Rockies Finish 50 Rounds in Draft
A look at the Rockies 50 selections in this year’s draft:
First Round
No. 11 LHP Tyler Matzek
Capistrano Valley (Ca.) HS
Matzek, 6-3, 210, has a scholarship to pitch at Oregon, which resumed playing college baseball this year after a two-decade hiatus. Matzek was 13-1 with 0.98 ERA, and hit .404 with eight home runs.
Top high school left-hander in draft, and was rated anywhere from second best to eighth best player in draft. He features a 90-93 mph fastball, but did hit 98 in CIF finals, as well as a sharp-breaking curveball. He has flashed a changeup and slider in the past, but did not use them much this spring.
No. 32 OF Tim Wheeler
Sacramento State
(Pick from Angels for free agent LHP Brian Fuentes)
Wheeler, 6-4, 205, is a left-handed hitter with a shade above average power. He hit .396 with 18 home runs and 69 RBI in the spring.
A center fielder in college, he projects to a left fielder in pro ball. Scouts liked his refined approach to hitting and baserunning instincts. Good feel for how to play the game.
Sandwich Round
No. 34 LHP Rex Brothers
Lipscomb University
(compensation pick for loss of free agent LHP Brian Fuentes)
Brothers, 6-0, 205, set a school record with 132 strikeouts in 94 innings in the spring, but he also walked 42 batters. He was 5-5 with a 3.26 ERA, 20 wild pitches and six hit batters.
Brothers smoothed out his mechanics in the spring and added velocity.He will pitch in the 92-to-94 mile per hour range, and has a solid slider. Some scouts feel he could be a Randy Myers-type reliever, but he holds his velocity well, which makes others feel he needs to start.
Second Round
No. 59 SS Nolan Arenado
El Toro (Ca.) HS
Arenado, 6-1, 205, hit safely in 27 of 28 high school games, compiling a .529 average with five home runs, 14 doubles and 23 RBI. He walked 19 times and struck out five times in 70 at-bats. He also had limited time on the mound and was 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 12 innings. He has committed to Arizona State.
Arenado projects as a third baseman in pro ball, although with his arm strength and quick feet scouts feel he could be an impact catcher. He did work behind the plate in winter scouts’ leagues in Southern California. He has a quick bat and legitimate raw power.
Third Round
No. 89 1B Benjamin Paulsen
Clemson University
Paulsen, 6-4, 205, hit .367 with 18 doubles, four triples, 13 home runs and 61 RBI in the spring, drawing 33 walks but striking out 39 times. He is the son of Clemson associate head coach Tom Riginos.
Paulsen is limited to first base. He has power, a smooth swing and the ability to use all fields, a la Mark Grace. He, however, needs to become more patient at the plate.
Fourth Round
No. 121 OF Kent Matthes
University of Alabama
Matthes, 6-2, 220, led the NCAA Division I with 28 home runs. He hit .358 with 81 RBI, was 13-for-16 on stolen bases and was a unanimous selection as the SEC Player of the Year in voting by coaches. A senior, Matthes is considered signable.
Matthes has raw power that blossomed this year. Coaches felt he made major strides after Crimson Tide tour of Cuba, where he faced advanced pitching. No major flaws in his swing, but he needs to be more patient. A solid runner with strong athleticism, he has enough arm to play right field but could be a major plus in left field.
Fifth Round
No. 151 3B Joseph Sanders
Auburn University
Sanders suffered a broken jaw when he was hit by a pitch on April 21, but in a tribute to his desire to play he did return for the final series of the season against Alabama, and did hit his 10th home run.
Sanders is a big-time bat with solid plate coverage. Defensively he has a decent arm, but erratic footwork and needs to soten his hands. He is atheltic enough he could move to the outfield.
