Trevor Story

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Colorado Rockies #8 prospect in 2016
  Story has had his ups and downs since the Rockies took him 45th overall and signed him for $915,000 in 2011. He rebounded from a disastrous 2013 season at high Class A Modesto by repeating the level and advancing to Double-A in late 2014. The adjustments he made carried over to a big 2015 season, split evenly between Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Albuquerque. Story possesses quick hands and tremendous bat speed, flashing at least average power with a slight uppercut in his swing. He has had problems staying balanced at the plate and keeping his head locked in to see the ball. At times he expands the strike zone, particularly against breaking balls, and he is prone to overswinging. The high strikeouts won't go away, but he did swing and miss less in 2015 thanks to a more focused gap-to-gap approach and better selectivity. Story is a solid-average shortstop with enough arm for the position. He has seen time at second base and third and has the athleticism to handle either. He has average speed but is an opportunistic basestealer. Story is knocking on the big league door, though he may need more seasoning at Triple-A Albuquerque before he joins the Rockies. He projects as an offensive middle infielder or third baseman.
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  Ranked Colorado Rockies #12 prospect in 2015
  Story signed for $915,000 after the Rockies took him 45th overall in 2011, but his struggles to make consistent contact have kept him from fulfilling his potential. He has trouble with sliders down and away, and fastballs both in and up, and he needs to eliminate at least one of those holes in his swing. He carries his hands with him at times while striding, keeping him from reading and recognizing pitches. Story has good hand-eye coordination and plus bat speed but will pull off his lower half, causing balance issues that make it hard for him to get to anything spinning on the outer half of the plate. He has enough bat speed and bat strength to let the ball travel, and he did a better job last year of not sitting on his back side, though in Double-A he had trouble keeping his lower half closed. In the field, Story doesn't always react to balls as a shortstop must and seemed a step slow. He even played five games last year at second base, where he may end up. After struggling in Double-A last year, Story will probably return to that level to begin 2015 at the Rockies' new New Britain affiliate.
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  Ranked Colorado Rockies #9 prospect in 2014
  The Rockies took Story 45th overall as a compensation pick in the 2011 draft for the loss of free agent righthander Octavio Dotel, who pitched in just eight games for them in 2010. He signed for $915,000 and has advanced one level yearly. After a big season in 2012, when he played both third base and shortstop, he experienced plenty of growing pains in 2013 at high Class A Modesto. Story was hitting .204 at the end of June before making a few adjustments for the final two months. He has good bat speed, power and arm strength, but he fell into an early trap of trying to pull the ball too much and chasing bad pitches. He did a better job of going up the middle and using the off gap as the season went on. Story can be overly aggressive and finished second in the Cal League with 183 strikeouts, or once every third trip to the plate. Defensively, Story has good range and arm strength for the left side and plays with calmness. Some scouts believe the average runner is better suited for third than short. The Rockies laud him for continuing to play hard and with energy through instructional league. Story likely will return to Modesto in 2014. That could mean more time at third base if he's sharing shortstop with Rosell Herrera, as he did in 2011 and '12.
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  Ranked Colorado Rockies #3 prospect in 2013
  After Story went 45th overall in the 2011 draft and signed for $915,000, he ranked as the Pioneer League's top prospect in his pro debut. He moved up to low Class A in 2012 and rated as the South Atlantic League's best position prospect. He shared time with Rosell Herrera at shorstop and third base early in the year, then became the full-time shortstop when Herrera was demoted in early July. Story has more all-around ability than most shortstops. He recognizes breaking pitches well for his age, is adept at staying inside the ball and has impressive bat speed. He led the SAL with 43 doubles and 67 extra-base hits as a 19-year-old. He has a knack for driving the ball the other way, though he can become too pull-conscious. Better pitchers took advantage of his aggressiveness last year, and he ran up high strikeout totals, though the Rockies expect he'll make more contact as he learns his swing. Managers rated Story as the SAL's best defensive shortstop, though some scouts questioned his actions and arm strength. He's a calm, instinctive defender who covers ground and rarely makes ill-advised throws. He does lay back somewhat on balls hit right at him. He's a solid runner. He might outgrow shortstop and Troy Tulowitzki is blocking him there anyway, but Story has the tools to develop into an all-star at third base or second. He'll play in high Class A at age 20.
