Imagine, if you will: Hard-throwing right-hander Chase Dollander, 23, makes the starting rotation straight out of spring training; lefty Carson Palmquist, 24, makes his big-league league debut in April as a reliever; and Seth Halvorsen, 24, emerges as the closer.

Those intriguing scenarios, and plenty of others, loom as real possibilities as the Rockies open spring training on Thursday when pitchers and catchers hold their first workout at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Most national pundits see the Rockies flirting with their third consecutive 100-loss season. The Rockies, of course, take umbrage with that. Regardless of your view, three things are certain: Spring training will be ultra-competitive, packed with intrigue and youth will be served.

“The words that stick out for me are ‘competitive camp,’ with our young guys in the bullpen, especially,” said manager Bud Black, entering his ninth season at the helm. “Overall, the young talent base is as strong as I’ve seen since I’ve been here.”

Chris Forbes, director of player development, envisions a camp and a season full of possibilities for the Kid Rox.

“Everything is on the table when you’re coming off 101 losses,” he said. “You need to be open with putting the best guys on the field as much as possible. … As we start to try to get guys in place to open up our contention window, the hope is (some of them contribute this year).”

While there will be fierce competition in the outfield, where Jordan Beck looks to solidify his spot as an everyday player, and Zac Veen, Benny Montgomery and Yanquiel Fernandez hope to make a splash, the most immediate change will likely occur on the mound.

The Rockies want to reboot their rotation and bullpen (the club doesn’t like the term “rebuild”). Whatever the vernacular, something needs to be done.

Colorado starters posted a 5.54 ERA last season, the highest in the majors and the 10th-highest in franchise history. Colorado relievers combined for a 5.38 ERA, the worst in the majors, and tied with its 2023 bullpen for the fifth-highest in franchise history. The Rockies’ 28 blown saves tied with St. Louis for the second-most in the majors and tied the 2016 club for the fifth-most in franchise history.

Colorado hopes the return from elbow injuries of veteran right-handers German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela will improve the rotation, and the club is high on right-hander Ryan Feltner, who pitched to a 2.98 ERA over his last 15 starts last season. Lefties Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber provide some veteran stability.

However, general manager Bill Schmidt says the door is open for a young pitcher — Dollander, Palmquist and Sean Sullivan, 24, are the top candidates — to make the rotation.

The Rockies are not averse to sending a veteran starter to the bullpen.

Dollander, Colorado’s top draft pick (ninth overall) in 2023, is on the fast track after a 2024 season in which he went 6-2 with a 2.59 ERA and 169 strikeouts in a combined 23 starts and 118 innings at High-A Spokane and Double-A Hartford.

Schmidt said Dollander will not begin his big-league career as a reliever. If he makes the big-league roster, it will be as a starter.

Palmquist, however, could open the season with the big-league club in the bullpen, though the club still sees him as a future starter.

“If we need that extra lefty (in the big-league bullpen) who can provide that two-plus inning type of outing, then that’s what we could do,” Forbes said.

Palmquist, entering his second big-league camp, wants to make the team any way he can.

“I’ve told them I will do whatever it takes to help the team win and help me get (to the majors) and win some ballgames. … I’m 100% game for it,” said Palmquist, who took a big leap last season with a 3.83 ERA in 18 starts in Double-A Hartford last year before finishing the season at Triple-A Albuquerque.

Palmquist plans to use last year’s spring training as a springboard.

“I just want to go in there and show them what I can do — in games and on a daily basis,” he said. “I learned last year that it’s all about being a professional and doing all the right things every day.”

Black casts a supercritical eye on all young pitchers, but he’s open to the young guns making the big-league team if they are truly prepared for the promotion.

“Double-A pitchers can get (to the majors) quick, based on performance or injuries at the big-league level or lack of performance by guys at the big-league level,” Black said. “That’s if we think these guys are ready, and we do think a lot of these guys are getting there.

“So we are going to take a long look at those guys, for sure. We are going to evaluate them hard and see where they are and see if they are ready. And they just might be. But they are really going to have to prove it.”

Black got an up-close-and-personal look at his young relievers last September and called their future “promising.” Right-handers Victor Vodnik (potential closer), Angel Chivilli, Jeff Criswell, Jaden Hill and Halvorsen, along with lefty Luis Peralta, give the Rockies some raw talent in the bullpen. Vodnik, Halvorsen and Hill have all hit 100 mph with their fastball.

Black likes the young relievers’ fearlessness and aggressiveness. They also impressed Black by not walking many batters during their impressive September.

The manager is also excited to evaluate right-hander Zach Agnos, 24, who’ll be in big-league camp for the first time. The former East Carolina shortstop has evolved into a promising reliever.

Agnos began the 2024 season at High-A Spokane and thrived. In 24 2/3 innings across 21 games, he had a 0.73 ERA and 0.69 WHIP. The Rockies promoted Agnos to Double-A in late June. Despite being 1.5 years younger than the league average, he posted a 1.95 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP over 27 2/3 innings.

“Agnos is going to be a fast mover,” Black said. “The competition in the bullpen is going to be strong. That’s a great thing. A lot of these guys have a chance to make a move. Now, we’ll see what they do with that chance.”