Cole Carrigg triples in Rockies debut and plays with his `hair on fire,' manager says

“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Carrigg said after the Rockies beat the Chicago Cubs 7-3 on Tuesday night. “I love pushing it and going for three. Oh man, it was really awesome. It was the best feeling in the world.”

Carrigg brings speed to the diamond and an aura of fearlessness to go with it.

No way he's dialing it back, either. Nor do the Rockies want him to. The outfielder who now wears No. 16 — it was assigned to him — finished his debut 1 for 3 with a walk. Carrigg became the second Rockies player to have a triple as their first big league hit, joining Ryan Ritter, who accomplished the feat last season.

“As soon as it got by the first baseman, I’m thinking three for sure,” Carrigg said of his fifth-inning grounder down the line in right field.

This prospect doesn't hold back.

“He plays with his hair on fire,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “We just want that to continue up here. Anytime he’s on the baseball field, anything can happen. Just want him to play without fear, have fun, play free, and just let his skills shine.”

Carrigg was the fifth Rockies player to make their big league debut this season. He had a handful of family members, including mom and dad, along with friends and coaches in the stands to cheer.

He treated them to quite a show, too. He was doused with the contents of a Powerade bucket after the game.

“The nerves were running pretty high,” Carrigg said. “This is what I've worked for my whole entire life. If you're not nervous for that moment, you're not human.”

He got a glimpse of this level during the World Baseball Classic while playing shortstop for Team Israel. He said facing Venezuela and Ronald Acuña Jr. in front of more than 20,000 fans was certainly an eye-opening experience.

“As loud as I could have ever imagined,” said Carrigg, who was selected in the second round of the 2023 amateur draft from San Diego State. “It definitely got me prepared, for sure.”

The 24-year-old was in the midst of quite a season for Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting .338 with 15 doubles, five triples, six homers, 42 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He played outfield and mixed in some shortstop, too.

This after after a spring training in which he hit .387 and made a compelling case to possibly be on the Rockies roster. He just went to work.

“I think when you feel like you have a chance to be up here and a chance to help the team, and you know you’re kind of playing well, it’s hard not to look up here,” Carrigg said. “It’s hard to stay where your feet are. But I think that’s the best thing you can do is just keep using those opportunities in Triple-A to make sure that you’re ready for when you get here.”

He officially found out about his promotion over the weekend in front of his Isotopes teammates. Then again, he had an inkling the moment was about to arrive. Or, his teammate, Adael Amador, did anyway.

“Adael came up to me in the fifth inning of the game and he's like, `I think you’re getting called up, bro,'" Carrigg said. “I’m like, `What do you mean?' He’s like, ‘I got a feeling.’ He had a feeling."

About No. 16: Turns out one of his father's favorite players, Bo Jackson, donned that number while with the Kansas City Royals.

“That’s the first thing he said and I’m like, ‘That’s a pretty good number to have,’” Carrigg recounted.

Schaeffer was eager to see how Carrigg's skills translate in the big leagues.

“I mean, listen, he can run, he can hit from both sides and he can play instinctual center field, plays good shortstop, he steals bases,” said Schaeffer, who plans to use Carrigg as an outfielder. "A lot of people do that, but there’s not a lot of people that do that without fear. That’s part of his game.

“It’s one thing to have the tools, it’s another thing to use them, and he’s a guy that uses them.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb