MLB Draft 2014, community pick: Purple Row has Kyle Freeland to Rockies at No. 8

Last Saturday, Andrew Fisher asked you -- the Purple Row readers -- who you think the Rockies will take with their first selection in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft (which is tonight, by the way). It was a very close vote, but the community settled on a college right-hander with big potential -- but one who has also been slipping as of late, possibly due to injury concerns. Without further ado ... with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, the Purple Row readers select:

Kyle Freeland, LHP, University of Evansville

Here's a pre-draft blurb on Freeland from Minor League Ball's Matt Garrioch:

"Freeland wasn't quite as impressive last summer as some, sitting 90-93 but hitting 95 and projecting more. His delivery isn't clean but it works and his command has been elite. His breaking ball is excellent and his change works. I don't know know that he will be a dominant starter but it is possible; as possible with him as anyone in this draft. If he becomes a reliever, he could still be an impact bullpen arm but I wouldn't even think about that at this point. He could be a No. 2 starter if it all works out, maybe an ace."

Freeland beat out LSU right-hander Aaron Nola by a small margin, garnering 27 percent of the vote to Nola's 25 percent. The next closest vote-getter was East Carolina right-hander Jeff Hoffman, who received only 8 percent of the vote.

Now that we know Indiana catcher Kyle Schwarber is firmly in the mix, does that change anything? Is Freeland still the guy? Has someone entirely different began to cross your mind? Let us know in the comments.

We'll have live coverage of the draft beginning at 5 p.m. MT tonight, so be on the lookout for that. Prospect guru David Hood (follow him on Twitter at @davidchood) will graciously be providing reports on each of the Rockies' picks, so you'll definitely want to be around for that.