Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story is shaping up to be the talk of the trade deadline next month.
The 28-year-old infielder is a talented ballplayer that has shown the ability to impact games with his bat, glove, and legs.
He has managed to produce at a high level ever since he made his debut in the 2016 season.
His career line of .275/.341/.527 is proof that he can be an excellent offensive performer, even though he has struggled to a .255/.322/.424 line this season.
Since his contract runs out after the 2021 season, Colorado may look to deal him before the July 30 deadline.
“You have to think Brian Cashman, the Yankees general manager, is considering the possibility of acquiring Trevor Story.” pic.twitter.com/qi1pOCpMk9
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 1, 2021
We can’t dismiss the possibility of Story signing a long-term deal with the Rockies, but it’s not likely to happen since the organization may be years away from contending and he could prioritize winning.
The fact the he plays half his games at Coors Field has brought this debate to the table: Is Trevor Story overrated?
He isn’t overrated, and here is why.
He Contributes In Every Part Of The Game
Not only is Story a comfortably above-average offensive performer (career 112 weighted Runs Created Plus, or wRC+, where 100 is average) but his game goes way beyond what he does in the batter’s box.
Story is a good defender, evidenced by his career 27 OAA (Outs Above Average, a defensive metric created by Statcast) since 2016.
He also has an outstanding 58 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in the same timeframe.
Story is also a very good baserunner.
He has 88 career stolen bases, and led the league in 2020.
Over his career, he has accumulated +16 Base Running Runs, according to FanGraphs.
It goes without saying that he is also an excellent hitter, with power and patience.
He averaged 30 home runs from 2016 to 2019, his last four full seasons.
Naturally, he has been a lot better at home (.303/.367/.611) than on the road (.247/.314/.440), and people have pointed out that he may not be as productive if he gets out of Coors Field and plays for another team.
But everybody thought the same thing about Nolan Arenado, and he is raking with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Good hitters will produce anytime, anywhere, and Story is a good hitter.
As an overall asset and baseball player, Story is far from overrated.
In fact, there is a case to be made that he is underrated as a baseball player because lots of fans ignore his defensive and baserunning contributions.
He Is Still In His Prime
As a rental, Story may make sense for teams if the prospect costs are not too high.
As a long-term investment, Story makes even more sense because he offers a good combination of age and past track record.
We know that Story has been excellent in his major league career, but he, at 28 years old, still should have several years of high-level performance in him.
Trevor Story is such an underrated player. Saved the game there for the Rockies. They'll head to the 11th.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) September 24, 2020
Shortstops who can impact the game at the plate, on the field, and on the basepaths are not easy to find, and Story is one of them.
If anything, Story is an underrated player.
NEXT: 2 Concerning Stats About The Rockies So Far In 2021