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Sixth Round No. 181 RHP Christopher Balcolm-Miller West Valley (Ca.) Junior College Fastball is in low 90s and complimented by quality changeup that allowed him to strike out 106 in 83 innings. Breaking ball regress during season. Signed a letter of intent with Lewis and Clark Univesity. Seventh Round No. 211 RHP Erik Stavert University of Oregon Stavert has heavy sink on a two-seam fastball that will touch 94 miles per hour but is more regularly in the 89-92 mph range. He has a plus changeup that he will throw to left-handed and right-handed hitters, and it has a downward action, much like his fastball. The breaking ball is a sluve in the upper 70s, and needs to be refined. Eight Round No. 241 RHP Rob Scahill Bradley University Scahill had his season disrupted by a strained oblique muscle suffered in his third start of the season. He was 3-3 with a 4.05 ERA, striking out 59 and walked 30 in 60 innings. He has a 4-to-1 groundball-to-fly ball ratio. Scahill says he will pitch at 91 to 94 miles per hour with his fastball and has worked to refine his changeup and slider. Ninth Round No. 271 LHP Wes Musick Univeristy of Houston Musick underwent reconstructive left elbow surgery and knee surgery as a freshman, missing the 2006 season, but then started the season opener for Houston each of the last three seasons. He won six games as a redshirt freshman and was 8-3 in 2008, but went 5-7 with a 5.97 ERA in 2009. Tenth Round No. 301 RHP Charles Ruiz Long Beach State Ruiz, 6-2, 190, was closer for the Dirtbags after transfering from Chabot (Ca.) Junior College. Features sinking 92-mph sinker and a hard slider that can be a challenge for catchers. He had 11 wild pitches in 24 innings, but did convert 11 saves and struck out 41. Eleventh Round No. 331 2B/OF Avery Barnes Florida Barnes hit .362 with 44 stolen bases in 54 attempts combined his junior and senior seasons. He was a 40th-round draft choice of Washington a year ago, but chose to return to Florida. Twelfth Round No. 361 1B Jared Clark Cal State Fullerton Clark is a fifth-year senior. He pitched two years, and then missed 2007 with knee surgery. He converted to first baseman upon his return. Hit 11 home runs and drove in 74 runs as a senior. Thirteenth Round No. 391 LHP Paul Bargas California Riverside Bargas originally attended University of Arizona. Started at Cal-Riverside as a junior. Compiled 5-3 record with 4.44 ERA. Struck out 44 and walked only nine in 75 innings. Fourteenth Round No. 421 SS Jeffrey Squier Mississippi Valley State Squier is a native of Sterling and transfered to Mississippi Valley after last season from Northeastern Junior College. He led Mississippi Valley with a .354 average and 41 stolen bases in 45 attempts. Played third base at Northeastern, and also pitched in relief. Fifteenth Round No. 451 RHP Tyler Gagnon Diablo Valley (Ca.) Junior College Gagnon started and relieved for team that was 14-29. He led team with 3.20 ERA and had 4-3 record, striking out 34 and walking 18 in 45 innings. Sixteenth Round No. 481 3B Dom Altobelli Univeristy of Illinois Altoblli hit .361 with 15 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 53 RBI and 54 runs scored as a senior. Hit .320 during his career at Illinois. Seventeenth Round No. 511 LHP Josh Hungerman Cleveland State Hungerman was Rockies 50th round draft choice a year ago, but returned to school for his senior year. He was 5-6 with a 4.60 ERA, striking out 91 in 89 innings. He also hit .345, tied for team lead with 11 home runs and led team with 50 RBI. Eighteenth Round No. 541 RHP Richard Testa Lamar University Testa, 6-3, 225, was 8-3 with a 4.16 ERA in his senior season. He struck out 84 and walked 23 in 76 1/3 innings. Nineteenth Round No. 571 C Dustin Garneau Cal State Fullerton Garneau is a quality receiver. He is considred a manager on the field because of his ability to handle pitchers. Threw out 59 percent of potential basestalers. Hit .296 with four home runs for the Titans. Twentieth Round No. 601 C Dallas Tarleton Elon University Tarleton, a senior, indicated he has agreed to term, telling school officials he wasn’t sure where he will be assigned by the Rockies. Considered a team leader with his ability to handle a pitching staff, he also hit .293 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI as a senior. Twenty-first Round No. 631 OF Chandler Laurent Delgado (La.) Junior college Laurent transfered to Delgado last fall after spending his freshman year at Southeastern Louisiana. An excellent defensive outfielder, he hit .431 with eight home runs and 56 RBI in the spring. Twenty-second Round No. 661 1B David Born Long Beach State University Born was a situational lefty for Dirtbags. He was 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in 30 appearances, striking out 23 in 20 2/3 innings. Twenty-third Round No. 691 2B Jose Rivera Universidad Interamericana (P.R.) Twenty-fourth Round No. 721 SS Joey Wong Oregon State University Wong was a freshman who started on the 2007 College World Champion team and was selected to the All-College World Seres team. Hit .255 at a junior this spring. Twenty-fifth Round No. 751 RHP Trevor Gibson San Jose State University Gibson made 19 relief appearances for the Spartans and was 3-1 with a 4.72 ERA. The 6-3, 225-pounder struck out 30 and walked 10 in 34 1/3 innings. Twenty-sixth Round No. 781 RHP Rhett Ballard Virginia Tech University Ballard was converted to a starter midway in his junior season, and was Tech’s No. 1 starter as a senior in the spring. He was 7-4 with a 4.05 ERA. In 80 innings he struck out 77, giving him a school record 263 striekouts in his four-year career.
