Colorado Rockies: Alan Trejo adapts to career roller coaster ride

The Major League career thus far for Alan Trejo of the Colorado Rockies has been like that of a youngster on a thrilling roller coaster ride at an amusement park.

Full of ups and downs.

Currently in his fourth stint on the active roster for the Colorado Rockies in 2022, Trejo has learned how to navigate how to handle the plethora of moves that have taken place the past two seasons of shuttling between Denver and Albuquerque, home of the Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate.

Alan Trejo of the Colorado Rockies has remained positive despite his numerous trips between the major and minor leagues.

Despite the sporadic movement between the major and minor league levels, the native of Downey, Calif., has taken the changes in locale in stride with the right mindset.

“The biggest thing is to just stay positive,” Trjejo told Rox Pile in an exclusive interview before Colorado’s series-opening game Friday night against Arizona at Coors Field. “Whatever the situation may be, you got to make the most of it. That’s just where I stand in terms of whenever I go up and down. There’s only so much I can handle and that’s playing well. I just try to stay positive with it.”

When he has had the opportunity to play for the parent club this season, Trejo has certainly taken advantage of the chances to impress.

Called up for his current stint after regular shortstop José Iglesias was sidelined with a right hand injury, Trejo smacked his third career home run and second of the season — a two-run shot in a four-run second inning — in the Rockies’ 8-4 victory Wednesday afternoon against Milwaukee.

Just a night earlier, he notched a career-high three hits and drove in a run to help the Rox rally from a five-run eighth-inning deficit before prevailing 10-7 in 10 innings against the Brewers.

Earlier in the 2022 campaign, after making the Opening Day roster, Trejo slammed a go-ahead three-run homer in Colorado’s 6-5 home victory against the Chicago Cubs. The round-tripper, his first since his initial MLB career homer on June 4, 2021, came in his first game action of 2022 and in only his second at bat of the year.

“I think there’s small spurts of things that I’ve done up here,” he said. “But in terms of doing it a whole season, that’s something I have yet to prove. Hopefully, I get a chance to do that.”

Trejo appeared in 28 games across three separate stints with the Colorado Rockies a year ago. In his four stints with the Rox this season, and entering action Friday night, the infielder has played in 16 games while batting .264 (14-for-53) with a pair of doubles, two homers, and nine RBI.

Defensively, while playing at second base, shortstop, and third base, Trejo has committed just one error in 69 chances.

“(I am) just trying to do my job on defense,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in my work defensively. I just try to help the pitchers as much as I can, particularly here at Coors Field.”

With only 24 more regular-season contests remaining for the Rox (entering the series opener Friday night with the D-backs), Trejo knows this final stretch of the year could a dress rehearsal for him going into what he hopes would be a permanent spot on the Rockies roster in 2023.

“It gives me a chance to showcase the kind of player I am and gives the team a look at the kind of shortstop I can play and the kind of player I can be,” he said. “So I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity.”

Colorado manager Bud Black noted that Trejo has made the most of his time with the Rox during his four times on Colorado’s active roster this season.

“He’s doing fine,” Black told media during his postgame comments following the Rox having clinched a series win against Milwaukee Wednesday afternoon. “We like Tre. Tre is very dependable on defense and second, short and third. He’s got good hands. He’s got good actions as an infielder. Every player, when they play Major League games — especially a young guy or lesser-service time player, they’re trying to take advantage of the opportunity and show what they can do. He is doing that.”