NHS grad Skye Messenger signs with Rockies

For Niwot's Skyler Messenger, All-Star Game week was more than just a break in the major league season when MLB All-Stars would perform on a national stage, and fans would get a chance to see the best players in the world.

In addition to a Home Run Derby and a Futures Game, the week included the amateur draft, conducted over three days, with plenty of TV coverage, unlike days of old, when the draft could go as high as 70 rounds and was clouded in secrecy. As recently as 2019, the draft went 40 rounds.

For Messenger, fresh off of an appearance in the College World Series with the University of Texas, anxiety mounted on the third and final day of the draft. The first two days of the draft produced selections from the first 10 rounds. Day three would be the last 10 rounds, and Messenger had yet to hear his name called.

On the plus side, Messenger had performed extremely well during the college baseball post-season, earning Most Valuable Player honors in the Regional tournament, before bringing his team back from elimination with a late-game three-run homer against East Carolina.

He had a solid season at Texas at third base, working with his boyhood idol, former Colorado Rockie Troy Tulowitzki, a volunteer infield coach.He had been drafted out of high school by the Chicago Cubs in th2 22nd round in 2017, but chose to attend the University of Kansas and play college baseball.

But on the down side, he was 23 years old, which some scouts might hold against him.

Covid had given him an extra college year, and as he said, "If it wasn't for Covid, I never would have been here." Here was Texas, where he transferred after playing most of four years, with a Covid interruption, at the University of Kansas. Kansas is a Division I program, but it's not Texas, which has made a record 38 appearances in the College World Series.

In the end, some good words from a former Rockie and a former coach at Kansas convinced the Rockies to draft Messenger with their 19th-round pick.

"I went over to Connor's house that day," Messenger said, referring to his older brother and mentor, Connor Messenger, who had also played college baseball and later returned to Niwot High School as an assistant coach.. "The goal was to keep our minds off of the draft....We ended up watching most of it anyway."

As the day wore on and selections were down to the final few rounds, Messenger's name had not been called. Then things changed. "I got a call from Tulo, and he said the Rockies had called him about me." Tulo is Troy Tulowitzki, an all-star shortstop for the Rockies and Messenger's boyhood idol, who became a volunteer coach at Texas after his playing career ended.

"He said the Rockies were looking at me for their next pick," Messenger said. That pick came and went with the Rockies selecting pitcher Javier Ramos out of the University of Oklahoma. "Then Mark Gustafson of the Rockies called and said, 'We're going to take you with the next pick. Then I saw my name come across the ticker."

"I got a text later that night, and a call in the morning from Chris Forbes, the Rockies Director of Player Development," Messenger said. "He's a KU grad, which I didn't know."

The Rockies flew Messenger to Scottsdale, Ariz., and put him up in a hotel, with one other roommate, pitcherTyler Hoffman, a 17th-round pick from Tulane. Messenger signed his contract on Monday, receiving a $20,000 signing bonus, down considerably from the Cubs' offer when he was just out of high school. As a college grad, he had no bargaining leverage. Messenger has no regrets.

After a Covid test, filling out medical forms, and meeting with trainers, Messenger met a handful of other draftees. By Thursday, he'll take the field at Salt River Fields, where the Rockies have their spring training complex.

Messenger expects to start play in the Arizona Complex League, a Rookie level short-season minor league. "It feels like everyone is back at ground zero," Messenger said. "It's too early to tell where I end up. I'm just super excited to get out there."

Messenger credits Tulowitzki for much of his success. "It's just everything he preached, trying to prepare us for pro ball. I feel prepared. When I talked to him, he said he put in a good word with the Rockies."

Tulowitzki wasn't the only one recommending him to the Rockies. "The Rockies also got in touch with my Kansas coach, Rich Price, who also put in a good word. That's very cool. I have nothing but the highest praise and respect for him." Messenger was reminded that he beat his former team with a go-ahead grand slam home run in an 11-6 Texas win back in May, but he noted that several of his KU teammates came to Omaha to watch him in the College World Series.

It's somewhat ironic that Tulowitzki, who did not leave the Rockies on the best of terms, and Price, Messenger's former coach at Kansas, had a hand in the Rockies' draft pick. They will soon get a chance to see how their protege performs at the next level.

Messenger's family is also anxious to see him play in Arizona. "My dad and brother are itching to get down here," Messenger said. "And my mom." His dad Cary and brother Connor got to see him play in Omaha, along with his sister-in-law Leah Messenger. But his mom, Barbara, missed the trip due to Covid.

Stay tuned for the next chapter in Messenger's baseball career, which began years ago in Niwot Youth Sports.