Sam Hilliard traded to the Atlanta Braves by the Colorado Rockies | MLB offseason trades

The Colorado Rockies have traded outfielder Sam Hilliard to the Atlanta Braves. Since the team already seems overcrowded in the outfield, questions were raised about Hilliard's future with them and how much playing time he would get.

Alex Anthopoulos, the General Manager of the Atlanta Braves, wasted no time and made the first move of the 2022-23 MLB offseason, trading Hilliard less than 24 hours after the end of the World Series.

"Sam Hilliard 2023 NL MVP" - @ Honest Braves Fan

Sam Hilliard began his career with the Rockies as a rookie in 2019 and is remembered for hitting a home run in his first MLB game, which took place against the Boston Red Sox in August of that year.

However, 2020 was a rough year for him. With a batting average of only .210, he struck out 38% of the time. After the Rockies acquired outfielder Kevin Pillar, Hilliard spent the rest of the year playing for the Rockies' Triple-A team, the Albuquerque Isotopes.

In his four seasons with the Rockies, the player has never played a full season. The most games that he has ever played came in his career-best season of 2021, when he played 81 games. With 14 home runs and 34 RBIs, 2021 was Hilliard's best-hitting year.

The rookie was shipped out of the Mile High City in exchange for relief pitcher Dylan Spain. In 2022, he managed only 174 at-bats, hitting two home runs and 14 RBIs. His batting average was a meager .184, spurring the move.

#Rockies traded Sam Hilliard to the Braves for RHP Dylan Spain. Spain, 24, ended last season in high-A" - @ Danielle Allentuck

Sam Hilliard was the first move in what's expected to be a busy offseason

Hilliard adds an extra dimension to the Braves outfield defensively. Currently, the starters appear to be Ronald Acuna Jr. and Michael Harris II, with Marcel Ozuna and Eddie Rosario swapping places. Whether or not Hilliard will get sufficient outfield playing time remains to be seen.

As this is the first trade of the 2022 offseason, expect to see more movement in the next few weeks. It is now 144 days and counting until Opening Day 2023. Expect to see lots of moves made by all 30 MLB teams between now and then.