Arenado (2.3, 2013).

Tovar led the Rockies with 153 games played in 2023, the second-most by a Rockies rookie in franchise history behind Tulowitzki’s 155 games in 2007, after becoming the youngest Rockie in history to start on Opening Day at 21 years and 240 days old.

Tovar’s 37 doubles tied Todd Helton’s single-season franchise rookie record and tied for fifth-most among all NL players. He also ranked among franchise rookie leaders in extra-base hits (56, 3rd), home runs (15, 6th), RBI (73, 4th), and hits (147, T-5th).

Tovar ranked among National League rookie leaders in doubles (37, T-1st), RBI (73, 3rd), batting average (.253, 3rd), hits (147, 3rd), extra-base hits (56, 3rd), games (153, 3rd), triples (four, T-4th) and home runs (15, 8th). The Maracay, Venezuela native also became the second Venezuelan-born rookie in Major League history to log at least 15 home runs and 10 stolen bases in his rookie season, joining Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2018 (26 HR, 16 SB).

Tovar was originally signed by Colorado as a non-drafted international free agent on Aug. 1, 2017.