Colorado Rockies News and Notes for Tuesday, May 21, 2024
It’s time to let the MLB draft speculation begin!
This year, the draft will be held July 14-16 in Arlington as part of the All-Star Game festivities.
As for money, the Colorado Rockies will have a bonus pool of $17,243,400 and the following picks:
- 3rd pick (first round; $9,070,800)
- 38th pick (Competitive Balance Round A; $2,452,200)
- 42nd pick (second round; $2,224,700)
- 77th pick (third round: $1,011,900)
- 106th pick (fourth round; $689,600)
- 139th pick (fifth round; $500,000)
To finish things off, in the sixth round, they have $378,900; in the seventh round, they have $295,300; in the eighth round, they have $234,200; in the ninth round, they have $200,000; and in the tenth round, they have $185,800.
Now for some editorializing on my part.
The Rockies have been aggressive in both drafting and trading for pitching since Bill Schmidt became general manager. Even though they drafted Gabriel Hughes in the first round of 2022 followed by Chase Dollander in the first round of 2023, I expect that trend to continue in 2024. As with Hughes and Dollander, I expect the Rockies will look for near-finished college pitchers in hopes that the pitching will catch up with their developing crop of position players.
But it’s the Rockies, so who knows?
With the caveat that it’s early, and there will be changes, here are the most recent draft predictions for the Rockies.
Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
Predictor: The Athletic (5/15/24)
Read MLB.com’s analysis here.
The 6’3”, 225 lefty from Bullard, Texas, absolutely burned up the SEC this year, riding a killer fastball-slider combo. Through three seasons of pitching for the Razorbacks, he’s accumulated a 3.27 ERA, most notably a 1.52 ERA in 2024. This season, of the 77.0 innings he’s pitched, he’s given up four home runs and 14 runs (13 earned). Additionally, he’s struck out 150 and walked 29. (His career numbers are 226.0 IP with 349 Ks and 117 BB.)
Here’s his epic outing from February when he mowed down Oregon State.
Keith Law writes, “Assuming the top two [Travis Bazzana and Charlie Condon] are gone, this selection seems likely to be one of the two top college pitchers (Smith or Wake Forest’s Chase Burns) or possibly Florida two-way player Jac Caglianone. A few years ago, I would have just assumed they’d take Griffin, but I haven’t heard them linked to the prep hitter much at all.”
As the most consistent starter in the draft — and a lefty at that— that the Rockies would be interested in Smith makes sense.
Totally irrelevant detail: I found this on Smith’s Instagram:
“Hagen the Great.” We can work with that.
Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
Predictors: MLB.com (5/16/24), ESPN.com (5/8/24), Future Star Series (5/17/24)
Read MLB.com’s analysis here.
If the Rockies are looking for a hitter in this draft, Caglianone is a good one. The Tampa, Florida, native brings a lefty bat with some pop. Currently, he’s slashing .413/.525/.851, including 29 homers (which makes him second only to Charlie Condon). In 208 at-bats, he’s struck out 21 times and taken 41 walks.
Nine homers in nine games? Yeah, that’ll play. (Career homers? 69. Nice!)
Also, there’s this:
Imagine that at Coors Field.
And that’s just his hitting. Caglionone pitches, too (career 4.35 ERA) though no one is talking about drafting him for that skill.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel notes, “I’ve been hearing Caglianone and Chase Burns at this pick, and Colorado would get its choice of either in this scenario [assuming Bazzana and Condon are drafted first and second].”
It’s also worth quoting Joe Doyle here: “The Rockies lay in wait-and-see mode here. Colorado does seem to like [Konnor] Griffin quite a bit, and he could be an intriguing option at 3, especially if the organization believes he has the chance to play shortstop at the next level.”
Totally irrelevant detail: The business major enjoys hunting and fishing, so he’d fit in with most of the Rockies on off days.
Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forrest
Predictors: Baseball America (4/22/24), Bleacher Report (4/25/24), Just Baseball (4/24/24)
Read MLB.com’s analysis here.
Whether Chase Burns or Hagen Smith is the best starter in this draft class is open to debate. As Carlos Collazo explains, “Burns leads the country with 113 strikeouts, but Smith has a narrow edge with strikeout rate.” Burns has a wicked fastball-slider combo.
In 89.0 innings, Burns has earned a 2.64 ERA with 169 strikeouts and 24 walks. He’s given up 13 home runs.
Before transferring to Wake Forest, the Hendersonville, Tennessee, native pitched at the University of Tennessee in 2022 and 2023, so he and Chase Dollander would be former rotation mates. Given the initial positive results Dollander has posted, adding Burns would make sense.
Check this out:
“Pitchers are artists.” Now, that’s some Ryan Feltner music right there.
One other note: In searching for video of Burns, I found Tread Athletics and Rhapsodo, which suggests he knows his way around analytics, something the Rockies desperately need.
Totally irrelevant detail: He was born in Naples, Italy.
Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Predictor: Prospects Live (4/23/24)
Read MLB.com’s analysis here.
If the Rockies pass on Chase Burns, they might select fellow Demon Deacon Nick Kurtz, a 6’5”, 240-lb. lefty.
The native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, got off to a slow start in 2024 and also found himself working through a shoulder injury. However, things came together in March, and he’s now chalked up 21 home runs. (At one point, Kurtz went yard years 14 times over the course of nine games.) He’s currently slashing .312/.538/.805.
And as the Prospects Live Staff put it, “His power would give Rockies fans something to cheer about in the future, but again, don’t ignore the idea of an arm here.”
Seriously, check out this bat flip — and the enthusiasm:
Totally irrelevant detail: I really couldn’t find one. He has three siblings. Maybe he’s too busy destroying baseballs to focus on much of anything else.
Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
Predictor: Baseball America (5/17/24)
Read MLB.com’s analysis here.
I included this mock from Peter Flaherty because I thought it was an interesting choice.
The former Stanford Cardinal transferred to Texas A&M last year. Prior to the change, the switch-hitting Montgomery was a free swinger, striking out 137 times in 126 games while hitting 35 homers. His move to Aggieland, however, seems to have made something click.
Here’s Flaherty’s take: “He transferred to Texas A&M last offseason and has taken a significant step forward this spring, hitting .370/.510/.890 with 22 home runs, 68 RBI and a far more palatable 16 percent strikeout rate. A two-way player in high school who has pitched occasionally the last few seasons, he fits the profile of a prototypical right fielder with a strong arm and elite raw power.”
In 212 at-bats, he’s hit 26 home runs and walked 51 times, striking out 54 times.
He’s also got a cannon for an arm.
As a Texas A&M Former Student, I get chills.
Totally irrelevant detail: His father and step-father played football for the University of Iowa while his mother ran track for the Hawkeyes.
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Which player will the Rockies draft in July?
Vote in the poll, and share your predictions in the comments.
Look for an update on the mock drafts in a few weeks.
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This week on Rockies Instagram
Let’s take a moment to celebrate, a simpler time (last week) that involved a winning streak.
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Ryan McMahon Could Be The Next Rockies Test Case | MLB Trade Rumors ($)
The Rockies’ third baseman is having an excellent season, but will Bill Schmidt attempt to move McMahon at the trade deadline? Anthony Franco makes the case that it should happen and suggests the Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Yankees as possible partners.
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