After an All-Colorado senior season at Regis Jesuit High School in 2016, Quin Cotton went off to Grand Canyon University and reasserted what the Rockies saw in him as a 38th-round draft choice that year.
An agile outfielder with a high-average, contact-oriented approach at the plate, Cotton was the Alaska League player of the year in the summer of 2017 and then earned Western Athletic Conference player of the year honors the following spring as a sophomore star for GCU.
Now, after proving himself offensively for the Antelopes again this spring, Cotton is projected to be selected somewhere in the top 10 rounds of the MLB draft held Monday through Wednesday. The Rockies, Red Sox and Diamondbacks are among a handful of teams believed to have serious interest.
“Going around, seeing the different parks and talking to different scouts while picturing myself different places eventually has been cool,” Cotton said. “It would definitely be special to be drafted by my hometown team. I grew up a Rockies fan, I grew up going to Coors Field and I still have a great relationship with some individuals in the Rockies’ front office.”
Cotton is hitting .331 with four home runs and 37 RBIs this year, his second as a starter in right field. He will likely play one of the corner outfield spots in the minors, where he looks forward to another proving ground after hitting a respectable .286 for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the prestigious Cape Cod League last summer.
“Playing in the WAC is one thing, but then going out and playing against guys from some of the best baseball programs in the country and showing that I could compete with anybody was another,” Cotton said. “I’m excited to start doing that at the next level, too, wherever that is.”
The 21-year-old is one of a handful of Colorado players expected to be selected somewhere in the first 10-20 rounds. A look at the other top prospects:
Riley Cornelio, Pine Creek High School: The right-hander is No. 86 on MLB’s top 200 overall prospects for the draft and is ranked the No. 20 prep prospect in the nation per Baseball Factory. The state’s 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year and Texas Christian commit has a good chance of hearing his name called early on with a fastball that runs in the mid-90s, heat which is countered by an advanced breaking ball for an 18-year-old.
Garrett Martin, McLennan Community College: The Standley Lake High School product was selected in the 22nd round by the Orioles last season and is sure to be drafted higher this year after posting a .335 average with nine home runs for McLennan this season. A Class 4A state high jump champion as a senior in Westminster, Martin has outlandish athleticism and sure hands and feet as a middle infielder.
Sam Ireland, Mountain Vista High School: Colorado’s top two-way player, a Minnesota pledge, is batting .426 with five home runs and 34 RBIs for the Golden Eagles heading into the final weekend of the 2019 Class 5A state tournament. He’s also dominated on the mound with an 8-0 record and 1.04 ERA. He’s 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds with room to fill out, and the right-hander pairs a low-90s fastball with a changeup and dynamic slurve.
Justin Boyd, Legend High School: An athletic, speedy shortstop who can hit for average and power, as evidenced by a .487 average and six home runs as a senior for the Titans. An Oregon State commit, he’s displayed a balanced approached with gap-to-gap ability in both prep games and showcases. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Boyd’s frame provides an upside for even more power as he keeps adding muscle.
