The Rockies are sending a signal they won't play second fiddle to the Broncos training camp anymore, drafting their second starting ACC quarterback (after selecting Clemson's Kyle Parker in the first round last night), NC State's Russell Wilson in the fourth round on Tuesday.
With their second round selection, the 76th overall pick, the Rockies took Texas Tech closer Chad Bettis, a right handed pitcher that also closed for Team USA last summer. According to scouting reports Bettis has a hard fastball and good slider that should suit him well in an MLB bullpen, and some scouts feel he could work in a rotation with work on a changeup. MLB BonusBaby's Andy Seiler did a write-up of Bettis you can read here.
After the jump is a scouting video of Bettis, as well as links and information on other Rockies picks.
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For their third round selection and the 107th overall pick, the Rockies drafted Alabama shortstop Joshua Rutledge, one of the best available at the position in what's a weakness of this year's draft. Rutledge's Alabama team will face off against Rockies first round selection Kyle Parker's Clemson team in NCAA super-regional play this weekend. You can watch Rutledge talk about the playoffs in a video here. Rutledge's a decent defender at short and should be able to stick at the position, it's just a question of how much batting skill he'll bring to the table. In an ideal world he could become a Jamey Carroll type of player for the Rockies.
According to a Baseball Beginnings scouting report:
Rutledge doesn't have one skill that stands out above the others, but what he does have is a durable frame and the indications that he may have offensive growth in store.
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In the fourth round, the Rockies took another ACC quarterback, this time North Carolina State's Russell Wilson. Wilson was drafted as a second baseman. Too small to play quarterback in the NFL, there really isn't the same concern over Wilson's signability as there is with Parker, as the MLB has always been the most likely path to becoming a professional athlete for him.
As an infielder, Wilson is quick, athletic and could grow offensively as he focuses on the one sport. He's shown some power potential that's good for his size and position. Wilson was selected 140th overall. An ESPN article discussing about how he achieved his dream of being a two-sport collegiate athlete can be read here.
Concerns about Wilson include just a limited exposure to scouts this Spring, but his athletic background must have the Rockies thinking there's some untapped upside available to them here.
- Quite a bit more on Wilson could be found in this video report.
- You can read Wolfpack fans' reactions to the pick at SBN's NC State blog, Backing the Pack.
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In the fifth round, the Rockies selected big Hawaii junior right hander Josh Slaats. Slaats drew the attention of scouts by being Hawaii's ace during a grueling opening to their 2010 schedule but fell back on boards as the season progressed. The FB/slider pitcher could be a reliever if he doesn't work out as a starter.
Baseball America's John Manuel tweeted his reaction to the pick:
Hawaii RHP Josh Slaats was inconsistent this spring, but flashed some 95s and goes to Rockies in late 5th.
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For their sixth round selection, the Rockies picked University of Tampa left fielder Jared Simon. There is a profile of Simon from a Viginia wood bat league in 2009. In 200 AB's:
He added 16 doubles, 11 home runs, 36 runs, 34 RBI, and a 5/28 BB/K ratio. He finished first in the league in doubles, second in hits (63), third in home runs, and second in total bases (112).
There isn't a lot of patience, but it does seem his bat has some power potential.
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In the seventh round, the Rockies selected Oregon State senior LHP Kraig Sitton. Sitton was an unsigned 17th round selection of the Red Sox in 2009. His 2009 scouting video can be seen here.
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Eighth round selection Corey Dickerson from Meridian Community College was also drafted by the Rockies in the 29th round in 2009. The Brookhaven Massachusetts outfielder has been coveted by the Rockies and the Mississippi State Bulldogs for over a year now, we'll see if we win this time.
"The kid can flat out hit," Meridian Community College head coach Chris Rose said. "He's probably the best hitter I've ever coached. I truly believe he'll be a big leaguer if he can keep that passion about his craft."
From an article about the draft's potential impact on MSU's recruit class.
