The lowdown on FA SS Trevor Story
Nick Aguilera
@ByNickAguileraA stacked shortstop class has hit the free-agent market, but none of those players has a more fascinating case than Trevor Story. The two-time Silver Slugger Award winner has gone through his share on inconsistencies, but there¡¯s no doubt he has all the tools to be one of the game¡¯s most elite players and, perhaps, the best of this year¡¯s free-agent crop.
Follow all of the latest Story rumors here.
Here¡¯s what you need to know about Story:
FAST FACTS
Birthdate: Nov. 15, 1992 (Age 29 in 2022)
Primary position: SS
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 213 lbs.
Bats/throws: Right/right
Place of birth: Irving, Texas
School(s): Irving (Texas) HS
Drafted: 1st round (45th), 2011, by Rockies
MLB debut: April 4, 2016
Qualifying offer: Received one; declined
STAT TO KNOW
Of all active players to play at least 50 percent of their games at shortstop, Story is tied with Mets star Francisco Lindor for the fourth-most home runs at the position (158). Out of the top 10 home run hitters at short, only he and fellow free agent Carlos Correa have fewer than 800 games under their belts.
QUESTION MARK
While Story has always had great success within the confines of Coors Field, he¡¯s had significantly less success on the road throughout his career. In 375 career games in Colorado up to this point, Story is slashing .303/.369/.603 with 95 home runs and 279 RBIs. In 370 games away, that line plummets to .241/.310/.442 with 63 homers and 171 runs driven in. That could give teams some pause, but it's also common knowledge at this point that calling Coors Field home suppresses Rockies players' road numbers. Story would hardly be the first former Colorado slugger to succeed after leaving the Mile High City.
He soared from 0 to 100
In 2019, Story became the fastest shortstop to reach the 100-homer mark, in his 448th game. He crushed Alex Rodriguez¡¯s record of 470 games and, for good measure, he launched his 101st homer in the same contest, a walk-off two-run blast that lifted the Rockies over the Orioles. One reason Story got to triple digits so quickly? He began his career in historic fashion in 2016, with two homers in his debut and seven in his first six games.
His name is etched in Rockies history
Story spent just six years with the Rockies -- with one of those seasons being the pandemic-shortened 2020 season -- but that¡¯s all the time he needed to solidify himself as one of the best players in franchise history. Story ranks in the top 10 in homers, doubles, triples and stolen bases out of all players to don a Rockies uniform.
He¡¯s not just a home run hitter
Everyone knows about Story¡¯s prolific power, but he¡¯s more than just a big bat. In 2019, Story ranked among the best defensive shortstops in the league with +18 Outs Above Average on the season and was a finalist for the Gold Glove Award in the NL. He¡¯s also one of the fastest players in MLB, posting an average sprint speed above 28.5 feet per second in all six seasons in Denver. For reference, 30 ft/sec is the threshold for elite speedsters, while 27 ft/sec is the MLB average. Those wheels have translated to 20-plus steals in each of the past three full seasons since 2018.
He was almost part of a stacked LSU team
Coming out of high school in 2011, Story was committed to play college baseball at Louisiana State University. Phillies right-handed pitcher Aaron Nola was also part of LSU¡¯s recruiting class that year, while Astros All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman followed in 2012. Nola and Bregman saw their commitments through, while Story signed with the Rockies following the 2011 Draft. It worked out for all three, though, as each of them became a first-round pick.