The Rockies optioned Amador to Double-A Hartford on Friday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Amador received a late promotion to Hartford last season and will return to the affiliate to begin 2024. The 20-year-old spent most of the season at High-A Spokane, where he had a .905 OPS with nine home runs and 12 steals in 54 games.
The Rockies selected Amador to their 40-man roster Tuesday.
One of the top prospects in the Rockies' system, Amador slashed .287/.380/.495 with 12 homers and 15 steals over 69 minor-league games in 2023. The 20-year-old infielder finished the season at the Double-A level and could push to make his MLB debut in the second half of the 2024 campaign.
Rockies' Adael Amador: Activated, advances to Double-A
Rotowire
Amador (hand) was assigned to Double-A Hartford on Saturday after being activated from High-A Spokane's 7-day injured list.
Even though Amador hadn't played for Spokane since June 22 before being shut down with a broken hamate bone in his right hand that ultimately required surgery, the Rockies saw enough from the 20-year-old during his rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League to send him to Double-A now that he's healthy again. Through his first two games with Hartford, the switch-hitting middle infielder has gone 2-for-8 with a walk, a run scored and two stolen bases. He had slashed .302/.391/.514 with nine home runs and 12 stolen bases in 54 games with Spokane prior to getting injured.
Rockies' Adael Amador: Undergoes surgery on hamate
Rotowire
Amador underwent surgery to repair his right hamate bone in early July, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Amador missed the first few weeks of the season with an undisclosed injury, but he was having a fairly strong season with High-A Spokane prior to the current issue. Across 259 plate appearances, he maintained a .302 average and .514 slugging percentage while striking out at just a 10 percent clip. Amador is expected to return before season's end, but he could miss up to six weeks.
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Rockies' Adael Amador: Recovering from injury
Rotowire
Amador got a little dinged up during spring training and will be held back in extended before being assigned to High-A Spokane, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.
Mayo didn't provide an official injury for Amador, but it sounds like it should be a short-term absence. Amador, who has one of the best hit tools in the minors, could split the year between Spokane and Double-A Hartford in his age-20 season.
Rockies' Adael Amador: Maintaining strong stats in A ball
Rotowire
Amador is hitting .304/.419/.469 with 12 homers, 21 steals and a 62:50 BB:K through 85 games for Single-A Fresno.
It's been a remarkable season for the 19-year-old shortstop, who's shown off advanced plate skills while increasing his power output and stealing bases more efficiently in 2022. He doesn't seem to have anything left to prove in Single-A, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Amador get a look in High-A down the stretch.
Amador has six home runs, 11 RBI and 16 runs scored while hitting .359/.463/.654 across 95 plate appearances with Single-A Fresno.
Amador was named Player of the Week in the California League on Monday after he hit .500 with two doubles, four home runs and seven RBI across 30 plate appearances from April 26 to May 1. He has maintained a .295 ISO and .494 wOBA to go along with a 16.8 percent walk rate while only striking out at a 12.6 percent clip. Amador has been regarded as a polished prospect with a lesser ceiling, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see some of his power production fade, but his start to the season has been worthy of attention.
