Rockies Draft Analysis

Waiting for the Rockies/Tigers game today at Coors Field and going over the 2005 Rockies Draft Choices. Here's how they break down.

52 players drafted
27 pitchers (19 right-handed)
13 infielders
8 outfielders
4 catchers
17 high schoolers
35 college and junior college

The balance was pretty good between pitchers and position players and was fairly heavy on college players (as opposed to the Angels who went out of their way to select high schoolers). The first pick (7th overall) was Troy Tulowitzki (TWO-lo-witz-kee), a 6'3" 205 pound shortstop from Long Beach State University who bats and throws right-handed. He was selected after his junior season in which he hit .349 with 8 homeruns and 29 RBI in 39 games. He was a two-time All American and three-time All-Big West selection. He'll turn 21 in October and has agreed to terms with the Rockies including a $2.3M signing bonus, working out with the team yesterday. He'll report to class A Modesto on June 17th.

He reportedly has a good arm although since he's pretty big for a shortstop Walt Weiss, who works for the Rockies in the front office will be watching his footwork.

"Primarily, a guy's footwork will tell you a lot about him. If you're going to play in the middle of the infield, it's all about your feet."

Baseball America ranked him as the fourth best prospect before the draft. I'm not sure why he slipped to 7th.

In the supplemental round with the 52nd pick overall the Rockies chose Chaz Roe, a 6'5" right-handed pitcher from Lafayette Kentucky High School. The comments on MLB.com on Raz are:

"Loose, quick arm. Shows no major mechanical problems. Tough FB that bores into RHH hands. Bat-breaker in wood bat leagues. Throws a knee-buckling CB for his out-pitch. Comes at batters w/ a hard, tight 3/4 tilt w/ late bite."

In the Bill James interview I blogged about the other day James noted that in a high school pitcher what they look for is a "clean delivery" which is I assume analagous to "no major mechanical problems".