2011 MLB Draft Results: Colorado Rockies Sign 14 Draft Picks So Far

On Tuesday afternoon, the Colorado Rockies announced the signing of 13 of their 51 draft picks so far. The highest drafted player to sign so far is 7th round pick, 1B Harold Riggins of N.C. State. Second rounder Carl Thomore will sign once he graduates on June 21.

Ninth round selection Ross Stripling and 16th rounder Preston Tucker are ineligible to sign until their teams (Teas A&M and Florida) are eliminated from the College World Series.

The Rockies also reached agreement with 13th round selection Kyle Roliard on Tuesday.

Here is the Rockies' complete draft class, signings in bold:

2011 MLB Draft Results: Minor League Ball Assesses Rockies Selections

As the hype from the 2011 MLB Draft dies down and these players start signing their first pro contracts, there are still early evaluations to look over. John Sickels' Minor League Ball broke down the Rockies' draft, concluding:

SUMMARY: This is a balanced draft at the top, I like the Anderson/Story/Thomore/O'Brien combination, mixing up positions, origins, and level of polish. Solid college players were the theme of the middle rounds, with a nice group of pitchers who have a chance to exceed expectations. A solid draft, not spectacular, but well-executed.

This seems to be the most common analysis of the team's draft: nothing spectacular, but a good mix of players who will eventually have a few find their way to the majors.

Sickels gave his thoughts on the first 11 picks of the Rockies and appears to like Tyler Anderson and Carl Thomore. He also sees sleeper picks coming in the ninth and 10th rounds with Texas A&M RHP Ross Stripling and St. Olaf College RHP Ben Hughes.

Rookie leagues and short-season leagues begin around June 20, so many of the later-round selections will have signed and will be ready to play at that time.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Purple Row Weighs In On Rockies' Class

Purple Row has already chimed in with their initial thoughts on the Colorado Rockies' 2011 MLB Draft. Overall the draft was given a 'B-' because "There were no steals, but no wasted picks either." It was a sound draft that will likely produce a couple of players on the big league roster a few years down the road. But what about the individual picks?

Purple Row wonders about the team drafting for need but winds up buying into the first two selections:

Both Anderson and Story fill organizational needs. Shortstop is very thin behind All Star Troy Tulowitzki. [...] LHP has also been a weakness in the system, with both Tyler Matzek and Christian Friedrich struggling this year. Beyond them, LHP depth is almost nonexistent in the system. Drafting for needs is often a bad strategy in baseball, but I believe they will get decent value in these two picks.

Second round selection OF Carl Thomore receives two thumbs up because he is a "character" guy who we'll learn is a "grinder." Thomore might just turn into an underrated selection at first glance, but he could turn into a solid big leaguer.

The hope is that 30th round selection John Curtiss can be persuaded to sign a pro contract instead of playing three years for the Texas Longhorns. The following sounds like a fair assessment of how the team drafted:

There is a good mix of projectable upside talent, as well as safer advanced players.

Signings will begin to trickle in over the next few weeks.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Did The Rockies Select An Ineligible Player?

MLB Draft 2011 Results: Baseball America Likes 'Gambles' Rockies Took

Now that the 2011 MLB Draft is over and teams begin to sign their players, what are the early analyses of the draft? Conor Glassey and John Manuel over at Baseball America (subscription required) have some thoughts on the Rockies' draft class. He sees the selection of Oregon LHP Tyler Anderson as a "safer first-rounder." Of course, that's code for not much upside, as is the description of being polished. But that shouldn't be taken to mean that the Rockies drafted a pitcher who won't be more than a back of the rotation guy.

In the best case, Anderson, who throws six pitches by some counts, turns out to be like Jeff Francis, who at his best was a No. 2 starter for the team.

However, they also like the "gambles" the Rockies took on high schoolers, especially SS Trevor Story in the supplemental first round and Carl Thomore in the second.

