Denver – When money separated the Rockies from their desired hometown prospect, they didn’t have trouble finding a consolation pick.
Troy Tulowitzki, considered the country’s best shortstop prospect, became the Rockies selection with the seventh overall pick in the Major League amateur draft today. A 20-year-old junior from Long Beach State, Tulowitzki is a power-hitting, strong-armed shortstop who is big for his position at 6-3, 205 pounds.
The move was peculiar for a couple reasons.
One, the Rockies used their No. 1 draft pick last season, sixth overall, to take high school shortstop Chris Nelson. Some scouts project Tulowitzki as a big-league third baseman, but the Rockies obviously do not as they are more stacked with young talent at the hot corner -rookie Garrett Atkins, minor-leaguers Jeff Baker, Ian Stewart – than any other position.
Tulowitzki missed 20 games this past season with a broken bone in his left hand. Last season, Nelson missed most of his senior high school year recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
In 39 games this year, Tulowitzki hit .349 with eight homers and 29 RBIs, so it’s clear the Rockies decided to take what they felt was the best among the affordable players available with their first pick.
The Rockies were seriously considering taking University of Tennessee pitcher Luke Hochevar, who grew up in rural Fowler, with their No. 7 pick but could not get close in pre-draft negotiations with the right-hander’s advisor, Scott Boras. Hochevar, who is believed to be asking for either an upfront signing bonus of at least $4 million or a big-league contract of least $5 million, slid out of the first round. He was taken 40th overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not only do the Dodgers have the financial wherewithal to sign top talent but they play in one of the best pitcher’s parks in the majors.
The Rockies started filing their other needs in the sandwich round when they took Chaz Roe, a right-hander from Lafayette (Ky.) High School, with the 32nd overall pick. In the second round, with the 52nd overall pick, they took Daniel Carte, a rightfielder from Winthrop University and with the 55th overall pick they took right-handed Zachary Simons from Everett (Idaho) Community College.
Whether or not by coincidence, the Rockies took Tulowitzki a day after their big-league rookie shortstop Clint Barmes suffered a broken collarbone that will likely finish his season. The Rockies breathed a sigh of relief when the Seattle Mariners, who had seriously considered taking Tulowitzki, instead drafted USC catcher Jeffrey Clement with their No. 3 overall pick.
