Major League Baseball’s amateur draft starts Wednesday and the Rockies have the ninth pick in the first round. Over the years, Colorado has made more than 1,000 picks. Some turn out to be stars like Nolan Arenado and Todd Helton. Others make for a quirky footnote.
In 2000, the Rockies drafted then-Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick in the 30th round. Multi-sport athletes are rare but certainly not unheard of. Helton was the starting quarterback at Tennessee. Broncos legend John Elway was a second-round selection by the Yankees in 1981. Dave Logan was selected in the 30th round by the Reds in 1972. The Rockies picked Russell Wilson in the fourth round in 2010. The Seattle quarterback was a prospect in the farm system before returning to college football.
Vick, an athlete extraordinaire for sure, was different. He hadn’t played baseball since he was in the eighth grade.
“Seeing him on the tube, he was one of the best athletes in the country,” Rockies vice president of scouting . “For us, itap about opening the gate for athletes in our system, and we have no problems taking opportunities and chances like that to see if football players want to entertain our business.”
And Vick seriously considered the opportunity. , “I was about to take that money. I grew up from nothing … we didn’t have anything, and my family was still living in the ‘hood. … College was a struggle, and I was far removed from baseball, but the Rockies came at me … ”
— , The Denver Post
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