Rockies challenge students in Rocky Mountain region to create draft pick trade value model

If you recall, the Colorado Rockies' analytics department last year ran a Case Competition for Colorado college students to rank the top 100 players in baseball.

The club is doing something similar this year, but extending the invitation to all college students within the Rockies' television footprint, meaning those in Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota and Nebraska are also eligible. Individuals who graduated from an institution within one of those states within the last 24 months, or reside in one of those states and graduated from college within the last 24 months, may also participate.

The goal this year is to come up with a draft pick trade value model for all 1,215 MLB First-Year Player Draft slots. From the Rockies:

You should be able to explain the data inputs you used, how you used them and why you thought they were important enough to include. In addition, you should include an analysis of your list, the strength and weaknesses of your model and/or the approach you took, and where you think there are opportunities for improvement or further research.

Your model may incorporate any factors you find significant, for instance: the years of control that a team receives from a drafted player, the success and value of players picked in or around that position within those years of team control and the estimated slot value for that pick.

Teams/individuals must submit their cases by Oct. 20. Finalists, which will be invited to present their case to members of the Rockies' front office as well as external experts at Coors Field on Nov. 2, will be notified the week of Oct. 25.

If you're eligible and interested -- or to find more information including official rules and prizes -- visit the Rockies' site. If you're not eligible but still would like to participate, send me an email and we can put something on Purple Row so that it gets plenty of eyeballs (maybe even including those from members of the Rockies' analytics department!).

For those who participate, good luck! We're all counting on you.