Lifelong Rox fan Messinger cherishes chance to don purple pinstripes

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Niwot, Colorado, boasts a population just north of 4,000 residents, a figure that has remained largely unchanged since the turn of the century. Named for a 19th-century Arapaho tribal leader, the historic town that sits just off Highway 119 was where Skyler Messinger plied his craft on the prep scene.

Having attended high school just nine miles northeast of Boulder and roughly a half-hour drive from Denver, the Messinger clan were frequent Coors Field attendees. Which makes the fact that Messinger -- the club’s 19th-round selection in 2022 -- is representing the organization in the Fall League even sweeter.

“Growing up, I was always at Rockies games at Coors Field,” Messinger said. “I idolized a lot of players in this organization that have been able to come back here and that I've gotten to meet, which has been extremely cool for me. So I'm just really grateful.”

The 25-year-old is bringing his exciting blend of tools to Salt River this fall, and they were perfectly encapsulated in one play during the club’s 8-6 loss to Scottsdale at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Tuesday night. The first homer of any campaign is always cherished, but this one wasn’t how Messinger envisioned it.

#ThanksTodd #HatsOff #Unbelievable pic.twitter.com/Yrci6ErwrK

— Skyler Messinger (@MessingerSkye) September 26, 2013

In the midst of a battle with right-hander Khristian Curtis (PIT No. 27) in the fifth inning, Messinger got a curveball on the outer half that he flicked down the right-field line. Caught between right fielder Bo Davidson (SF No. 25) potentially making a sliding grab and the ball going foul, Messinger didn’t get a stellar jump -- but upon seeing it land fair, and past Davidson, Messinger took off.

“I thought I was just gonna get two, but I just kept getting waved around,” he said. “I was getting tired of running around the bases, but I was lucky enough to get home.”

Messinger’s inside-the-parker marked the fastest journey around the bases at Salt River Fields since at least 2016, and the first of the ‘24 Fall League campaign. His 15.9-second home-to-home time would have ranked 12th in the Majors this season, with seven of those times coming on dashes around the bases that resulted in a home run.

Not having notched an inside-the-parker since his Little League days, the funky play harkened back to Messinger’s roots as a prep standout. His senior year, he got to play with his older brother, Connor, serving as a coach. When the Cubs selected him in the 22nd round of the 2017 Draft, he instead went on to the University of Kansas, where he played four seasons.

Throughout his Jayhawks -- and eventual Texas Longhorns -- tenure, Messinger was a staple of the summer league circuit. The Northwoods League in 2018. The Alaska Summer League in 2019. The New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2021. All as part of his mission for someone, somewhere to see something they liked in the 6-foot-3 infielder as his frame continued to fill out.

Messinger's profile rose significantly when he slashed .364/.414/.560 as a grad transfer for Texas in 2022. It was there that his Rockies journey took a fortuitous turn -- getting to meet former All-Star shortstop and current Longhorns assistant coach Troy Tulowitzki. That connection was enough to pique the big league club’s interest, and Messinger signed for $20,000 as a fifth-year senior.

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After an initial foray into pro ball that included an 18-homer spate with Single-A Fresno in 2023, Messinger's upward push was stunted last offseason when his right elbow barked after a throwing session. UCL reconstruction knocked Messinger out of action until June, and then he spent much of the summer playing in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League and rehabbing at the club’s facilities in Scottsdale. He's now returned there for fall action in an attempt to kickstart his own journey to Coors Field, this time stepping across the white lines instead of watching from the stands.

When he was drafted, Messinger became just the fifth player from Niwot High School to earn that distinction -- but none of those players made the Majors. For many, the Fall League is a final hurdle on the way up to The Show. But with just 25 games under his belt at High-A (where he won a Northwest League title with Spokane this year), that’s a ways off for the Colorado native. For now, he’s hitting, throwing and running around the club’s Spring Training park -- especially when it means going all the way home.