Short-season and rookie leagues begin in less than two weeks and many of the Rockies' players from this draft will play for Tri-City (SS) or Casper (Rookie). Many of the early round selections should be quick signs, as well as college players taken late in the draft. Many of the later high school selections will likely head to college.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Rockies Add Northern Colorado's Jarod Berggren On Final Day

The final day of the 2011 MLB Draft has come and gone. The Colorado Rockies selected 51 players in total, ranging from Oregon LHP Tyler Anderson with the 20th overall pick to Loganville (Ga.) HS OF Heath Holder in the 50th Round.

On the third day of the draft, the Rockies took 13 high schoolers in 20 of their selections. One of those selections was C Tyler Servais out of Douglas County HS in Castle Rock, CO. That name should be familiar to Rockies fans, as Tyler's father Scott played 33 games for the Rockies in 2000. One round later, the team drafted LHP Brandon Bonilla out of Florida. Brandon is the son of ex-major leaguer Bobby Bonilla.

In the 32 round the Rockies selected another Colorado player, Northern Colorado's Jarod Berggren, a player who did well last summer in the Alaskan Summer League, but struggled early this spring. He finished strong with a .360/.432/.646 line for the season. Only a junior, Berggren can return for his senior season.

One may be led to believe that the Rockies will follow some of these Day 3 high school selection during the summer season to see if one or two will sign before the August 15 deadline.

Here is the Rockies' complete draft class:

2011 MLB Draft Results, NL West Day 2: Padres Selection Of Kyle Gaedele, Great-Nephew Of Eddie Gaedel, Among Division Highlights

Did the rest of the NL West pick up any interesting players on Day 2 of the 2011 MLB Draft? Let's take a look.

The Arizona Diamondbacks appeared to have spent most of their draft budget on Day 1 with the additions of Trevor Bauer and Archie Bradley, but they did selected Coastal Carolina RHP Anthony Meo. He started in college, but his mid-90s fastball and his curveball remain his two best pitches. Unless his changeup improves, we could see him out of the D'Backs' bullpen. In the 10th round, they drafted TCU RHP Kyle Winkler, who left his start in the regionals early due to an elbow injury.

The Dodgers took high schooler Alex Santana, son of former major leaguer Rafael Santana, in the second round. Unlike his father who played shortstop, Alex plays at the hot corner and should develop into a power hitter. In the 21st round, they selected Zak Qualls from a Nevada high school, but he is so far away that college is a better option for him.

In the sixth round, the San Diego Padres took Kyle Gaedele, an outfielder from Valparaiso. Well, there's more to the story than that. He's the great-nephew of Eddie Gaedel. Yep, the 3-foot-7 Eddie Gaedel who had one major league at bat as a stunt by Bill Veeck. If everything works out, the Padres could have a center fielder who hits for power.

The Giants picked up two good players with their first two picks on Day 2. In the second round, they selected Oregon St. C Andrew Susac. What seems apparent among most NL West draftees, Susac has power, but he did break his hamate bone in his left wrist during the season. He'll be able to stay behind the plate as a pro. In the third round, they took USC 1B Ricky Oropesa, a huge power-hitting first baseman. The new metal bats decreased his power, but we should see the power translate to a wooden bat. Also, in the sixth round they took Oregon St. LHP Josh Osich who no-hit UCLA on April 30.

MLB Draft 2011: Day 3 Start Time, Coverage And Odd Tidbits

The 2011 MLB Draft concludes on Wednesday when Rounds 31-50 take place. Unlike the NFL Draft where teams are built in Round 4-7, as many say, some of the players taken this late are fliers since they are considered tough signs and dead set on going to college. Most are really just minor league roster filler without great upside. Not everyone can be 62rd round pick Mike Piazza (no one can since the draft only goes 50 rounds now).

But the Rockies have made some interesting picks in rounds 30 and later. In 2000, the team took Virginia Tech star quarterback Michael Vick. Two thousand two saw the Rockies draft Matt Garza out of high school, but he went to Fresno State and now pitches for the Cubs. Currently with the Buffalo Bills, quarterback Brian Brohm was tabbed in Round 49 by Colorado.

Other late picks come through family connections. Brent Weiss (2005, 47, Walt), Zachary Helton (2006, 37, Todd), Nick Gallego (2007, 37, Mike), Kemer Quirk (2008, 40, Jamie), Richard Espy (2008, 41, Duane) and Sterling Monfort (2009, 47, Dick) were all taken because their family members were or are part of the Rockies' organization.

