Colorado Rockies prospect talk: Willie MacIver on Futures Game, promotion

Willie MacIver was a wanted man during media availability prior to the SiriusXM Futures Game being played on Sunday afternoon at Coors Field. Not only was the Colorado Rockies prospect playing in what he hoped would be his future home ballpark, but he was also coming to Denver on the heels of a historic home run barrage and promotion.

Colorado Rockies catching prospect Willie MacIver talked to us about the SiriusXM Futures Game and his promotion to Double-A Hartford.

The 30th-ranked prospect in the Rockies farm system, the 24-year-old MacIver was promoted to Double-A Hartford on June 29 and promptly made his presence felt with the Yard Goats, becoming the first Hartford to hit three homers in a game. Not only did MacIver go on a power tear for the Yard Goats on July 3, but he also hit the three long balls in his only three at-bats of the game and drove in six runs to power a 7-5 decision.

“That obviously was an awesome game. It was really fun for me and Hartford has been great,” MacIver said. “The stadium out there is awesome. The crowd we get in Hartford is great. I can’t say enough about the facilities there either. So far in my two weeks I’ve been there, I’ve loved it.”

MacIver has also been loving the time in Denver … again. He was with the Rockies at the alternate site during the 2020 COVID-19-shortened season and he’s been passing along some advice to his Futures Game teammates about keeping hydrated and playing games at altitude.

“The water is a big part because you get dehydrated a little quicker in the altitude,” MacIver said. “It just takes time to get used to it. We don’t really have that with one game so we’re just drinking a bunch of water.

“Obviously being at the alternate site also helps in learning from those older guys, the guys that are on the fringe of being in the big leagues. I think that was an experience for me that is really invaluable.”

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While MacIver is now in Hartford, he has plenty of love for some of the players still with High-A Spokane like pitcher Helcris Olivarez (“He struggled a little bit at the beginning, but he’s made some awesome adjustments,” MacIver said) and outfield prospect Brenton Doyle, who MacIver called the “most physically impressive player I’ve ever played with.

“I’ve been saying the whole time that he could probably be a defensive end in the NFL if he wanted to put on a few extra pounds, or a wide receiver,” MacIver smiled. “He’s a phenomenal athlete and one of the fastest guys I’ve ever played with.”

For now, though, MacIver is focused on taking the field in a game that holds special meaning to him.

“This is a dream come true. I’ve watched this Futures Game since when the All-Star Game was at AT&T Park in San Francisco (2007) when I was young,” MacIver said. “I went and watched the Futures Game there when I was just a kid, so this is definitely a cool experience and I’m just trying to take it all in.”