With one swing, Kyle Karros started truly believing in his big-league dream.
After Karros slipped to the fifth round of the 2023 MLB draft because of an ankle injury his junior season at UCLA, the third baseman was considered a middling Rockies prospect with an uncertain path to the majors.
But in his first full minor league season in 2024, Karros jump-started a breakout campaign with a walk-off homer for High-A Spokane. That moment paved the way to Northwest League MVP honors, a minor-league Gold Glove Award and a spot on the league’s postseason all-star team.
“I wasn’t a high pick, so there’s obviously always a little bit of self-doubt, but once that (walk-off) happened, a weight lifted off my shoulders,” Karros said.