DENVER — Six years ago, Trevor Story, then a young buff still trying to work his way up to the major leagues, took to the field at Great American Ball Park alongside the best prospects in baseball.

Less than a year later, he made his MLB debut for the Rockies. It was his first taste of the big leagues, and made him hungry for a bigger helping.

“You are there during All-Star week, you are in a big league clubhouse and you get to feel all those feelings with the excitement of the game too,” he said. “I really cherished that time.”

The Rockies have sent seven prospects to the Futures Game since 2015, and all have gone on to play at the major league level. This year, the Rockies had three representatives at the event held on their home turf: Ryan Vilade, Willie Maciver and Michael Toglia.

Story had a key piece of advice for them. He advised them to take a step back, and to realize it’s a special opportunity. Toglia, the youngest of the three, lit up when he heard this. It was a star-struck moment. Story, one of the best shortstops in the game, knew who he was.

“That means a lot coming from him,” Toglia said. “They’ve gone through what we’ve gone through. It shows that we really aren’t that far away.”

At the Futures game, they got a taste of what their life could be like in the near future. Everything is different than the minor leagues, from the food — bison and elk meatloaf with edible flowers pregame; filet mignon and swordfish postgame — to the access levels. Maciver’s parents tried to get on the field to take a picture with their son, something they can do with ease in Hartford, only to be told that that doesn’t fly at the major league level.

“This place is awesome,” Maciver said, eyes wide as he looked around. “It’s so nice, everything is top notch. It’s a pleasure to be here.”

Of the three, Vilade is the closest to playing at Coors Field on a regular basis. The Rockies’ No. 4 prospect is currently with Triple-A Albuquerque. A newly converted outfield, Vilade has gotten playing time in the left and right corners. He’s currently batting .288 with 55 hits. His focus is mainly on his defense, and continuing to put together strong at-bats.

“I’m feeling comfortable,” he said of the move to the outfield. “It’s relaxing, it’s fun. I’m enjoying it.”

Maciver, a catcher, was recently promoted to Double-A Hartford. Toglia, a switch hitting first baseman, is with high-A Spokane. He smashed a homer 441 feet to centerfield on Sunday at the Futures Game.

“It’s been fun,” he said. “It’s what it’s all about. It’s what we play for. It’s a lot of hard work coming to fruition. I just want to stay with my approach, keep it rolling.”