MLB Draft 2016: A mock draft tracker for the Colorado Rockies' No. 4 overall pick

We're just a few weeks away from the 2016 MLB Draft on Thursday, June 9, and there will be a number of mock drafts coming out between now and then. We'll keep track of whom the Rockies are projected to select at No. 4 in the major mock drafts as well as any later selections made in longer projections.

At this point, there's no clear consensus on who the top overall pick will be, but there are several names that are clearly above the rest of the class: Florida LHP A.J. Puk, Mercer OF Kyle Lewis, HS RHP Riley Pint, and HS LHP Jason Groome. The Rockies will certainly see one of those four names available when they are on the clock, and maybe one or two more if Tennessee 3B Nick Senzel or Louisville OF Corey Ray jump into the top three picks.

Mock Draft selections

MLB.com - A.J. Puk at No. 1 in latest MLB Mock Draft - 2 May 2016

Rockies pick: Dakota Hudson, RHP, Mississippi State

Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo started May with a dueling top-10 mock draft, but both predicted the Rockies would take Hudson. Callis thinks the Rockies want to move beyond high school pitchers because Tyler Matzek hasn't been worth the return on investment and Mike Nikorak didn't show anything in a measly 17 innings after being drafted last summer. Both see Hudson as a consistent, reliable college arm. The Rockies pass on Riley Pint and Jason Groome in Callis' projection and just Pint in Mayo's (Groome to Braves at No. 3).

MLB.com - Kyle Lewis at No. 1 in latest MLB Mock Draft - 12 May 2016

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (CA)

Jonathan Mayo makes a full first round mock and shakes things up with Lewis going No. 1, believing that the Phillies are looking to take a hitter. Puk and Groome follow, leaving the Rockies to grab Moniak, who has been a name connected to the Rockies in other mock drafts recently. The Phillies are apparently also checking out Moniak, interest that could make coming mock drafts more intriguing.

MLB.com - A.J. Puk at No. 1 in latest MLB mock draft - 19 May 2016

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (CA)

Jim Callis makes the selections this time and doesn't change Colorado's choice from the previous Mayo version. The mantra is: outfielder, outfielder, outfielder.

MLB.com - First round shakeups in latest MLB mock draft - 27 May 2016

Rockies pick: Jason Groome, LHP, Barnegat HS (NJ)

Mayo makes a change for the Rockies in this version, putting the lefty prep pitcher Groome on the Rockies. Mayo also notes Moniak is another player associated with the Rockies at No. 4, the player previously mocked to the team at official league site. Moniak goes off the board to the A's at No. 6.

MLB.com - Mock Draft: Top 4 unchanged but uncertain - 3 June 2016

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (CA)

Callis is back and he still has Moniak heading to the Rockies, but believes Pint and Groome are also in the mix. It does seem increasingly likely that the Rockies will take an outfielder (Moniak, Lewis, Ray) or one of the high school pitchers. There's college pitcher worthy of going No. 4 unless Puk is available.

MLB.com - Opening-round picks in 2016 MLB mock draft - 9 June 2016

Rockies pick: A.J. Puk, LHP, Florida

Callis and Mayo each have a choice in this mock and both seem to believe the Rockies will take Puk simply because he's going to be there. That's not good reasoning.

★ ★ ★

FanGraphs - A Way-Too-Early 2016 MLB Mock Draft - 5 May 2016

Rockies pick: A.J. Puk, LHP, Florida

With Groome, Nick Senzel, and Kyle Lewis off the board, the Rockies have the choice between the top college arm or the top prep arm. Moore opts to give the Rockies Puk over righty Riley Pint.

★ ★ ★

Baseball America - Mock Draft 2.0 - 6 May 2016

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (CA)

Manuel believes the Rockies want to go with a college player here but doesn't find a fit; Puk and Lewis are already gone and Ray and Senzel don't offer as much upside as Moniak. Manuel sees Moniak as a player who can take advantage of Coors Field due to his athleticism and speed.

Baseball America - Mock Draft 3.0 - 13 May 2016

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (CA)

The top four picks are the same as before. Corey Ray goes to the Brewers at No. 5 over Jason Groome this time.

Baseball America - Mock Draft 4.0 - 27 May 2016

Rockies pick: Kyle Lewis, OF, Mercer

John Manuel shakes things up with Mickey Moniak, previously mocked to the Rockies, going No. 1 overall to the Phillies. The Reds follow with A.J. Puk at No. 2 and the Braves go with Corey Ray at No. 3. That leaves the Rockies with a chance at grabbing one of the top prep pitchers (Riley Pint or Jason Groome) or the best college bat available, Mercer outfielder Kyle Lewis. Manuel projects Lewis as the pick in this scenario and has the Brewers and the Athletics select Pint and Groome with the next two picks.