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In the ninth round, the Rockies selected Geoff Parker, a junior Florida State RHP. Here's a 2009 interview he gave to PingBaseball.
I have never really modeled my game after any one, but I've been told (before the steroid issue) that I look like Roger Clemens on the mound. He is one of my favorite pitchers of all-time.
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The Rockies selected Santa Ana College second baseman Brett Tanos in the tenth round. Tanos will be coached in Alaska this summer by Bret Lachemann, the son of Rockies front office staffer Marcel Lachemann and nephew of Sky Sox hitting coach Rene Lachemann, so it's possible this is a type of draft and follow selection.
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Eleventh round selection Juan "Hommy" Rosado from Barbe High School in Louisiana broke the string of college picks. The first baseman and teammate of prospect Garin Cecchini is a raw power threat that was lighting up the scoreboard early this season before cooling off. He could be quite a coup if the Rockies can entice him from an LSU-Eunice (the same school Delta Cleary went to) commitment.
Hommy Rosado Highlight Video from Martin Reinhardt on Vimeo.
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The Rockies selected Texas-San Antonio left hander Matt Crocker in the twelfth round and Eastern Illinois RHP Josh Mueller in the 13th.
Mueller is slated to pitch in the Cape Cod League this summer after going 8-1 during the collegiate season. Baseball America's Conor Glasey wrote the following at their blog:
Eastern Illinois righthander Josh Mueller fell on draft boards, finally going in the 13th round to the Rockies. He has a power arm that helped him strike out 78 in 68 innings this season.
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14th Round selection Taylor Reid is slated to pitch in the Valley Baseball League in Virginia this summer and was probably heavily scouted as the Rockies have a pretty solid foothold in the West Coast Conference.
Here's his SMC profile page.
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Round 15: William Swanner, a high school catcher from California with a pretty strong commitment to Pepperdine
He has a good offensive approach and has the potential for right-handed power from a premium position. On the pro scale, Swanner looks like a guy who would grade out as an above average defender and thrower with above-average power for his position
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Round 16: Jayson Langfeis, junior 3B from Eastern Kentucky, the school that brought us Christian Friedrich.
Round 17: Ryan Casteel, C, Cleveland St. CC
Round 18: Juan Perez, RHP, Bethune Cookman.
Round 19: Ryan Eades, RHP, Northshore HS in Louisiana. Eades is an LSU commitment, presumed to be strongly leaning to college. He's also recovering from labrum surgery in his pitching shoulder, however, which makes this a sort of interesting pick in many ways.
Round 20: Blake McDade, 1B, Middle Tennessee State. The same university that gave us prospect Michael McKenry produces another Rockies draft pick. I find it amusing that McDade's major is concrete management. Both Casteel and McDade are featured in this article.
Round 21: Chris Giovinazzo, OF, UCLA. The Bruins are a pretty stacked team this year, Giovinazzo was actually on their bench.
Round 22: Mark Tracy, C, Duquesne. We drafted our manager's son last year too.
Round 23: Bruce Kern, RHP, St. Johns
Round 24: Christian Bergman, RHP, UC Irvine
Round 25: Kenneth Roberts, LHP, Middle Tennessee State
Round 26: Jacob Tanis, 3B, Mercer U. - Tanis is a draft eligible sophomore, breaking the run of four straight seniors starting with the Mark Tracy pick. He could have more potential than others that the Rockies have taken in these late rounds.
Round 27: Blake Keitzman, LHP, Western Oregon State - here's an article about him
Round 28: Tony Rizzotti, RHP, James Martin Senior HS, TX - He's committed to TCU
Round 29: Marco Gonzales, LHP, Rocky Mountain HS, CO - The lone local draft by the Rockies so far, Gonzales is committed to Gonzaga, PerfectGame says he's "the best pure pitcher in Colorado"
Round 30: Jeffrey Ames, RHP, Lower Columbia College, WA - This is a Juco selection that may not sign.