Draft Reviews: Colorado Rockies

2008 Draft Slot: 25th overall
Top Pick: Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky University
Best Pick: Christian Friedrich
Keep an Eye On: Charlie Blackmon, OF, Georgia Tech University (2nd round)
Notes: The Rockies organization was very lucky that Christian Friedrich fell into its lap. He just kept sliding in the draft for no good reason and he’s had a very nice start to his pro career. Second rounder Charlie Blackmon has also had a good beginning to his career and could develop into a solid everyday center fielder or, at worst, a useful fourth or platoon outfielder. Arizona State’s Kiel Roling (6th round) is hitting .343/.421/.564 in his young pro career spanning parts of two seasons. The bad news is that he was drafted as a catcher but has solely played first base. With just three homers in 31 low-A games this season, the power may not be there to be an everyday first baseman. Keep an eye on RHP Ethan Hollingsworth (4th round), too.

2007 Draft Slot: Eighth overall
Top Pick: Casey Weathers, RHP, Vanderbilt University
Best Pick: Casey Weathers
Worst Pick: Brian Rike, OF, Louisiana Tech University (2nd round)
Notes: It seems that (almost) every time a club takes a reliever in the first round it backfires. Luckily for Rockies fans, in Casey Weathers‘ case it’s an injury that has slowed his development (Tommy John surgery) and not a regression of skills. He was throwing fairly well before the injury and should come back batter than ever. Even so, every team out there… Repeat after me: Don’t take a reliever with a Top 10 pick… Don’t take a reliever with a Top 10 pick… Don’t take a… As for Brian Rike, his average has dropped from his debut at .296 to .247 in 2008 to .213 in 2009. The power has also diminished each season.

2006 Draft Slot: Second overall
Top Pick: Greg Reynolds, RHP, Stanford University
Best Pick: Michael McKenry, C, Middle Tennessee State (7th round)
Worst Pick: Greg Reynolds
Notes: There is still some head-scratching going on as to why the Rockies took Greg Reynolds over Brad Lincoln, but both players have been slowed by injuries and neither one has reached their potential. Reynolds wasn’t a terrible pick but he’s had a lot of bad luck and his stuff has not looked nearly as good in pro ball as it did in college. The club really got very little out of this draft. The best two players were catcher Michael McKenry and right-hander Brandon Hynick (8th round), both of whom might eek out some Major League playing time.

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2009 Draft Slot: 11th overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): College pitchers
MLB Club Need: Relief pitching, Third base, Left field
Organizational Need: Right field, First base, Left-handed pitching
Organizational Strength: Shortstop, Second base, Center field
Notes: The Rockies organization is poised to add some talent to the system with the 11th overall pick, as well as the final pick of the first round (32nd overall) after losing free agent reliever Brian Fuentes to the Los Angeles Angels. The club also has a supplemental first round pick (34th overall) relating to the same winter transaction. The club has been linked to a number of players (all college) including SS Grant Green, OF Tim Wheeler, RHP Alex White, and RHP Mike Leake.