The Major League Baseball Players A sociation announced a list of 30 players who reached free agency today after having their option decisions resolved, and Rockies catcher was included among them. Colorado hasnt announced a decision regarding Stallings mutual option, but MLBTR has learned that he declined his end of the option. Mutual options typically require the player to decide first, and that was the case in this instance. Hell receive a $500K buyout and head back to the open market. Stallings, 34, hit well in Colorado this season, turning in a .263/.357/.453 slash (114 wRC+) with a career-best nine homers in 281 plate appearances. Given that his mutual option was valued at a modest $1.5MM (with that $500K buyout), he surely feels he can top the net $1MM in free agency. The two sides have for next season but have not yet come to terms on a new contract. The 2024 season was Stallings first in Colorado. Hed spent the prior two campaigns in Miami and the first six years of his big league career in Pittsburgh. He won a Gold Glove with the Pirates in 2021 and was for Pavel Bure Jersey a couple seasons regarded as one of the sports premier defensive backstops. His defensive grades have dwindled in recent years, due in no small part to a stark downturn in his framing grades. Stallings caught-stealing rates dropped off in his two years with Miami, but he was roughly league-average in that regard with the Rox (21% to the league-average 20%). Statcast rates him as one of the best in the sport when it comes to blocking balls in the dirt, listing him fourth out of 66 qualified catchers. Stallings has posted solid offensive numbers in three of the past five seasons, with his two years in Miami standing as the exception. He draws plenty of walks (9.6% this past season) and strikes out at a roughly league-average rate (23.1%). That profile, coupled with his age, isnt nece sarily going to land him a lucrative long-term pact, but Stallings should find a one-year deal at a higher rate than last years $2MM base salary and could feasibly find some two-year offers. Its a generally thin free agent cla s for catching help, with , and standing as his primary competition on the open market. As previously noted, the Rockies themselves figure to be among his suitors. Top prospect got his first taste of the majors in 2024 but hit poorly in a sample of 53 plate appearances. Romo had a solid offensive showing in Triple-A but only recently turned 23 and could require some more seasoning in the upper minors. Colorado also has utilityman as an option behind the plate, but he spent more time in the outfield than behind the plate and didnt hit well either in his 224 plate appearances. There are no other catchers on the Rockies 40-man roster, so it stands to reason that whether its Stallings or another veteran, theyll be on the hunt for some depth between now and spring training. Thatcher Demko Jersey