SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rookie shortstop Trevor Story entered Rockies manager Walt Weiss' office for a meeting Tuesday morning, prior to the Rockies' 6-1 win over the D-backs.
General manager Jeff Bridich, third-base coach Stu Cole and hitting coach Blake Doyle were there, too, which was cool. Those would be the guys working with him if the Rockies picked him for the Opening Day roster. But player development director Zach Wilson was also there. Uh-oh.
Weiss broke the tension.
"I sat down, and Walt said, 'You got any video on Greinke?'" Story said, with a reference to D-backs Opening Night starter Zack Greinke. "I said, 'I've watched him pitch a lot.'
"Then he goes, 'Well, you're going to be facing him there in a few days.' We were all sitting down. We were all smiles. Then we hugged after."
Monday night against the D-backs, Story will become the first Rockies player to make his Major League debut in the starting lineup since Jeff Baker started at third base against the Padres in 2005. Baker ended up starting because of a late Spring Training injury to Garrett Atkins. In Story's case, the job was open -- veteran Jose Reyes, facing an offeseason domestic violence charge and a possible MLB suspension, isn't even in camp -- and Story, the Rockies' No. 11 prospect, simply clutched it.
Going into Tuesday's game against the D-backs, Story was batting .378 with six home runs and a 1.362 OPS. He also has handled defense with calm.
The Rockies made Story a supplemental first-round pick (45th overall) in 2011 out of Irving High School in Texas, and they took their time developing him, with perennial All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in place. Before last spring, Tulowitzki invited Story to train with him at his offseason home in Las Vegas for 10 days, and Story has credited Tulowitzki with teaching him how to prepare.
Last season's shocker of a trade sent Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays, but it also brought Reyes to Colorado. Story, however, kept his attention on a solid season at Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Albuquerque (combined .279 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs). He's expected to hit second in the batting order.
"Everybody dreams that they'll be told that they're in the big leagues, and it happened for me this morning," Story said. "It was really a dream come true. I'm really excited for the first game to get here and get it under way."