The Rockies Send Edouard Julien to the Minors: What Happened and What It Means

The Big News in Simple Terms

The Colorado Rockies have sent infielder Edouard Julien down to their Triple-A team in Albuquerque. This happened after he "cleared waivers"—which is baseball’s way of saying every other team had a chance to claim him, and nobody wanted him.

Important Point
This doesn’t mean Julien is "bad" at baseball. It means he’s struggling right now, and the Rockies want to give him time to figure things out without taking up a spot on their main 26-man roster.

Who Is Edouard Julien?

Edouard Julien (pronounced "Ed-wahr-doo Joo-lee-en") is a 27-year-old infielder from Canada. He plays second base and first base.

His Baseball Journey So Far

1. Minor Leagues (The "Practice" Leagues): He wasn’t known for amazing defense, and he struck out a lot. But he had a superpower: he was incredibly patient at the plate. He drew tons of walks (getting on base for free).
2. The Big Break (2023 with the Minnesota Twins): He played 109 games—almost a full season!
   • The Good: He walked in 15.7% of his plate appearances (that’s elite!). He hit 16 home runs. His overall offensive stat line was .263/.381/.459.
   • The "Secret Sauce" (wRC+): He had a 134 wRC+. Translation: He was 34% better than the average hitter. That’s star potential!
   • The Not-So-Good: He struck out in 31.4% of his at-bats. He also got a little lucky on balls hit in play (a .371 BABIP), meaning some of his hits were bound to stop falling.
3. The Struggle (2024–Present): Things went sideways fast.
   • In 785 plate appearances (over a full season’s worth), he has only 14 home runs.
   • His batting line cratered to .208/.307/.313.
   • He still walks a fair amount, but when he swings, he isn’t doing damage.

How Did He End Up in Colorado?

The "Out of Options" Problem

In baseball, teams have a limited number of times they can send a player up and down between the majors and minors without risking losing them. These are called "options."

• Julien used his last option with the Twins last year.
• This meant Minnesota had to keep him on the big league roster or risk losing him for nothing.
• Since he was struggling, they traded him to the Rockies hoping a fresh start (and hitter-friendly Coors Field) would help.

The Coors Field Experiment

• Coors Field in Denver is famous for being a hitter’s paradise (high altitude = ball flies farther).
• It didn’t work. Julien continued to struggle at the plate.
• The Rockies needed a roster spot for top prospect Zac Veen (an outfielder), so they Designated Julien for Assignment (DFA)—the first step to removing him from the 40-man roster.

What "Cleared Waivers & Outrighted" Means (ELI5 Version)

Imagine the Rockies put Julien on a "Free to a Good Home" curb alert.

1. Waivers: Every other MLB team gets 48 hours to say, "We’ll take him!" (and take on his contract).
2. Cleared Waivers: Zero teams said yes. His recent performance scared everyone off.
3. Outrighted: Since nobody claimed him, the Rockies get to keep him. They send him outright to Triple-A Albuquerque (the Isotopes).
4. The Catch: He stays in the Rockies organization as non-roster depth. He’s not on the 40-man roster anymore, but he’s not a free agent either.

Important Point
Julien has less than 3 years of "Service Time." This means he cannot choose to become a free agent and leave. He has to accept the assignment to Albuquerque. The Rockies control his rights for now.

What Happens Next?

For the Rockies

• They open a 40-man roster spot for Zac Veen.
• They keep a former 134 wRC+ hitter as insurance in the minors—costing them very little money and no roster spot.

For Edouard Julien

• He heads to Albuquerque (Triple-A).
• Goal: Fix his swing, rediscover his power, and force his way back to Denver.
• Reality: He’s 27. This is a critical "prove it" stretch. If he rakes in the minors, the Rockies (or another team via trade) will call him up. If not, he risks falling out of the big league picture.

Summary

Bottom line: A once-promising young hitter has hit a massive wall. The Rockies are betting they can stash him in the minors, let him work on his swing in private, and maybe—just maybe—find the 2023 version of Edouard Julien again.

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

1. What is "Triple-A" and why is it in Albuquerque?

Triple-A (AAA) is the highest level of the Minor Leagues—one step below the Majors. The Rockies’ affiliate is the Albuquerque Isotopes. It’s where players go to refine skills or wait for a call-up.

2. What does "wRC+" mean? You said 134 is good.

wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) measures a hitter’s total offensive value. 100 is league average. 134 means 34% better than average. In 2023, Julien was an offensive force. Now, his wRC+ is likely near 60-70 (well below average).

3. Can another team still sign him?

Not right now. He is under contract with the Rockies and assigned to their minor league team. Another team could only get him via trade. If the Rockies release him later, then he becomes a free agent anyone can sign.

4. Why did the Twins give up on him if he was so good in 2023?

They didn’t exactly "give up"—they ran out of options. They couldn’t send him to the minors to fix his swing without risking losing him on waivers then. They traded him to Colorado (who had an option left, but he used it) to get something back rather than lose him for nothing.

5. Is his career over?

Absolutely not. He’s only 27. Many players have slumps this bad and recover (think of guys like J.D. Martinez or Max Muncy who were released/non-tendered and became stars). Triple-A is the perfect laboratory to tinker with mechanics without the pressure of the big leagues. The tools (patience, raw power) are still there.