Trevor Story is showing what player development is all about.
As the recognized top prospect at shortstop in the Rockies’ farm system, Story is tearing up the Double-A Eastern League, according to New Britain manager Darin Everson.
In his first 20 games, Story hit .361 and had 20 RBIs. Before that, he worked his way into the spotlight last year when he played for Single-A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa and had a total of 102 hits, including 25 doubles and 14 home runs.
Story, now in his fifth year in the Rockies’ farm system, was the 45th player selected in the 2011 draft.
Everson was Story’s hitting coach at Tulsa last year. He also witnessed the development Story made in the Arizona Fall League last September.
“The additional work in the fall league was a huge thing for him,” Everson said. “He’s more consistent and confident at the plate, and he has been great on the defensive side of the ball for us. He has the tools to compete at a high level, and he has a chance to be a real impact player.”
So far this season, Story has committed three errors.
Everson believes Story, 22, is a future big-leaguer. “He’s not that far away,” Everson said.
Footnotes. There is a pitcher moving along well in the Rockies’ farm system, but it’s not former first-round draft pick Jon Gray or former Rockies relief pitcher Rex Brothers, both of whom are struggling with Triple-A Albuquerque.
Right-hander Shane Carle is 4-0 in Double-A. In 26 innings with New Britain, he has walked only one hitter and has 17 strikeouts. The Rockies drafted him out of Long Beach State in the 10th round in 2013.
Gray is 0-3 with Albuquerque and has a 10.70 ERA. Brothers, the Rockies’ closer two years ago, is 1-0 with Albuquerque but has issued nine walks over six innings in seven appearances and has a 6.00 ERA.
Irv Moss: 303- 954-1296, imoss@denverpost.com or
Organization leaders
(Through Thursday)
HITTING
AVERAGE: (minimum 15 games) Noel Cueves, New Britain, .367; Trevor Story, New Britain, .361.
RUNS: Jordan Patterson, Modesto, 17; Tim Wheeler, Albuquerque, 15; Story, New Britain, 15; Correlle Prime, Modesto, 15.
HITS: Story, New Britain, 26; Raimel Tapia, Modesto, 26.
DOUBLES: Tapia, Modesto, 10; Prime, Modesto, 8.
TRIPLES: Patterson, Modesto, 4; Drew Weeks, Asheville, 4.
HOME RUNS: Wheeler, Albuquerque, 5; Brandon Barnes, Albuquerque, 4; Story, New Britain, 4; Patterson, Modesto, 4.
RBIs: Story, New Britain, 20; Tapia, Modesto, 20.
STOLEN BASES: Wes Rogers, Asheville, 16; Cueves, New Britain, 6; David Dahl, New Britain, 6; Emerson Jimenez, Asheville, 6.
PITCHING
VICTORIES: Shane Carle, New Britain, 4; Simon Castro, Albuquerque, 3; Yohan Flande, New Britain, 3; Gus Schlosser, New Britain, 3.
LOSSES: Johendi Jiminian, Modesto, 3; Carlos Polanco, Asheville, 3.
SAVES: Austin House, New Britain, 6; Josh Michalec, Asheville, 4.
INNINGS: Carle, New Britain, 26; Flande, New Britain, 24 .
WALKS: Rex Brothers, Albuquerque, 9; Logan Sawyer, Asheville, 9.
STRIKEOUTS: Flande, New Britain, 21; Zach Jemiola, Asheville, 21.
ERA: (starters) Matt Flemer, New Britain, 1.88; Flande, New Britain, 2.19; (relievers) Michalec, Asheville, 0.84; Jerad McCrummen, Asheville, 1.00.
