The Albuquerque Isotopes began the 2026 season on the road, but will play before their home fans for the first time this year Tuesday night. After a rough 2025 campaign that saw Albuquerque finish at the bottom of the Pacific Coast League’s East Division, the Isotopes are looking to reward their faithful with a few more victories this season.
“We have some of the top prospects within the Rockies organization, highlighted by Charlie Condon, infield-outfielder,” said Forest Stulting, the team’s public relations manager. “He was a top draft pick just a couple years ago.”
The Colorado Rockies, the parent club of the Isotopes, drafted Condon as the third pick overall in the first round of the 2024 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft. Condon played on the Rockies’ Spring Training roster this year, and batted .385 in 46 plate appearances over 20 games.
Condon maintained that pace during the Isotopes’ season-opening series at Oklahoma City last weekend. Condon swatted two home runs, stole a base, and collected five RBI over the course of the three games.
Starting pitcher Gabriel Hughes, another former first-round pick (10th overall in 2022), is the scheduled starting pitcher for Tuesday. Hughes posted a 4-3 won-lost record and 5.11 ERA over 14 starts for Albuquerque last season.
Pitching at Isotopes Field is no easy assignment.
“Here at Isotopes Park, we play it a mile high, as you know, right? And so there's going to be a lot of offense,” Stulting said.
“The ball flies further in this thin air. So every game you come to there's going to be a lot of excitement, a lot of offense, a lot of back and forth. No lead is safe here in Albuquerque.”
Tuesday night’s game is the first of a six-game set against the Reno Aces. The homestand will include day games on Thursday and Sunday. Albuquerque will play all its Thursday home games during the day this year.
“We wanted to give more opportunity to folks who may work at night and not have the chance to come see the Isotopes play,” Stulting said.
Game info:
Reno (1-2) at Albuquerque (1-2)
6:35 p.m., Tuesday March 31
Gates open at 5:30
Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park
1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE
www.milb.com/albuquerque