Visit MLB.com for live coverage. Selections start rolling around 10 a.m. MT

MLB Draft 2011 Sees Four Colorado Products Selected On Day 2

2011 MLB Draft Results: Rockies Go Heavy On College Players On Day 2

The Colorado Rockies made 29 additional selections on Tuesday in the 2011 MLB Draft. They began the day selecting high school outfielder Carl Thomore, who should be a quick sign. He would be one of six high schoolers taken by the Rockies. One of the others was Connor McKay, a local product from Regis Jesuit in Aurora. He tore his ACL playing football and will likely head to Kansas after being selected in the 24th round.

But after the first 10 round or so of the draft, selecting a player like McKay is taking a flier. It doesn't hurt to do so while the rewards can be great. With their final selection of the day, the Rockies took another flier with Tx. HS RHP John Curtiss. He already throws 95 mph, but he seems like a solid commit to the Texas Longhorns.

Sixteenth-round selection, Florida 1B Preston Tucker, is also a tough sign, but the Rockies did something similar in the teens in 2010 with high schooler Will Swanner.

Third round selection C Peter O'Brien has a power bat, but a move off the position may come sooner rather than later.

Here is the Rockies' 2011 draft though two days:

2011 MLB Draft Results: Rockies Select OF Carl Thomore

With the 77th overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies select East Brunswick (NJ) HS OF Carl Thomore. Baseball America rated him the No. 2 prospect in New Jersey and the No. 112 overall prospect. They report that he snapped his ankle during one game and had it popped back into place right after it happened. He'll be limited to a corner outfield defensively and his power is what should carry him through the minors.

Thomore is expected to be a quick sign (via Star-Ledger):

And instead of trying to feign interest in playing college baseball, Thomore de-committed from Rutgers and plans to sign a professional contract shortly after his June 21 graduation.

He'll head to the Casper Ghosts for his first pro baseball experience, and their season starts on June 20. The Rockies' supplementary first round pick Trevor Story is likely to be in Casper's infield this summer as well.

2011 MLB Draft Order: Rockies Hold 77th Overall Pick On Day 2

The MLB Draft is the longest one out of the major sports leagues as it extends all the way to 50 rounds, though teams can pass when they want to end their selections. Some teams have concluded their proceedings in the 30s in previous years and others in the 40s, but most usually go all the way to 50.

So when the second day gets under way at 10 a.m. MT the Rockies will need to wait for a few minutes until things get to the 77th overall selection. The Pittsburgh Pirates start the day with the 61st overall pick, one day after taking Gerrit Cole with the No. 1 overall selection.

They will then wait until the 107th overall pick, which comes in the third round, to select again. In the fourth round, the order stabilizes with the absence of compensatory rounds. The Rockies will select 17th (138th overall) in the fourth round and from there on out.

Visit MLB.com for live coverage.

2011 MLB Draft Grades: ESPN Not Impressed With Rockies' Choices

Just as in any major sports league's draft, instant grading of how a team performed is sought after -- and the MLB Draft is no exception. So what are some places saying about the Rockies' two selections? Over at ESPN, Jason A. Churchill is not high on the Tyler Anderson pick. He likes Anderson's fastball, but believes his breaking pitches need work. He concludes (far too early, by the way):

[H]e could be a mid-rotation starter. More likely he's a back-end arm or a reliever, but one that helps the Rockies sooner than later.

So maybe the Rockies wind up with a new version of Jeff Francis? That's not shabby.

As for the second pick at No. 45, Irving HS SS Trevor Story comes out slightly better in evaluation, praised for his defense but questioned for his bat.

Still, there's nothing like snap judgments and many Rockies fans will read a snippet or two of scouting reports and make their conclusions based on two minutes of video and without actually seeing the player. Drafts take several years to judge, and it's impossible to grade the first couple of picks the following day.

