Rockies draft preview: Colorado’s front office sees chance to continue momentum picked up over last few classes
Over the past three years, the Rockies used their first-round draft picks with designs toward building the core of their future lineup by selecting outfielders Benny Montgomery and Zac Veen, catcher Drew Romo and first baseman Michael Toglia.
With all four of those players projected to debut at Coors Field within the next few years, the Rockies see this year’s MLB draft as a chance to continue that recent momentum. The draft begins Sunday night in Los Angeles, where Colorado has the No. 10 overall pick, three first-round picks and 22 picks overall.
“If you go back to ’03, ’04 and ’05, and you track how our (top prospects) were coming along and how we were winning together in the minor leagues, and then boom ’07 hits and we’ve got a World Series appearance as the product of these guys growing up together in the minors,” recalled Marc Gustafson, the Rockies’ head amateur scout.
“That’s what I see coming with our top prospects right now, and we have to continue to do that.”
Gustafson, general manager Bill Schmidt, vice president/assistant general manager of scouting Danny Montgomery and assistant scouting director Damon Iannelli are the primary decision-makers in this year’s draft. Like they’ve done since 2012, the Rockies are holding their draft at Salt River Fields. There, that foursome and about 30 other people (including all 17 area scouts and four national cross-checkers) will be locked into the team’s “big board” from Sunday through Tuesday.
In addition to the pick at No. 10, on Sunday the Rockies also select at No. 31 (a compensation pick for Trevor Story signing with the Red Sox), No. 38 (in Competitive Balance Round A) and No. 50 (second round).
While many mock drafts have the Rockies looking for a position player in college at No. 10, Colorado will also consider the top arms on the board at that point. Colorado hasn’t selected a pitcher in the first round since right-hander Riley Pint in 2016, and their last first-round pitcher to make it to the majors is Kyle Freeland (the No. 8 overall pick in 2014).
“I know, Bill knows, D-Mont knows, we’ve got to find that next Jon Gray, we’ve got to find that next Kyle Freeland,” Gustafson said. “(But ultimately) it’s not about who’ve we have or haven’t taken in year’s past, it’s about who’s available this year. You get into Day 3, we might be drafting a little bit different in terms of (addressing specific) needs, but the focus is on who’s the best player available.”
Who’s it at No. 10?
Rebecca S. Gratz, The Associated Press
Arizona’s Jacob Berry (15) rounds third on his way to score a run off a hit by Branden Boissiere against Vanderbilt in the first inning during a baseball game in the College World Series Saturday, June 19, 2021, at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.
Five potential players the Rockies might draft at No. 10 overall on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
RHP Brock Porter, St. Mary’s Prep (Mich.) — Likely to be the first arm off the board in a draft heavy in prep and college bats, Porter won Gatorade’s national player of the year in 2022. He’s 6-foot-4 with a high-90s fastball and could give Colorado’s farm badly needed starting pitching depth.
OF Gavin Cross, Virginia Tech — A consistent hitter with plus-power, the 6-foot-3 Cross hit 17 homers this spring. Probably not fast enough to be a center fielder in the majors, Cross projects at a corner spot, and would be another future middle-of-the-lineup pillar.
3B Jacob Berry, Louisiana State — As one of the best hitters in this year’s draft, Berry might not be on the board at No. 10, but the Rockies will be temped if he is. Defensively he hasn’t shown much at any one position, but his combo of contact and power in the box could allay those concerns.
LHP Connor Prielipp, Alabama — After undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2021, Prielipp rehabbed and showed teams he’s healthy again at the MLB Draft combine. He has a mid-90s fastball, a plus-slider and a changeup, and was likely going to be a top-10 pick last year before getting injured.
2B/3B Jace Jung, Texas Tech — The younger brother of Josh Jung, the Rangers’ first-round pick three years ago, Jace was an All-American and has raw, moldable power from the left side. His defensive projection is still a question mark and he has an atypical stance, but he consistently produced in college.
