The story on Trevor Story: Why the Rockies must keep their lone piece of momentum

ESPN’s premium platform published an article recently breaking down the 2022 free-agent class, with a focus on the crop’s loaded middle infield market – a list that includes Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story.

Flash all the way back to Spring Training 2016. Trevor Story, a shortstop drafted in 2011 out of Texas, was in a dogfight to be the Colorado Rockies shortstop. The days of Troy Tulowitzki’s number two flashing across the diamond to take pregame infield practice were over after his trade to the Blue Jays. Christian Adames, Daniel Descalso, and Story were all fighting for a chance to be the Rockies’ everyday shortstop.

Story won the starting job and nearly the National League’s Rookie of the Year award before tearing ligaments in his thumb – leaving the shortstop at 27 home runs and an on-base plus slugging of .909 in 97 games.

Since then, Story’s played in at least 145 games each of the last four seasons, excluding 2020’s shortened slate in which he played in 59 games of the 60-contest slate. In both 2018 and 2019, he brought home a Silver Slugger and finished in the top 12 in both years’ Most Valuable Player races.

Coincidentally, when a player performs at a perennial All-Star level, he also expects and deserves to be paid like it.

In ESPN’s recent piece, Story was projected to garner a 7-year, $189 million deal. It was the lowest projected total compared to Francisco Lindor (9 years, $234 million), Corey Seager (9 years, $234 million), and Carlos Correa (8 years, $200 million).