2011 MLB Draft Results, NL West: Arizona Leads Division With Additions of Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley

The Arizona Diamondbacks came away on Day 1 of the 2011 MLB Draft with a bevy of top pitching talents. At No. 3 overall, the Snakes drafted UCLA RHP Trevor Bauer, considered by some unnamed scouts to be better than teammate Gerrit Cole (the No. 1 overall pick). Bauer is likened to San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum for being short of stature, so to speak, for a pitcher, but having a mid-90s fastball. Bauer could move quickly through the D'Backs system.

At No. 7, the D'Backs took Oklahoma HS RHP Archie Bradley. He already has a 98 mph fastball to go with a curveball. Developing a changeup in the minors, Bradley could also emerge as a frontline starter down the road. They also took Kent State LHP Andrew Chafin, who came back from 2010 Tommy John surgery. His future could be in the rotation, but being a dominant closer is also projected.

The Dodgers took Stanford LHP Chris Reid with the 16th overall pick. He's apparently made strides and reached the lower- to mid-90s on his fastball, but he was a reliever for the Cardinal. The Dodgers will likely try him as a starter in the minors.

The Padres had five picks. With the 10th overall pick they took Cory Spangenberg, the player with perhaps the best bat in the draft, but no clearly defined position. His defense in the infield is questionable and he may wind up in center field. They selected RHP Joe Ross, brother of Athletics pitcher Tyson. Not quite the size of his brother, Joe still can reach the mid-90s and is committed to UCLA. They took HS RHP Mike Kelly, HS C Brett Austin and McNeese State SS Jace Peterson with their other selection.

The Giants took St. John's SS Joe Panik with the 29th overall pick and followed that with Texas HS RHP Kyle Crick with the 49th selection. Panik may have been a reach, but Crick has the potential to be a top starts. He is just learning to be a pitcher.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Rockies Select LHP Tyler Anderson, SS Trevor Story on Day 1

On Day 1 of the 2011 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies used their two selections to infuse the farm system with talent from the college ranks and the preps. With the 20th overall pick, they selected Oregon LHP Tyler Anderson, owner of many Ducks pitching records. He went 8-3 in 15 games with a 2.17 ERA. He struck out a school-record 117 batters this season and holds the single-game (14) strikeout record and for a career (285) as well. GoDucks.com breaks down his career a bit more. Baseball America says his fastball has good movement, which could lead to many swings-and-misses, while his changeup will be his go-to secondary pitch. He figures to be a somewhat relatively easy sign, probably for slot money.

The Rockies then used the 45th pick they received for the loss of Type 'B' free agent Octavio Dotel to the Toronto Blue Jays on Irving HS SS Trevor Story. Baseball America rated him their 40th best overall prospect and the No. 2 high school in the state of Texas, behind OF Josh Bell. He's one of the top shortstops who will be able to stick at the position and his bat could make him, as BA suggests, a five-tool shortstop.

The 2011 MLB Draft continues on Tuesday at 10 a.m. MT via conference call. Visit MLB.com to catch the Internet broadcast.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Rockies Select Trevor Story

The Colorado Rockies selected Irving, TX high school shortstop Trevor Story with the No. 45 overall pick. Walt Weiss announced the selection for the team. The compensatory pick came to the Rockies for the loss of Type 'B' free agent Octavio Dotel to the Toronto Blue Jays during the offseason.

Story is a defensive shortstop who needs his bat to show up. He has a commitment to the LSU Tigers, which may make it somewhat harder to sign him, but the Rockies should get it done. He has the chops to stay at the position, unlike Levi Michael (whose versatility will let him play around the infield), though his bat could play well if he makes necessary adjustments. He's six feet tall and 175 pouds.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream  throughout the day for more updates on the draft, including last-minute mock drafts, Rockies draft history and more. Visit Purple Row for more on the Rockies.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Tyler Anderson Goes To Rockies At No. 20

After all of the mock drafts and the rumors, the Colorado Rockies settled on Oregon Ducks LHP Tyler Anderson. Utah's C.J. Cron went No. 17 to the Los Angeles Angels, eliminating one potential Rockies pick. They passed on UNC's Levi Michael and Hawaii's Kolten Wong for the college pitcher.

