Uribe played 72 games for the Rockies in his rookie season of 2001. He batted .300, had eight home runs, and had 53 runs batted in (RBIs). He also had 11 triples, tying a club record held by Neifi Pérez and Juan Pierre. He made his major league debut on April 8, pinch-hitting and striking out against Jay Witasick in an 11–3 loss to the San Diego Padres. Three days later, he had his first major league hit against Matt Morris in a 3–1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He was sent down to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League a few times during the season. However, after July 25 he took over the shortstop position for the Rockies when they traded Pérez. On August 2, he hit his first major league home run against Dave Coggin in a 4–2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. He tied three other franchise records with two hits, two extra base hits, and six total bases in a single inning during an October 7 game against the San Diego Padres.