Trevor Story 2019 Outlook: Shortstop Making The Jump To Stardom
6 years agoColorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story broke onto the scene in his rookie 2016 season, hitting 27 home runs in just 97 games and was one of the top picks to break out in 2017. The power was there for Story in 2017, as he had 59 extra-base hits, but his batting average slumped from .272 in 2016 to .239 in his sophomore season. Considering that he struck out 191 times in 2017 as well, many thought that Story would be the prototypical all-or-nothing player. That was not the case in 2018, though, as Story rounded out his profile with a .291 batting average to go along with his 37 homers, 42 doubles, and six triples. He also stole 27 bases and was the top SS in fantasy baseball by the end of the season. A more aggressive approach at the plate led to more success for Story, as his swing rate went to 50.3% in 2018 from 46.2% in 2016 and 48% in 2017. He also saw his contact rate boom to 77.4% in 2018, with his zone swinging rate at 74.6%. It will be tough for Story to duplicate his 2018 season, but he did have a track record in the minors as a player with a strong average coupled with power and speed. While the minors are not the big leagues by any stretch, remember that Story had a .332 batting average in Double-A in 2014 and has stolen 15 bases at every level other than Triple-A. Maybe he is not the top SS in 2019 (though Coors will help), but, if he can keep his average around .280, Story should be a top-five SS and is a solid value at an ADP of 19.