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  Ranked Colorado Rockies #6 prospect in 2012
  Octavio Dotel pitched just eight games for Colorado in 2010, but his departure as a free agent gave the Rockies the 45th overall pick in 2011 draft as compensation. They took Story, the first time they used a top-100 choice on a shortstop since taking Troy Tulowitzki seventh overall in 2005, and signed him for $915,000. He ranked as the top prospect in the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he split time at shortstop with Rosell Herrera and played 15 games at third base. Story has unusual presence for such a young player and a chance to have five average or better tools. He has a solid middle-of-the-field approach, good bat speed and the ability to drive the ball. He could have 20-homer power once he gains size and strength. He makes steady contact but can get overly aggressive and drop his back shoulder and get under balls. Story's above-average speed and instincts give him basestealing ability and solid range at shortstop. He has smooth actions and a plus arm that will play better once he upgrades his footwork. Eight of his 15 errors at Casper came on throws. Story can handle the jump to low Class A Asheville as a 19-year-old. Tulowitzki eventually will block him at shortstop, but Colorado will develop Story there for the time being. He should have enough bat for second or third base if needed.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Eastern League #12 prospect in 2015
  In just a half-season in the EL, Story made a big impression on evaluators. He utilizes quick hands, and a swing with a slight uppercut to hit for a decent average, plenty of flyballs and big-time power. He's plenty strong now but should add more muscle as he matures. This combination helps him project as an offensive shortstop at the highest level--though he strikeouts always will be part of the package. While Story may not be the rangiest defender at shortstop, he positions himself well and has a strong enough arm to make up for any shortcomings. He's a smart runner, too, with above-average instincts who stole 15 bases in 17 tries at New Britatin. If Story does have to move off shortstop, he has experience at both second and third base. He has the necessary athleticism to handle any infield position while still putting up big-time offensive numbers.
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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #9 prospect in 2015
  Story began the season with a strong first half at Double-A New Britain, and earned a promotion to Triple-A at the beginning of July. He built on that success with Albuquerque, and finished the season with a combined line of .279/.350/.514 with 70 extra-base hits, including 20 home runs, and 22 stolen bases in 130 games. Story has quick hands, produces plenty of bat speed and frequently drives the ball. But too often he gets out of balance at the plate and struggles to make consistent contact. He struck out 68 times in 275 plate appearances with Albuquerque, a number that is in line with his career strikeout rate of 26 percent. Story has primarily played shortstop during his career, but also saw time at both second and third base with the Isotopes. He is athletic and has a strong enough arm for the left side of the infield, but may fit best as an offensive second baseman.
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  Ranked California League #19 prospect in 2013
  Defensively, Story is in Addison Russell?s class. He?s superbly athletic and plays with easy actions at shortstop and with a strong arm. Despite his physical tools, Story?s hitting lags well behind. After batting .150 in April, his average improved each month, peaking when he hit .286 in August. Story has bat speed and balance in his swing, and his 12 homers were a respectable total given that Modesto plays in the league?s most pitcher-friendly park. However, he swings through too many pitches, producing an alarming strikeout rate of one every three plate appearances. There was simply too much going on in his swing and he needs to simplify things. Story was especially vulnerable when opponents pitched him backwards. Story is a solid runner, and Cal League observers were intrigued enough with his athleticism and youth to still give him a chance despite a disappointing season.
