Rockies Sign Former Youngstown State Record-Breaker to Minor League Deal

The Colorado Rockies have reportedly signed a former Youngstown State star who set several single-season program records.

A Colorado Rockies hat. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies appeared determined to turn over every possible stone to find talent for its minor league system.

The Rockies have reportedly signed former Youngstown State star Kyle Fossum to a minor league contract. The deal was announced via a press release by Youngstown State. The signing has not appeared on Colorado’s Major League transaction log. It is also not clear if the contract comes with an invitation to Major League spring training.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

His college baseball career ended last summer and per his baseball-reference.com page does not show him playing any pro baseball last year. It appears Colorado will be his first stop in a professional career.

New Rockies Prospect Kyle Fossum

Fossum, a right-handed hitting outfielder, played three years at the University of Washington before he transferred to YSU to play his senior year. He became just the third player in YSU history to garner All-America honors after he was named ABCA/Rawlings All-America third team. He was also named Horizon League Player of the Year, the second in the program’s history and the first since 2010.

He made an impression in just one season, as he finished with a .382 batting average. He also asset new single-season school records for home runs (23), RBIs (62), runs scored (67), slugging percentage (.777) and total bases (171). He also had 18 doubles, 46 walks, a .496 on-base percentage and a 1.273 OPS. He ranked in the top 10 in the Horizon League in batting average, hits, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS, RBIs, runs scored, home runs, doubles and walks.

Youngstown had a hard season in 2025, going 15-42 overall and 11-19 in Horizon League play. The Penguins lost two of their three games in the Horizon League Tournament. Fossum went undrafted in July.

It’s likely that Fossum will be with the Rockies in minor league spring training, which usually begins a few weeks after Major League spring training begins. Where he’s assigned after that will depend on how he plays.

It’s not unheard of for undrafted players to reach the Majors. The path is just much harder. One such player is pitcher Dugan Darnell, who played for Division III Adrian in Michigan, played in the USPBL after graduation and signed a minor league deal with the Rockies in 2021. Darnell reached the Majors last season and made his debut with Colorado before a hip labrum injury ended his season.

Darnell was waived, claimed by the Pittsburgh Pirates, designated for assignment by the Pirates and is now with the Detroit Tigers.

Recommended Articles

feed