The Rockies on Monday picked Tyler Anderson, a left-handed pitcher from the University of Oregon, with the 20th selection in the first round of the baseball draft.
Anderson, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound strikeout specialist, holds three major Ducks records including 285 career strikeouts, 114 strikeouts in a single season and 14 strikeouts in a single game. He was originally drafted out of high shcool in the 50th round by the Twins, but decided instead to go to college.
In the past four seasons, the Rockies have picked three left-handed pitchers and an outfielder with their top draft selection. The string of lefties includes Andreson this year, Tyler Matzek two years ago and Christian Friedrich in 2008.
Anderson this year went 8-3, with a 2.71 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 107 innings pitched. His scouting report says he throws a fastball between 89-92 MPH, with a changeup as his best pitch.
The Angels with the 17th pick took Utah first baseman C.J. Cron, one player opposing teams scouts thought the Rockies were originally targeting. The other player scouts thought was on the Rockies’ radar was Hawaii second baseman Koten Wong. He instead was picked two spots after the Rockies, by St. Louis.
The Rockies also had the 45th pick on the first day of the three-day draft and selected high school shortstop Trevor Story of Irving, Texas.
No Colorado products were expected to be taken among the first 60 picks, although several likely will come off the board Tuesday (rounds 2-30) and Wednesday (rounds 31-50). The draft begins at 10 a.m. both days.
Pirates take UCLA righty Cole with No. 1 pick
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected hard-throwing UCLA righty Gerrit Cole with the No. 1 pick in the baseball draft Monday night.
Cole, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior, posted mediocre numbers this season for the Bruins (6-8, 3.31 ERA), but has what many consider to be the best pure stuff in the draft. His college teammate, right-hander Trevor Bauer, wasn’t far behind, going third overall to Arizona.
Cole was a first-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2008, but refused to listen to an offer and instead attended UCLA — as he insisted to teams he would.
The Pirates, picking No. 1 for the fourth time in franchise history, are hoping Cole ends up being the ace of their pitching staff. He has a fastball that’s consistently clocked at 95 mph and was up around 100 at times late this season. Cole’s changeup and slider are also outstanding.
“Gerrit Cole has the size, strength, overall package of stuff and mentality to develop into a top-of-the-rotation major league starting pitcher,” said Greg Smith, the Pirates’ director of scouting.
Cole is the latest promising young arm that Pittsburgh, which finished with baseball’s worst record a year ago, has added in the last two drafts. The Pirates took a pair of high school right-handers with their first two picks last year in Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie, giving them three potential front-line starters.
Second pick to Seattle
With the second choice, the Seattle Mariners tabbed Virginia lefty Danny Hultzen, the Atlantic Coast Conference pitcher of the year the last two seasons. Watching with family and friends, Hultzen looked stunned when the pick was announced, putting his hands on his head.
“This is completely unexpected. It’s a huge honor, though,” Hultzen said in an interview on MLB Network. “I’m very excited. … I really don’t know what to say right now. I’m completely speechless.” Hultzen, a junior, is 11-3 with a 1.57 ERA and 148 strikeouts while leading the top-ranked Cavaliers to the super regionals of the NCAA tournament.
Diamondbacks busy
Arizona, which had two of the first seven picks, couldn’t pass up Bauer at No. 3. The Pac-10 pitcher of the year outshined Cole statistically, going 13-2 with a 1.27 ERA and a Division I-leading and Pac-10-record 203 strikeouts. He ended the season having thrown nine straight complete games.
With the seventh pick, the Diamondbacks took another pitcher in right-hander Archie Bradley from Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma. Bradley went 12-1 and fanned 133 against just 11 walks in 71 1-3 innings while posting a 0.29 ERA this year. He was also considered one of the country’s best quarterback prospects and is committed to play football at Oklahoma.
More picks
At No. 4, Baltimore selected Bradley’s good buddy, Dylan Bundy, another high school pitcher from Oklahoma. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound righty went 11-0 with 158 strikeouts and only five walks in 71 innings for Owasso High School.
It was the first time since the amateur draft began in 1965 that the first four selections were all pitchers.
Kansas City ended the run on the mound by taking a local high school outfielder in Bubba Starling. The Royals have had their eye on the star out of Gardner-Edgerton High School in Kansas since he was 14. And, for good reason.
The 6-5, 200-pound Starling is one of the most impressive all-around athletes in the draft and has eye-popping power. He’ll now have a difficult decision: Starling has already committed to Nebraska to play quarterback after rushing for 2,471 yards and 31 touchdowns, and throwing for 790 yards and eight TDs last season.
Anthony Rendon, a slick-fielding and sweet-swinging third baseman from Rice, celebrated his 21st birthday by going sixth overall to Washington. He was hampered by a strained shoulder for most of this season, limiting him to DH — although he played some second base in the postseason. Still, he hit .327 with six homers and 37 RBIs. Teams also constantly pitched around him, as evidenced by his Division I-leading 80 walks.
“I’m feeling great,” Rendon said. “I’ve got no problems with me right now. I think my injuries only make me stronger as a person.” Two Florida high school shortstops went back-to-back, with Francisco Lindor from Montverde Academy going to Cleveland at No. 8, and Javier Baez from Arlington Country Day to the Chicago Cubs one pick later.
Rounding out the top 10, San Diego took slugger Cory Spangenberg, who played third base for Indian River Junior College in Florida.
The last time the Pirates had the top pick in the draft they selected pitcher Bryan Bullington in 2002. They also took pitcher Kris Benson at No. 1 in 1996 and infielder Jeff King in 1986.
“We’re working hard to never pick No. 1,” Pittsburgh general manager Neal Huntington said.
“It’s a long process. It’s not an easy thing to turn around a major league team.” Washington chose slugger Bryce Harper with the first pick last year.