Twenty-seventh Round No. 811 RHP Daniel Perkins Delaware State Univeristy Perkins, who missed 2008 because of an injury, was 5-5 with a 2.65 ERA, striking out 85 in 86 innings and earning Mid Eastern Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year honors. Twenty-eighth Round No. 841 OF David DiNatale Univeristy of Miami DiNatale played at Central Florida his frehsman year but transfered to Miami for the last three seasons. He was a 22nd round draft choice of Pittsburgh when he came out of high school in 2005. As a senior, he hit .311 with 15 doubles, six hoem runs and 39 RBI. Twenty-ninth Round No. 871 OF McKenzie Dickerson Meridian (Ms) Junior College Dickerson is 6-3, 205. Thirtieth Round No. 901 C Bryce Mansanari University of Georgia Mansanari is a native of Las Vegas, who transfered to Georgia from Southern Nevada College. In two years with the Bulldogs he hit .316 with 30 home runs and 127 RBI. THIRTY-FIRST ROUND No. 931 RHP Clint Tilford University of Kentucky THIRTY-SECOND ROUND No. 961 LHP Steve Junker Bellevue (Neb) College THIRTY-THIRD ROUND No. 991 RHP Coty Woods Middle Tennessee State THIRTY-FOURTH ROUND No. 1021 C Brandon Whitby Prairie View A&M THIRTY-FIFTH ROUND No. 1051 OF Tym Pearson Thurston (Springfield, Ore.) HS THIRTY-SIXTH ROUND No. 1081 OF Jarrett Higgins Bellaire (Tx) HS THIRTY-SEVENTH ROUND No. 1111 OF John Thomas Pace Academy (Ga) HS THIRTY-EIGHTH ROUND No. 1141 C Brett Hambright Riverside (Ca) CC THIRTY-NINTH ROUND No. 1171 RHP Eric Federico Cal State Stanislaus FORTIETH ROUND No. 1201 C Jason Bagoly Austintown-Fitch (Ohio) HS FORTY-FIRST ROUND No. 1231 3B Matthew Sanders Clemson University FORTY-SECOND ROUND No. 1261 2B Joseph Scott Cal State Fullerton FORTY-THIRD ROUND No. 1291 OF John Broyles Fayetteville (Ark) HS FORTY-FOURTH ROUND No. 1321 OF Micah Green Cherokee Trail (Co) HS FORTY-FIFTH ROUND No. 1351 C Heath Holliday Bixby (Ok) HS FORTY-SIXTH ROUND No. 1381 3B Tyler Wallace Eaton (Co) HS FORTY-SEVENTH ROUND No. 1411 1B Sterling Monfort Eaton (Co) HS FORTY-EIGHTH ROUND No. 1441 RHP Clinton McKinney Clemson University FORTY-NINTH ROUND No. 1471 C Mark Tracy Duquesne University FIFTIETH ROUND No. 1501 OF Nathan Hines Middle Tennessee State
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Sterling Monfort? Any relation?
Dick Monfort’s son, I believe.
That amazes me how many rounds there are. Over 1500 players and you have to scout all of them. Or most of them anyways. Wow. Hopefully some of these guys will turn out and hopefully they can sign Matzek. I complained about them going after low ceiling low risk guys like Reynolds, so I got my wish with Matzek. Hopefully he will pan out.
We selected a kid by the name of Heath Holliday in the 45th round. Any relation to Matt? I see he’s also from Oklahoma…possibly a cousin??
He is a cousin of Matt. His father, Dave, is a special assistant to Rockies GM Dave O’Dwod.
Thanks Tracy!
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