On Wednesday, Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story was included among MLB Network’s countdown of the Top 100 Players Right Now entering the 2021 season.
Story was ranked 16th on the Wednesday episode that covered #20 through #11 with #10 through #1 being covered on Thursday night at 5 PM M.T. A few weeks ago, MLB Network’s objective methodology “The Shredder” ranked Trevor Story as the best shortstop in baseball for the second straight season (a ranking that none of their analysts agreed with). However, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was inexplicable ranked 4th on the shortstop list but above Story in the Top 100 list. That, however, has been a frequent issue when comparing the lists.
Story’s teammate Charlie Blackmon was also on the Top 100 list as he was ranked as the 76th best player in baseball right now and ranked as the 9th best right fielder on the Top 10 Right Fielders list.
More from Rox Pile
- A Colorado Rockies Thanksgiving
- Colorado Rockies: What if Todd Helton had played football instead?
- Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon out for the season
- Colorado Rockies: Injuries shift look of roster ahead of Dodgers series
- Colorado Rockies: Has Sean Bouchard earned a second look in 2023?
On Wednesday, though, the Top 100 list also featured two of Story’s former teammates.
Former Rockies second baseman and current New York Yankee DJ LeMahieu was ranked 14th on the list and former Rockies third baseman and current St. Louis Cardinal Nolan Arenado was ranked 13th on the list.
Story, 28, has finished in the top 12 in NL MVP voting in each of the last three seasons and he has been an All-Star twice and won a Silver Slugger Award twice as well. In 2020, he was the Rockies best offensive player when he hit .289/.355/.519 with 11 home runs, 28 RBI, and an OPS+ of 118. He led the NL in triple (4) and stolen bases (15). His 2.4 WAR (per Baseball-Reference) was 10th in the NL and he was also 9th in the NL in runs (41), 4th in hits (68), and 8th in total bases (122).
Story will likely have to step up even more in 2021 as he will be the Rockies number one key player now that Nolan Arenado is gone. Story is also entering his walk year as he is a free agent at the end of the season. Depending on how the Rockies play to start the season, Story may be yet another Rockies among the Top 100 list that leaves the Rockies to finish off his career elsewhere.