Doyle

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Former Shepherd University outfielder Brenton Doyle just completed his rookie season with the Colorado Rockies of the National League with a headfirst slide that helped his team win the season’s finale, 3-2, over playoff-bound Minnesota.

Doyle had been placed on second base to begin the eleventh inning of Sunday’s last regular season game.

He broke for third base on what appeared to be a straight steal. The pitch to the batter sailed past the Twins’ catcher and Doyle kept on running . . . finally sliding headfirst into home plate with the game-winning run.

The 25-year-old centerfielder had been called up to Colorado on April 24 from the Class AAA Albuquerque Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League.

His most impactful play during the 2023 season came on defense where the Rockies put him in centerfield and watched him lead the National League with 17 “defensive runs saved.” His 10 assists also led among the league’s centerfielders. He could conceivably win a Gold Glove Award for what he accomplished this season.

He finished the season with 399 official at-bats and raised his batting average to .203 with a splurge of hits in the season’s last two weeks.

Doyle finished with 22 stolen bases in 27 attempts.

Amongst his 81 hits were 10 home runs, five triples and 16 doubles.

He was able to drive in 48 runs and also score 48 runs.

A topic of constant conversation between Doyle and his hitting instructors and advisors, was his stream of strikeouts. He fanned 151 times on the season.

It seemed his position in the 2019 player draft when performing at Shepherd and his defensive prowess as well as solid minor league hitting stats made him a much-watched prospect as he rose through the Colorado minor league system. Doyle was drafted in the fourth round of that 2019 draft after completing his junior year at Shepherd.

He was slated to begin the 2023 season at Albuquerque and possibly be elevated in mid-season or later to the Major League club. Early-season injuries on the Colorado roster brought him to the big leagues in late April and he stayed there throughout the rest of the season.

Doyle came to Shepherd from Kettle Run High School in Warrenton, Va.

Even though he was a rookie, Doyle’s defensive consistency and showy numbers make him a prime candidate for Gold Glove consideration.