Who could be the Opening Day shortstop for the Colorado Rockies?

Heading into the 2022 season (whenever it begins), the Colorado Rockies will have a gaping hole at shortstop. Trevor Story could always re-sign on a one-year deal but that looks to be highly unlikely.

The Rockies are seemingly more likely to address their outfield needs than their infield need so it could be something that could be a hot-button issue when the MLB lockout ends: Who will be the Colorado Rockies Opening Day starter at shortstop?

The Colorado Rockies have a few internal options to be their everyday shortstop

If it’s someone other than Story, it will be the first time since 2006 that Troy Tulowitzki (2007-2015) or Trevor Story (2016-2021) won’t be the Opening Day shortstop for the Colorado Rockies.

As Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post (subscription required) examined in his most recent mailbag, the Colorado Rockies have a few internal options for shortstop.

If the Rockies decide not to make anybody move positions, the top candidate would be Alan Trejo. Trejo is a good defensive shortstop but his bat is a big question mark.

In 2019, Trejo only hit .243 with a sub-.700 OPS in Double-A. In 2021, Trejo did hit better in Triple-A, as he hit .278 with a .893 OPS. However, the Triple-A West is known to be an extremely hitter-friendly league.

In 28 games in the majors in 2021, Trejo hit just .217 with a sub-.600 OPS.

If the Rockies are willing to move someone from another position, they could look to Garrett Hampson.

Hampson was their primary center fielder in 2021. However, he is a natural shortstop. If they plan on adding in the outfield and/or handing the everyday center field reigns to Sam Hilliard, Hampson could get the nod at shortstop.

But, like with Trejo, his defense is good but his bat is a big question mark. Hampson’s bat, though, hasn’t developed in multiple MLB seasons.

Since 2019 (his first full MLB season), Hampson’s batting average has never been above .250 (it’s been .234 in each of the last two seasons) and he hasn’t had an OPS above .700 or an OPS+ above 71.

Lastly, the Rockies could turn to Ryan McMahon or Brendan Rodgers to play shortstop. However, they would have to find replacements for them (internally or externally) at third base or second base. Rodgers is a natural shortstop but McMahon has never played there. Nonetheless, earlier this offseason, it was something that Rockies GM Bill Schmidt was considering. It seems more likely that McMahon would move to short over Rodgers.

Any way you look at it, it will be a big hole for the Rockies to fill and unless they sign one of the remaining big-name shortstops or re-sign Story, the person replacing Story will be a significant downgrade on paper at the plate and that’s a downgrade that the Rockies can’t afford to have.