If this were the scenario to play out with the first three picks, it's hard to see how the Rockies could go wrong with their choice at No. 4.

Baseball America - Mock Draft 5.0 - 7 June 2016

Rockies pick: Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (KS)

Moniak is a member of the Phillies in this iteration, Puk goes to the Red, and the Braves grab Lewis. That sets up the Rockies to take perhaps the top prep arm in the draft, Pint -- a pitcher who can throw 100 mph.

Baseball America- Mock Draft 5.1 - 9 June 2016

Rockies pick: Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (KS)

No change here for the Rockies, but the fall of A.J. Puk looks to be a thing that has a good chance of happening. He's off the board at No. 6 to the Athletics here.

★ ★ ★

Purple Row - Our first mock draft - 6 May 2016

Rockies pick: Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (KS)

Ryan Schoppe and mattrob each projected the Rockies to draft Pint at No. 4 in their top-10 mock. Both see Pint as the best player available in this year's draft.

Purple Row - Our second mock draft - 20 May 2016

Rockies picks: Riley Pint (No. 4), Alex Kiriloff (No. 38), Carter Kieboom (No. 45)

Ryan and mattrob went 45 picks deep in their second mock and went with all high school choices: Pint, perhaps the best arm available in the draft; Kiriloff, a prep first baseman who has the arm, power, and speed to play right field; and Kieboom, who, aside from having a great last name, can likely play either corner infield spot with a great stroke at the plate. A solid pickup for the Rockies here.

Purple Row - Our final mock draft - 3 June 2016

Rockies picks: Mickey Moniak (No. 4), Kevin Gowdy (No. 38), Bo Bichette (No. 45)

Ryan and mattrob return with one last mock draft and change the Rockies' selection to the prep outfielder whose name has been closely associated with the team in recent weeks. Gowdy is a 6'4 righty from a California high school and Bichette is Dante's son.

★ ★ ★

ESPN - Keith Law's 2016 MLB mock draft 1.0 - 18 May 2016 (Insider subscription required)

Rockies pick: Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (KS)

With Puk, Lewis, and Groome going first, second, and third, Law puts Pint with the Rockies over high school outfielder Mickey Moniak, which other recent mocks have done. Law believes the Rockies are looking for pitching with this pick and would likely take Puk over anyone else if he were available at this choice.

ESPN - Keith Law's 2016 MLB mock draft 2.0 - 28 May 2016 (Insider subscription required)

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (CA)

Law pivots to Moniak here, but notes that the only other names he's heard connected with the Rockies are pitchers: Groome, Pint, and Hudson. Groome is off the board one pick earlier to the Braves, but Pint goes No. 9 to the Tigers and Hudson joins the Rays at No. 13. Law feels it in his gut that the Rockies need to go with one of the high school pitchers available, but apparently not in his mock draft.

ESPN - Keith Law's MLB mock draft 3.0 - 3 June 2016 (Insider subscription required)

Rockies pick: Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (KS)

Law calls this a "rare opportunity" for the Rockies to be able to get a pitcher like Pint. He also notes Groome or Dakota Hudson are in the mix. A Hudson pick would be disappointing. He also feels there's a chance Moniak could be the selection.

ESPN - Keith Law's final MLB Mock Draft (4.0) - 9 June 2016 (Insider subscription required)

Rockies pick: Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (KS)

There does seems to be a gathering consensus on the morning of draft day that the Rockies will take either Moniak or Pint, the latter the more likely pick with Moniak expected to be the choice at No. 1 by the Phillies. Law also throws out Illinois pitcher Cody Sedlock as a possibility, but Sedlock would only make sense if the Rockies wanted to save a ton of money with their first pick.

★ ★ ★

RoxPile - Colorado Rockies: Mock Draft Monday, Version 2 - 23 May 2016

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak (No. 4), Kyle Muller (No. 38)

Moniak continued to be a name connected with the Rockies as May came to an end. Muller is a 6'6 lefty from Dallas, Texas, who is committed to the Longhorns. He's done some impressive things this spring and would be a solid choice here.

★ ★ ★

Minor League Ball - 2016 Minor League Ball Mock Draft - 6 June 2016

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (CA)

John Sickels and crew don't stray far from what other mock drafts have done: putting the high-upside prep outfielder with the Rockies. Moniak is looking like a good bet for the Rockies should he be available.

★ ★ ★

CBS Sports - 2016 MLB Mock Draft: A.J. Puk the favorite to go first overall - 7 June 2016

Rockies pick: Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (CA)

Another mock putting Moniak with the Rockies. Lewis and Pint are also available at this point, and if all three are available come the team's pick, the hard choice might be between Moniak and Pint.