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #2 prospect in 2012
  Story displayed advanced skills in all phases of the game, leading the SAL with 43 doubles and 67 extra-base hits while earning recognition from the managers as the league's best defensive shortstop. He also batted .310 with two homers in the playoffs to help Asheville win its first outright championship since 1984. A solid hitter for average and power, Story has a mature approach and makes impressive adjustments at the plate, using the leverage in his swing to drive the ball to all fields. Some scouts think he has fringy actions and arm strength for shortstop, so he could wind up at third base, where he played 21 games for the Tourists. His instincts enhance his defensive tools and his solid speed on the bases. "He has a powerful swing," Greenville manager Carlos Febles said. "He's very aggressive. The ball jumps off his bat and he makes some loud contact."
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  Ranked Pioneer League #1 prospect in 2011
  Prior to signing Story for $915,000 as the 45th overall selection in the 2011 draft, the Rockies hadn't drafted a shortstop with a top-100 pick since taking Troy Tulowitzki seventh overall in 2005. Upon seeing Story for the first time, Tulowitzki said, "This kid looks just like me in high school." While Story isn't quite as physical, he shares Tulowitzki's sharp baseball instincts and has a chance for five average or better tools. Story makes steady contact and manages the strike zone, so scouts expect he'll hit for average, possibly as high as .280 annually. He also offers significant power potential for a middle infielder, and he blasted two of his six homers to the opposite field. He collapses his back side and uppercuts at the ball to help generate power, so Colorado has worked with him to level his swing and stay above the ball longer to hit more line drives. Story surprised Pioneer League managers with his above-average speed, which combined with his baserunning instincts make him a stolen-base threat. No one questions his ability to stick at shortstop because he has solid-average range, smooth actions and average hands. His arm grades as plus, though he committed eight of his 15 errors on throws, including his final six miscues.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #96 prospect in 2013

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: After Story went 45th overall in the 2011 draft and signed for $915,000, he ranked as the Pioneer League's top prospect in his pro debut. He moved up to low Class A in 2012 and rated as the South Atlantic League's best position prospect. He shared time with Rosell Herrera at shorstop and third base early in the year, then became the full-time shortstop when Herrera was demoted in early July. Scouting Report: Story has more all-around ability than most shortstops. He recognizes breaking pitches well for his age, is adept at staying inside the ball and has impressive bat speed. He led the SAL with 43 doubles and 67 extra-base hits as a 19-year-old. He has a knack for driving the ball the other way, though he can become too pull-conscious. Better pitchers took advantage of his aggressiveness last year, and he ran up high strikeout totals, though the Rockies expect he'll make more contact as he learns his swing. Managers rated Story as the SAL's best defensive shortstop, though some scouts questioned his actions and arm strength. He's a calm, instinctive defender who covers ground and rarely makes ill-advised throws. He does lay back somewhat on balls hit right at him. He's a solid runner. The Future: He might outgrow shortstop, but Story has the tools to develop into an all-star at third base or second. He'll play in high Class A at age 20.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Octavio Dotel pitched just eight games for Colorado in 2010, but his departure as a free agent gave the Rockies the 45th overall pick in 2011 draft as compensation. They took Story, the first time they used a top-100 choice on a shortstop since taking Troy Tulowitzki seventh overall in 2005, and signed him for $915,000. He ranked as the top prospect in the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he split time at shortstop with Rosell Herrera and played 15 games at third base. Scouting Report: Story has unusual presence for such a young player and a chance to have five average or better tools. He has a solid middle-of-the-field approach, good bat speed and the ability to drive the ball. He could have 20-homer power once he gains size and strength. He makes steady contact but can get overly aggressive and drop his back shoulder and get under balls. Story's above-average speed and instincts give him basestealing ability and solid range at shortstop. He has smooth actions and a plus arm that will play better once he upgrades his footwork. Eight of his 15 errors at Casper came on throws. The Future: Story can handle the jump to low Class A Asheville as a 19-year-old. Tulowitzki eventually will block him at shortstop, but Colorado will develop Story there for the time being. He should have enough bat for second or third base if needed.