The 2016 Major League Baseball amateur draft takes place June 9-11. The Rockies will select at the No. 4 overall position, the fourth-highest selection in the franchise’s history.
In the 51-year history of the draft, 41 players selected at the No. 4 spot have made it to the majors. Notable names include Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Dave Winfield; all-stars Kevin Brown, Kerry Wood and Ryan Zimmerman; and former Grandview High School star and Orioles starter Kevin Gausman.
Here’s a look at who the national media is saying the Rockies may choose:
: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (Calif.)
“Moniak might be the most well-rounded position player in the draft, and if he improves his power stroke, he could possess five plus-or-better tools.
“He’s more of a doubles hitter at this point, but his hit tool is one of the best in recent memory from a high school bat. He should be a perennial .300 hitter in the majors.”
: Moniak
“Moniak has upped his draft stock big time since the start of the spring and is now at least in the conversation for the top pick. The Rockies have had quite a bit of success developing position players — it’s not all Coors Field, folks — over the years and they love not only loud tools, but baseball smarts. Moniak can hit, run, and defend, and he’s a very instinctual player as well.”
: Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Kan.)
: Pint
“Colorado can’t get a future ace, or even an impact arm, through free agency, and it has to go through the draft. The Rockies haven’t had success with prep pitchers in the first round (Matt Harrington and Tyler Matzek; itap too early on Mike Nikorak), but none of those guys threw 100 mph like Pint does.”
: Moniak
“Colorado also could pick Pint or New Jersey high school left-hander Jason Groome, MLBPipeline’s top-rated prospect. The Rockies are believed to want a college arm, though there isn’t one besides [A.J.] Puk who the industry consensus believes belongs this high in the Draft. They likely will take an outfielder, either Moniak or [Kyle] Lewis.”
Rockies’ first-round history
Colorado has had 35 picks in the first round — including supplemental picks — from 1992-2015. Here’s a look at some facts about them:
- Of those picks, 21 have been pitchers, five shortstops, four outfielders, two third basemen, one first baseman, one second baseman and a catcher.
- Cherry Creek star John Burke was the Rockies’ first-ever pick in 1992. He played two years in the majors, compiling a 4-6 record with a 6.75 ERA.
- Two were all-stars in a Rockies uniform — shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and first baseman Todd Helton. Starting pitcher Jake Westbrook became an all-star with Cleveland.
- One — pitcher Jason Jennings — was named rookie of the year. Helton and Tulowitzki finished second in the voting in their respective rookie years.
- Greg Reynolds was the Rockies’ highest-overall pick at No. 2 in the 2006 draft. Quite a few names followed Reynolds that year: Evan Longoria (third), Clayton Kershaw (seventh), Tim Lincecum (10th) and Max Scherzer (11th), to name a few.
- Twenty-one players have played in the majors. Granted, of the 14 who have not, nine were drafted from 2009-on.
- Shortstop Brendan Rodgers, Colorado’s 2015 top pick, is No. 10 among MLB.com’s top 100 prospects.
