Colorado Rockies: Draft Review

General Manager: Dan O’Dowd
Farm Director: Marc Gustafson
Scouting Director: Bill Schmidt

2006-2009 Draft Results:
First three rounds included
x- over-slot signees ($200,000 or more)

2009 1st Round: Tyler Matzek, LHP, California HS
1. Tim Wheeler, OF, Sacramento State
1S. Rex Brothers, LHP, Lipscomb [91-96 FB, SL, CH]
2. Nolan Arenado, 3B, California HS
3. Ben Paulsen, 1B, Clemson

The jury remains out of the ’09 draft, but the club really did not see good draft results between 2006 and 2008.

This past season, everyone was shocked that the club was able to sign Matzek, one of the top prep arms in the draft, to such a “reasonable” deal. The left-hander quickly became one of the organization’s best pitching prospects and he could open 2010 in low-A ball. It’s also possible that he could also see some time in extended spring training depending on how he looks in the spring. There really is no need to rush him. Brothers, on the other hand, should move very quickly. The left-hander has two plus pitches: fastball and slider. He could end up being what Casey Weathers was supposed to be prior to his injury: a dominating closer.

Wheeler was a safe, stats-driven pick out of college. He’s a corner outfielder who projects to have fringe-average power for right field. He does a little bit of everything, despite a modest debut in short-season ball in ’09 (.256/.332/.381 in 273 at-bats). An offense-first prospect, Arenado had a solid debut in rookie ball and he hit .300/.351/.404 in 203 at-bats. He has more power potential than his ISO rate of .103 would suggest. Defensively, he has a strong arm but scouts are not sold on him at third base.

Drafted in the third round, a lot of questions remain about Paulsen’s ultimate potential due to his lack of power (.097 ISO) at first base. Unfortunately, his approach at the plate doesn’t make him a great hitter for average, either, as he’s overly aggressive.

2008 1st Round: Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky
2. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Georgia Tech
3. Aaron Weatherford, RHP, Mississippi State
14x – Joseph Massey, OF, Tennessee HS
37x – Delta Cleary, OF, Louisiana JC

Friedrich turned out to be a steal and he is on the club’s Top 10 list. Blackmon just missed the Top 10 list despite hitting .307/.370/.433 in 550 at-bats. He also stole 30 bases in 43 tries. Weatherford appeared in just 18 games out of the ‘pen in ’09 while pitching in short-season ball and low-A.

Massey had a rough first full season in pro ball by hitting .220/.261/.290 in 404 at-bats. He showed zero power (.069 ISO), limited strike zone awareness and poor base running (eight steals in 17 tries). Cleary is also rough around the edges but he showed a little more promise at low-A by hitting .256/.315/.376 with 30 steals in 41 attempts.

Kiel Roling (6th round) has some potential too, but the move from catcher to first base hurt his overall value. He hit .331/.401/.593 in 344 low-A at-bats.

2007 1st Round: Casey Weathers, RHP, Vanderbilt
2. Brian Rike, OF, Louisiana Tech
3. Lars Davis, C, Illinois

This draft was dealt a blow when Weathers underwent Tommy John surgery. He has a good chance of returning to his old form, though, and he still made the Top 10 list. Rike has been a disappointment and he hit just .196/.271/.361 in 368 disastrous at-bats at high-A in ’09. A .279 wOBA leads to very few positive comments. Likewise, Davis’ .562 OPS at high-A ball tells you all that you need to know.

Pitcher Connor Graham (5th round) showed some potential but he was traded to Cleveland last season for veteran reliever Rafael Betancourt. Third baseman Darin Holcomb could develop into a bench or platoon player in the Majors.

2006 1st Round: Greg Reynolds, RHP, Stanford
2. David Christensen, OF, Florida HS
3. Keith Weiser, LHP, Miami (Ohio)
29x – Shane Lowe, SS, Missouri HS

Reynolds was a bad pick from the start (with some of the other players still on the board) and injuries all but ruined his career. He appeared in just one game in 2009. Christensen’s .234 batting average was a career high in ’09, as was his .745 OPS. The outfielder’s strikeout rate was an astonishing 38.5% in low-A ball. Weiser is a command/control artist who posted a walk rate of just 1.67 BB/9 at double-A in ’09. However, his FIP was 4.54 and his strikeout rate came in at 5.57 K/9. Lowe did not break .190 in his three-year career and his ’09 strikeout rate was 43.2%.

Catcher Mike McKenry was a steal in the seventh round. Right-hander Brandon Hynick (8th round) could be a useful MLB arm, but he was traded to the White Sox.

Up Next: The Colorado Rockies Top 10 Prospects