The Colorado Rockies are set to consider Thad Levine as their next general manager, sparking debate over leadership changes in a franchise with a storied past. This move comes as the team officially parted ways with general manager Bill Schmidt, a decision that had been anticipated following one of MLB’s worst seasons in history. The Rockies have already announced they’ll seek external candidates for their next baseball operations leader, a shift from their prior focus on internal promotions. This change marks a significant departure from the team’s history of hiring from within, as both Jeff Bridich and Schmidt were long-standing members of the Colorado front office before ascending to the top role. The Rockies’ first three 100-loss seasons in franchise history have pushed them toward a new direction, but owner Dick Monfort’s reputation for unwavering loyalty—often seen as insular—has fueled speculation that the next GM may have ties to the organization. Schmidt’s ouster immediately sparked discussions about Levine, a former Twins general manager who served in the Colorado front office from 1999 to 2005. Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post listed him among five potential candidates for the role this morning, though the selection remained speculative. However, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi suggested this evening that the Rockies are likely to explore Levine’s candidacy. Despite serving as the second-in-command under Derek Falvey for eight years, Levine has never led a baseball operations department. He stepped down at the beginning of the 2024-25 offseason, having spent over a decade as an assistant GM with Texas under Jon Daniels. Levine’s name has appeared in multiple front-office searches, including a 2021 bid for the Rockies before Schmidt was named the permanent GM. While he didn’t lead a baseball operations unit last offseason, Morosi notes he expressed interest in the Colorado GM role. View Comments (5)