He was the No. 1 rated prospect for the state of Oregon by Baseball America. He's a 6-foot-4, 215-pound lefty who owns the University of Oregon's all-time strikeout record. He throws a two- and four-seam fastball, both sitting in the low-90s. A slider, a curveball occasionally and a changeup round out his repertoire. He's not going to wow many people, but he has the "feel" for pitching that many scouts like to use.

The Rockies have one more pick on Monday night, the 45th overall pick as compensation for Octavio Dotel

Stay tuned to this StoryStream  throughout the day for more updates on the draft, including last-minute mock drafts, Rockies draft history and more. Visit Purple Row for more on the Rockies.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Danny Hultzen Selected By Mariners, Anthony Rendon Slips To No. 6

After Gerrit Cole went No. 1 overall to the Pirates, many expected Rice 3B Anthony Rendon to go to the Seattle Mariners at No. 2 overall. Instead the Mariners went with Virginia LHP Danny Hultzen, who may be a tough sign. He receives a sizable inheritance if he goes to medical school in the fall. Rumors have his price tag at $13 million.

At No. 3, the Diamondbacks took Cole's teammate, Trevor Bauer. The top high schoolers, Dylan Bundy and Bubba Starling, went Nos. 4 and 5, respectively, to the Orioles and the Royals. Rendon finally went to the Washington Nationals at No. 5. He turned 21 on June 6. With Ryan Zimmerman entrenched at third for the Nats, Rendon will move off of the hot corner eventually.

Results so far through seven picks:

2011 MLB Draft: Gerrit Cole Selected No. 1 Overall By Pirates

Selecting first overall for just the fourth time in the MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected UCLA RHP Gerrit Cole on Monday night. Cole is considered by many to be the top pitcher available in the draft, but his teammate, Trevor Bauer, also takes the top spot on some lists.

Cole has reached 99 mph on the gun for his fastball, while his slider can reach 90 and his changeup goes to around 87. It's unlikely he will pitch much, if at all, this summer. Negotiations could take right up until the August 15 deadline.

The Pirates' previous first over all selections have been Jeff King, Kris Benson and Bryan Bullington. King played eight years for the Pirates and hit 88 career home runs before moving to the Royals for the last few years of his career. Benson has been underwhelming in his career, posting a 70-75 record and a 4.42 ERA. Bullington has by far been the worst of the three, pitching for five different teams. He picked up his first career win in 2010 with the Kansas City Royals.

Cole may have more than enough to be pitching in Pittsburgh in a year or two. Maybe the Pirates are ready for some good fortune.

2011 MLB Draft: Rockies Looking At High School Arms?

Less than three hours away from the 2011 MLB Draft and it looks as though the Rockies may throw a curveball to all of the mock drafts out there. Well, at least in all of those not done by Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein. In his latest mock (subscription required), Goldstein sees the Rockies taking a high schooler;

Joe Ross, RHP, Bishop O'Dowd HS (CA). One still hears plenty of college players here like Cron, Kolten Wong and some of the lesser pitchers associated with the Rockies, but as of late Sunday it seemed as if high school arms were the focus, including Joe Ross. Last Mock: C.J. Cron.

Joe is the brother of Tyson Ross, who is with the Oakland Athletics. He offers a fastball that has reached 96 mph this spring, though a low-90s fastball is more likely for where he will throw in the future. He complements that with a curve ball and a changeup. He's committed to UCLA, but could be lured away with the right amount of money.

If he didn't have Cron go at No. 19, I wonder which player Goldstein would have settled on. Baseball America's Jim Callis posted his final mock and he still sees Cron as the pick or any number of other college hitters.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream  throughout the day for more updates on the draft, including last-minute mock drafts, Rockies draft history and more. Visit Purple Row for more on the Rockies.

2011 MLB Draft: Keith Law Reports Levi Michael, Kolten Wong More Likely Than C.J. Cron For Rockies

Even though he earlier had Utah 1B C.J. Cron going to the Colorado Rockies at No. 20 in the 2011 MLB Draft, Keith Law is now reporting that Cron is unlikely to be the team's selection. But that doesn't mean the Rockies are looking too far afield. Law believes it's either Hawai'i 2B Kolten Wong or UNC SS Levi Michael.

