THIS IS A GUEST ROCKPILE BY JACKSON KILPATRICK (@J_W_Kilpatrick)
Even with Ian Desmond and David Dahl out of the picture, Sam Hilliard faces stiff competition for a spot in the outfield. As a lefty with power, Hilliard is likely to at least occupy a bench role, but if he wants regular starts, he will have to emulate his red-hot debut in the 2019 season rather than his dour 2020. As a 27-year-old entering his third season in the majors, the temptation may be to write him off as an unsuccessful gamble. However, Hilliard — a former 15th-rounder who has steadily improved throughout the minors and battled adversity on his way to contending for a starting spot on the Rockies — has faced just 875 pitches over his two major league seasons.