Both players have been connected to the Rockies over the last month. Michael doesn't have a future as a shortstop with the Rockies because of Troy Tulowitzki, making him a potential double-play partner of his. However, over at Purple Row, David OhNo believes the Rockies should keep Michael at short as long as possible. He believes "[Levi's] realistic ceiling [is] at a .280/.380/.420 second baseman with 20 steals, 10 homers, and near plus defense."

As for Wong, he's still learning second base and could be tried at catcher if a team wanted to do that. His bat will play at the major league level, though strikeouts could become a concern. The draft is only hours away.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream  throughout the day for more updates on the draft, including last-minute mock drafts, Rockies draft history and more. Visit Purple Row for more on the Rockies.

2011 MLB Mock Draft: Keith Law Sticks With Utah's C.J. Cron To Colorado Rockies

The 2011 MLB Draft is only hours away, so many prognosticators are getting their last mock drafts in. Keith Law (Insider required) has released his fourth mock draft and he still sticks with Utah 1B C.J. Cron to the Colorado Rockies at No. 20. And, of course, he still mentions Hawaii 2B Kolten Wong as a possibility.

Law also throws out two other names that haven't really cropped up before with the Rockies in mock drafts before. The first is 3B Cory Spangenberg from Indian River State College. Spangenberg would be an interesting bat to add to the system, though it's questionable that he'd be able to stay in the infield. He does rate highly as a runner.

The other is Connecticut OF George Springer who was considered a top talent at the start of the year. However, there are questions over his bat (upward swing) and his ability to hit the ball hard. Still, he might be worth the risk. A 6-foot-3, 200-pound right fielder with a potential big bat would play well in Coors Field.

But Law sees Spangenberg go to the San Diego Padres at No. 10 and Springer to the Athletics at No. 18.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream  throughout the day for more updates on the draft, including last-minute mock drafts, Rockies draft history and more. Visit Purple Row for more on the Rockies.

2010 MLB Draft Review, Colorado Rockies: Kyle Parker Leads Way, But Corey Dickerson An Early Late-Round Success

The 2011 MLB Draft takes place on June 6, but how did the Rockies do in 2010 with Kyle Parker and Chad Bettis among early selections.

2011 MLB Draft: Order, TV Schedule And More

The 2011 MLB Draft gets underway on Monday night and the Colorado Rockies will have two selections over the first round and the compensatory/supplemental first round proceedings. But as in recent years, the Rockies will need to wait a little while to make their selections.

This year their first pick comes in at No. 20. This is actually a bit lower in the round than usual due to additional selections inserted into the first round. Arizona, San Diego and Milwaukee all failed to sign their first-round selections in 2010, which, under MLB rules, gives those teams a draft pick immediately following where they chose the previous year. For example, the D'Backs drafted Barrett Loux sixth overall and didn't sign him after injury issues cropped up. They will now get the seventh overall pick. However, these additional picks don't come with compensation, so the teams are likely to draft players they know they will sign with them.

After the 20th pick, the Rockies must wait until No. 45 overall, or 12 selections into the compensatory round. These picks are rewarded to teams who lose players through free agency. Type 'A' free agents give the losing team the signing team's first-round selection (top 15 protected, sending the second-round pick instead) and a compensatory pick. Type 'B' free agents give the losing team a compensatory pick. The Rockies picked up No. 45 due to Octavio Dotel. As part of a gentleman's agreement, the Rockies offered arbitration and Dotel nodded and declined. He signed with Toronto.

Tune into the MLB Network at 4 p.m. MT for a predraft show and then 5 p.m. MT for the actual draft. MLB.com will also have live streaming coverage.

First Round

Compensatory Round A/Supplemental First Round

via ESPN

Our 2011 MLB Mock Draft StoryStream has covered many of the major mock drafts and it appears as though the Rockies are favored to select a college bat, likely Utah 1B C.J. Cron, UNC SS Levi Michael or Hawaii 2B Kolten Wong.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the day for more updates on the draft, including last-minute mock drafts, Rockies draft history and more. Visit Purple Row for more on the Rockies.